CANYON, Texas – In a battle of two top teams in the country, the Lone Star Conference doubleheader between the No. 7-ranked West Texas A&M softball team and No. 1 UT Tyler didn't disappoint on Friday night. The split moves the Lady Buffs' record to 19-1 overall and 9-1 in conference play while UT Tyler falls to 17-2 overall and 8-2 in league action.
 
The Patriots controlled game one before holding off a late Lady Buff comeback to win game one 9-8. In game two, WT completed a dramatic comeback for a 3-2 win.
 
WT hosts Texas Woman's on Sunday, March 2 for a 1 p.m. doubleheader at Schaeffer Park.
 
THE BASICS
Game 1 Score: #1 UT Tyler 9, #7 West Texas A&M 8
Pitching: (W) Primrose Aholelei (9-0); (L) Emilee Boyer (9-1)
UT Tyler scored first to open the game as a leadoff single from JT Smith moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. A pitch later, a single up the middle scored Smith from second to give UT Tyler an early 1-0 lead.
 
In the top of the second, the Patriots loaded the bases with two outs. On a line drive back to Emilee Boyer in the circle, the hit took a deflection before going to Avery Cannon at second. The deflection allowed the UT Tyler base runner to beat Cannon to second, scoring two runs on the play.
 
The Patriots added to their lead in the third as Ka'Lyn Watson started the frame with a solo shot to left-center field. Following the home run, Boyer settled in and retired the next two hitters. An error extended the inning for UT Tyler where the Patriots scored a run with two outs.
 
WT would break up the shutout in the bottom half of the third as Cadence Colborn started the inning with a solo home run to left. With two outs, Lauren Granger connected on her seventh home run of the season to bring the Lady Buffs within three.
 
In the top of the fourth, UT Tyler matched WT's runs from the previous inning when a one-out single to right scored two runs.  The Patriots would make it four consecutive innings with two runs as the visitors plated two more in the fifth.
 
The Lady Buffs plated a run in the bottom of the fifth when a Colborn single to start the inning came in to score on Granger's two-out triple to right field.
 
Trailing by six entering the bottom of the seventh, WT attempted a dramatic comeback. The inning started with back-to-back doubles from Cannon and Emily Liskai before a Granger walk loaded the bases with no outs. With a 2-1 count, Kiley Avery lined a ball into the gap, but a shift and great play in center field brought home a run on the sacrifice fly. The Lady Buffs reloaded the bases when Abby Howell singled to left field, bringing Boyer to the plate. With a full count, Boyer powered a grand slam to right center, bringing the score within one with one out. The grand slam forced a call to the bullpen where Kaylee Davis entered in a save situation. The Patriots' move worked in favor of the top-ranked team as the new pitcher retired the next two WT hitters to end the game.
 
Game 2 Score: #7 West Texas A&M 3, #1 UT Tyler 2
Pitching: (W) Heidi Vortherms (9-0); (L) Cera Blanchard (5-2)
The game started as a pitcher's duel as Heidi Vortherms and UT Tyler's Cera Blanchard pitched six scoreless innings with a combined 11 strikeouts and four walks, only allowing seven hits.
 
In the heated duel, the game's first scoring chance came in the bottom of the fifth when Trinity Kuntz started the inning with a triple to right field. After Lily Mulder entered to run at third, Emily Liskai grounded a ball to third base with one out. The Patriots quickly fired home and cut the go-ahead run down at the plate.
 
UT Tyler attempted to take the lead in the top of the sixth as a hit by pitch groundout to pitcher moved a runner to third with two outs. Vortherms wouldn't let the Patriots take the lead, forcing a groundout to Moreno at short. WT created a chance of its own in the bottom of the inning as a Howell single gave the Lady Buffs a leadoff runner. With pinch-runner Brianna Stokes at first a pair of groundouts moved the runner to third, but UT Tyler escaped the jam once again.
 
After six scoreless innings, UT Tyler used a hit-by-pitch and wild pitch to put the go-ahead run on second base with two outs. On a 2-2 count, Patriots catcher Bailey Krolczyk connected for a two-run home run, stunning the home crowd.
 
Now facing a two-run deficit, Kuntz started the seventh with a double to the gap. UT Tyler came within an out of the win as a strikeout and caught stealing erased the base runner at second. A single from Liskai and Granger walk put two on, giving the Lady Buffs life. Down to two outs and the Patriots closing in on the win, Ashley Mandell singled to second base, scoring Liskai from second and moving Granger to third. With a 2-1 score, UT Tyler turned to the bullpen to close out the win. A Howell walk loaded the bases where Emilee Boyer lined a single into right for a 3-2 walk-off win in game two.