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March 1, 2008

Box Score

WEATHERFORD, Okla. - The West Texas A&M baseball team came close in a double header against Southwestern Oklahoma, but could not come out with wins as it dropped a 21-20 decision in game one of Saturday's double header then fell, 14-13, in the nightcap. With the losses, the Buffs' record falls to 5-11 with a 3-8 conference mark.

Senior Greg Shanks led the way offensively as he went 7-for-10 at the plate with three runs and five RBI on one home run and three doubles, while sophomore Will McLaughlin went 4-for-10 with two doubles as he scored five runs and brought home four WT runners. Additionally, senior Brian Schupp added another home run to push his total to a team-high 11 long balls while freshman Jake Parsons hit his first home run of his collegiate career as he went 4-for-11 with four runs scored and five RBI.

West Texas A&M returns to Canyon this week as they host Oklahoma Panhandle State in a 2 p.m. game on March 4.

Game #1 Recap - Southwestern Oklahoma 21, West Texas A&M 20

West Texas A&M struck first in game one, tallying five runs in the top of the first inning as Schupp and fellow senior Ben Edge both knocked in two-run home runs and classmate Justin Graham hit a solo long ball, his first of the season.

Southwestern Oklahoma retaliated to go ahead, 10-5, over the course of the next four innings, but WT came back with a vengeance in the sixth as the Buffs tallied 11 runs in the stanza. In the inning, freshman Eric Lensing hit a single and a two-run double, Parsons hit an RBI double and Walker singled twice.

The Buffs tacked on another two runs in the seventh, but the bottom of the inning proved to be SWOSU's break-out stretch as they scored six runs to pull within a run to make it 18-17 in favor of WT.

SWOSU tied the game in the eighth and Dakota Streber hit an RBI double but WT again retook the lead in the top of the ninth inning. Junior Kevin Els led off with a single, then advanced to second on Lensing's sacrifice bunt. Parsons again reached on a Bulldog error, this time by center fielder Matt Ferreira, that allowed Els to score.

Walker hit an RBI single to score Parsons, but then was caught attempting to steal second base as SWOSU was able to get out of the inning without allowing anymore Buff scoring.

In the bottom of the ninth, Fontanet led off with a double, advanced on a Ferreira ground out then scored on a K. HARE ground out to make it 20-19, WT. Up next, Caleb Cole singled and advanced to second as Bow Buckner was hit by a pitch. Blain Perkins came up next for the Bulldogs and hit a game-winning, two-run double.

Freshman Chris Gutierrez (0-2) took the loss for the Buffs in relief of starter Brandon Hickey. Tyler Lewis and Frankie Rodriguez also pitched in the loss, while Moose Wathen (1-0) earned the win for Southwestern Oklahoma.

Game #2 Recap - Southwestern Oklahoma 14, West Texas A&M 13

West Texas A&M again scored in the top of the first inning, this time bringing three runners home on two hits, two fielder's choices and two Southwestern Oklahoma errors. Another three runs in the second inning put the Buffs ahead, 6-1, but the Bulldogs fought back to score three in the bottom of the second and another four in the bottom of the third.

In the fourth inning, SWOSU tallied five runs - including a three-run home run by Fontanet - then held WT scoreless until McLaughlin hit another two-run double to pull the Buffs back into reach.

Heading into the seventh inning, the Bulldogs were ahead by a 14-10 margin, but the Buffs were not to be deterred as Schupp led off with a double. McLaughlin drew a walk followed by an RBI single from Edge, who advanced to second on an error by the catcher that also allowed McLaughlin to score.

After Graham struck out, Shanks again came up big for WT as he doubled to score Edge. Pinch runner Eric Metts replaced Shanks at second base, and after Lensing reached on an error and Els struck out, Metts was picked off at second to end the game.

For Southwestern Oklahoma, Chris Morrison (3-1) earned the win while Nathan Perez tallied a save; senior Bart Cannon (1-1) took the loss for the Buffs as he allowed seven runs in 2.1 innings pitched.