CANYON, Texas – West Texas A&M softball opened the NCAA Tournament with a 9-4 victory over Lone Star Conference foe Lubbock Christian. The Lady Buffs improve to 53-5 on the season while the Lady Chaps fall to 36-21.
 
Lubbock Christian started the scoring in the game's opening frame. After Heidi Vortherms retired the first two batters, an error extended the inning for the Lady Chaps. Kristen Boyd lined an 0-1 pitch off the wall in center for an RBI double. WT would tie the game in the bottom of the inning after Lauren Granger started the inning with a walk. After a one-out fielder's choice put Howell on the bases in place of Granger, Emilee Boyer powered a double into the left-center gap for an RBI double of her own.
 
The Lady Buffs extended their advantage in the bottom of the second inning when a lead-off single and hit-by-pitch put two runners on with no outs. On a sacrifice bunt, the LCU pitcher couldn't field the ball cleanly, allowing pinch-hitter Brianna Stokes to reach first base. A popout to second base gave the Lady Chaps an out where Granger lifted a sacrifice fly to right field for a 2-1 lead. With two outs in the inning, pinch-hitter Cadence Colborn tripled into the right-center gap to clear the bases and stretch the lead to 4-1.
 
The Lady Chaps tied the game in the top of the fifth, doing so with two outs. A lead-off single advanced to second on a wild pitch before moving to third on a sacrifice bunt from Sophia Reyes. Kawehi Ili recorded her first RBI of the game on a sacrifice line out to center, bringing the game within two. Kendra Levesque made things interesting when the LCU first baseman powered a solo shot out to right field. After a pitching change, a single set up a Boyd double into the right field corner to tie the game at four.  
 
After surrendering the lead, WT scored three runs of its own in the bottom of the inning, restoring the three-run advantage it had entering the inning. A lead-off walk moved up to second when Boyer reached on a hit-by-pitch. On an 0-2 count, Halie Stoneking lined a single into center to score Kiley Avery from second. Trinity Kuntz cleared the bases when she pulled a double down the left field line, scoring Boyer and Stoneking.
 
The Lady Buffs put the game out of reach with two runs in the bottom of the sixth. A one-out double moved up to third when Avery singled to the pitcher, stealing second in Howell's at bat. Howell recorded an RBI when the freshman lined a ball into right field for what looked to be a routine sacrifice fly, the LCU right fielder dropped the ball and put runners on first and third. After pinch-runner Kendall Luna de la Fuente entered the game, the freshman took off from first base, allowing Avery to score from third before being tagged out.
 
WT advances to tomorrow's winner's bracket game at 12 p.m. against the winner of Angelo State and Colorado Mesa.