March 21, 2008

Box Score

KINGSVILLE, Texas - The West Texas A&M ballball team dropped both games of a doubleheader against Texas A&M-Kingsville on Friday at Nolan Ryan Field, falling 9-8 in 10 innings during then opener and 4-3 in the nightcap.

The Buffs see their overall record fall to 7-21 and their mark in Lone Star Conference South action drop to 4-17. WT will conclude the four-game series against the Javelinas on Saturday with a single game beginning at noon.

Game #1 Recap - (Texas A&M-Kingsville 9, West Texas A&M 8 - 10 Innings)
Left fielder Greg Shanks homered and drove in three runs but the Buffs dropped the opener by the score of 9-8 in 10 innings. The Buffs jumped out to a 5-0 lead with five hits in the first inning, but the Javelinas were able to chip away at the visitor advantave and eventually tie the game at 8-8 with a five-run bottom of the eighth.

Senior Frankie Rodriguez (1-2) took the loss in relief, allowing one run in 1.2 innings pitched. Outfielders Justin Graham and Kelly Starr each drove in a pair of runs for WT during the loss.

Game #2 Recap - (Texas A&M-Kingsville 4, West Texas A&M 3)
Holding a lead for much of the contest, the Buffs were unable to collected a victory in the nightcap, as the Javelinas scored a run in the sixth and the seventh innings of the game to post a 4-3 in the seven-inning affair.

WT jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning of the contest, scoring runs on a field's choice from Erin Lensing and a RBI single off the bat of Shanks. Kingsville quickly evened the game as they plated two runs of their own in the home half of the inning.

Lensing drove in his second run of the game and gave the Buffs a 3-2 advantage in the third inning as he singled to shortstop to dive in Will McLaughlin.

Buff starter Bart Cannon (2-3) turned in a strong performance and kept the Javelians at bay much of the game, but runs in the final two innings sent him to his third loss of the season.