CANYON, Texas – The #23 Buffaloes of West Texas A&M registered 11 strikeouts on the mound on Friday night as they picked up a 4-3 victory over the #7 UT Tyler Patriots during the opening game of the Lone Star Conference series at Irwin Field in Tyler, Texas.
 
The Buffs got on the board in the top of the fourth inning with two outs as Glenn Noronha entered the game as a pinch-hitter as the senior singled to third base to score Dylan Fesperman followed by an Elijah Batista two-run double to the left center field gap for the 3-0 lead.
 
WT extended their lead in the top of the fifth inning as Ryan Camacho singled to center field and advanced to third on an errant throw into the dugout by the Patriots, Camacho would later cross the plate on a wild pitch to make it 4-0.
 
UT Tyler used the long ball to cut into the lead in the bottom of the fifth inning as Kyle Atkinson lifted a two-run shot to center field with no outs to make it 4-2. The West Texas A&M bullpen took over as Tai Phetluangsy entered the game and stranded a pair of Patriots in scoring position to hold the 4-2 lead.
 
The Patriots wouldn't go down without a fight in the bottom of the ninth inning as a leadoff double to left and a single thru the right side brought the winning run to the plate with no outs, Mason Hammonds would cut into the lead with a sac fly to right field followed by a fly ball to Jovan Camacho in center and a grounder to first to end the game, 4-2.
 
Phetluangsy would pick up the win (3-1) for the Buffs, allowing one earned run on two hits with two walks and four strikeouts in his five innings of relief. Matt Milner tossed four frames for the Buffs, striking out seven with two earned runs on six hits.
 
The Buffs and Patriots return to the diamond tomorrow afternoon for a doubleheader scheduled for a 2:00 p.m. first pitch.