KINGSVILLE, Texas – West Texas A&M softball posted another series sweep on Friday, defeating Texas A&M-Kingsville twice. The Lady Buffs pulled away late in game one for a 13-4 victory before an Emilee Boyer home run in the seventh inning proved to be the difference in game two, 3-2.
 
WT improves to 22-2 on the season and 12-2 in Lone Star Conference play while the Javelinas fall to 13-12 overall and 8-6 in league play.
 
The Lady Buffs go over to Laredo on Sunday, March 9 for a 12 p.m. doubleheader with Texas A&M International.
 
THE BASICS
Game 1 Score: #5 West Texas A&M 13, Texas A&M-Kingsville 4
Pitching: (W) Emilee Boyer (11-1); (L) Arianna Alaniz (5-4)
Texas A&M-Kingsville notched the first run of the game as a two-out double came around to score on a pair of wild pitches. The Lady Buffs answered back in the top of the second as a two-out error from the Javelinas kept the inning alive and placed a runner on base. The mistake proved to hurt TAMUK as Avery Cannon blasted a two-run home run to center field for the lead.
 
WT added to its lead in the top of third when Abby Howell drove in a run with a double to the gap. A sacrifice fly off the bat of Emilee Boyer plated another run before a two-out single from Heaven Moreno stretched the lead to 5-1.
 
The Lady Buffs would add a run on Howell's sacrifice fly in the fourth, but the Javelinas matched the run in the bottom of the inning on an RBI groundout. TAMUK brought the game back within three as a leadoff single came in on a one-out double.
 
WT put the game out of reach in the top of the seventh with seven runs on six hits and two Javelinas errors. A leadoff error set up Abby Howell's two-run shot to left-center field. Back-to-back singles made their way around the bases when Moreno reached on an error by the third baseman. Avery Cannon recorded her third RBI of the day on a sacrifice fly. The Lady Buffs would plate their final runs on Riley Stiner's pinch-hit double and Ashley Mandell's pinch-hit single.
 
In the bottom of the seventh, Texas A&M-Kingsville attempted to mount a comeback when the Javelinas put a pair on with one out. On a single up the middle, Emily Liskai came up firing to cut a runner down at the plate. TAMUK broke onto the board in the inning on a Lady Buff error.
 
Game 2 Score: #5 West Texas A&M 3, Texas A&M-Kingsville 2
Pitching: (W) Kendall Selitzky (2-0); (L) Arianna Alaniz (5-5)
It was the Lady Buffs who scored first in game two as a one-out walk by Emilee Boyer loaded the bases for Moreno. The junior shortstop converted on the scoring opportunity as Moreno brought home a run with an RBI groundout. Texas A&M-Kingsville wouldn't let WT sit in the lead for long as three hits in the bottom of the inning brought home a pair of runs.
 
The Lady Buffs would knot the score at two when a two-out walk from Boyer came in on Moreno's triple to right-center field.
 
WT put itself in a prime scoring position when Kiley Avery singled up the middle followed by a Howell walk. Boyer grounded out to third, but the ball in play moved the runners up a base with Moreno coming to the plate. Moreno also put a ball in play where a throw to the plate cut down the go-ahead run.
 
The 2-2 tie continued to the seventh inning where a pair of strikeouts seemed to bring Texas A&M-Kingsville in position to escape the inning without damage. With a 0-1 count Boyer blasted her ninth home run of the season to give WT a 3-2 lead. In the bottom of the seventh, Kendall Selitzky shut down the Javelinas lineup as the freshman ended the game on a strikeout.