West Texas A&M University Athletics

CANYON, TEXAS – The #6 Lady Buffs of West Texas A&M ended their 2026 campaign on Sunday afternoon, falling to the #1 Saint Leo Lions in an extra inning heartbreaker at Frost Stadium in Chattanooga, Tennessee during the semifinals of the NCAA Division II College World Series.
 
Saint Leo looked to take the momentum in the top of the fourth inning as a fly ball to shallow center field looked like a two-out base hit but Emily Liskai charged and made a diving play to end the threat and the top of the frame still at 0-0.
 
WT pushed across the first run of the game in the home half of the fourth inning as Abby Howell lined a double to the right center field gap with no outs, scoring Jordyn De Los Santos from first base followed later in the frame by a Brooke Janning single to shallow left center that plated Lily Mulder for the 2-0 advantage.
 
The Lions threatened in the top of the fifth inning with a runner on first and two outs before De Los Santos made a diving play up the middle to rob a base hit and keep it at 2-0. The Lady Buffs manufactured an insurance run in the bottom of the inning as Briley Daniels scored from third on an errant throw on a steal attempt for the 3-0 lead.
 
Saint Leo got on the board in the top of the sixth inning with two outs as they executed a double steal with runners on first and second along with an errant throw by the Lady Buffs to score Briana Neal, Janning would lock back in and force a line drive to Avery Cannon to end the inning at 3-1.
 
The Lions wouldn't go down without a fight in the top of the seventh as consecutive base hits to start the inning forced a move to the bullpen, Reagan Sucher entered and got the first out on a sacrifice bunt followed by a squeeze bunt attempt but Cadence Colborn made a great defensive play to flip to Trinity Kuntz. Saint Leo took their first lead of the game with two outs as Hailey Beuerlein lifted a three-run homer to left for the 4-3 lead.
 
The Lady Buffs started the bottom of the seventh with a walk by Liskai followed by a groundout and a flyout before Bella Holland tied up the game with a single up the middle at 4-4. Saint Leo retook the lead in the top of the 10^th inning on an Alexis Barber solo shot to left field with two outs for the 5-4 advantage.
 
Laci Peskey claimed the loss (23-5) in the circle, allowing one earned run on one hit with no walks and three strikeouts in her 3.1 innings of relief.