CANYON, Texas – The No. 3-ranked West Texas A&M softball team held off the No. 4-ranked Rambelles of Angelo State to sweep a Lone Star Conference doubleheader on Friday night in Canyon. The Lady Buffs used big innings in game one to post a 10-6 victory before a seventh inning walk-off single capped off game two with an 8-7 score.
 
WT moved to 30-2 on the season and 20-2 in conference play with the pair of wins while Angelo State fell to 26-6 overall and 17-5 in league action.
 
WT faces Lubbock Christian for another rivalry series on Sunday, March 16 with a first pitch scheduled for 1 p.m.
 
THE BASICS
Game 1 Score: #3 West Texas A&M 10, #4 Angelo State 6
Pitching: (W) Emilee Boyer (15-1); (L) Cheyenne Floyd (14-3)
The Rambelles struck first to lead off the game when Laylonna Applin connected for a one-out solo shot to left center. A walk and single to right put runners on where a stolen base moved both runners into scoring position where an RBI fielder's choice plated another run on a bunt back to the circle. With two outs, the Lady Buffs caught the runner stealing at second, but the runner on third crossed the plate before the tag was applied. Trailing by three in the bottom of the inning, Lauren Granger snuck a single up the middle. Angelo State would end the side on a 6-4-3 double play, stopping WT's momentum.
 
The Lady Buffs would steer momentum into their favor in the bottom of the third as an Avery Cannon single to start the frame brought up Emily Liskai. After fouling off three pitches, Liskai connected for a two-run shot to center field and cut the Rambelles' lead down to 3-2. With two outs, back-to-back singles from Abby Howell and Emilee Boyer extended the inning and put Cadence Colborn at the plate. On the first pitch, Colborn skied a ball to left center, hitting the top of the fence with the ball bouncing back into play. Colborn raced around the bases for a two-RBI triple and a 4-3 WT lead.
 
In the fourth, the Lady Buffs added three runs on two hits. A pair of walks from Cannon and Granger put traffic on the bases with two outs. With the pair on base, pinch-hitter Riley Stiner lifted a ball down the left-field line. The Angelo State left fielder tracked the ball well but couldn't make the catch as Stiner's fly ball dropped in for an RBI double. WT wouldn't take long to drive in Stiner as Howell ripped a double off the wall in right-center field.
 
The Rambelles cut into the lead in the top of the fifth when Lauren De La Cruz started the inning with a solo home run to center field. After Angelo State scored in the top of the inning, the Lady Buffs continued their hot hitting at the plate when a one-out double from Trinity Kuntz moved Heaven Moreno to third. Three consecutive hits from the WT lineup extended the lead to 10-4 as the game entered the sixth inning.
 
In the seventh inning, Angelo State attempted a late comeback. A leadoff walk came around to score on a one-out home run to center field. With runners on second and third, Boyer locked down the Rambelles' lineup to secure a 10-6 victory.
 
Game 2 Score:  #3 West Texas A&M 8, #4 Angelo State 7
Pitching: (W) Kendall Selitzky (5-0); (L) Cheyenne Floyd (14-4)
After Angelo State started the scoring in game one, the Lady Buffs took game two's first lead in the bottom of the first. With a 1-2 count, Granger connected for a solo home run onto the batting cages in left field.
 
WT added to its lead an inning later with five runs on four hits and an Angelo State error. After a pair of singles and a walk loaded the bases with one out, Liskai grounded a ball to third base. On what looked to be a routine throw to the plate, the fielder's attempt went wide, allowing two Lady Buffs to score on the play. A Granger triple into right field brought home two more and extended the lead to 5-0. With one out and runners on first and third, Howell laid down a bunt single to score pinch-runner Lily Mulder from third.
 
The Rambelles answered back in the top of the third with four runs of their own. Three hits to start the inning scored two where a one-out blast from Ashton McMillian put Angelo State within two.
 
WT would push its lead back to three in the fourth on an RBI single from Moreno, but the Rambelles answered the run in the top of the fifth. Before Angelo State could erase the Lady Buffs' lead, freshman Kendall Selitzky escaped the bases-loaded jam to bring the bats to the plate.
 
The Rambelles would tie the game at seven in the top of the sixth as a WT throwing error with runners on scored a run for Angelo State. A pitch later the second run of the inning crossed home on a wild pitch, setting up a dramatic seventh inning.
 
In the top of the seventh, a single from the Rambelles put the go-ahead run at first with one out. A strikeout put WT on two outs, but a stolen base moved the runner into scoring position. With the tension rising, Selitzky ended the inning on a groundball back to the circle.
 
Needing just one run to win the game, a one-out walk from Cannon advanced to third when Liskai doubled into the gap. After an intentional walk to Granger, Cheyenne Floyd struck out Stiner, a pinch-hitter for Avery, to put the Rambelles an out away from escaping the inning. With a full count, Howell powered a single through the left side to score the runner on third and secure the walk-off victory.