April 14, 2006

Box Score

The West Texas A&M University baseball team dropped a pair of games to Lone Star Conference foe Angelo State University Friday to begin a four-game series at Potter County Memorial Stadium. To start the series, the Buffs fell, 9-3, and in game two the Ram's pitching was too much for WTAMU, losing, 11-0.

WTAMU is now 20-22 on the season with a 5-5 record in LSC South play. ASU marches to 29-14 overall and 6-4 in LSC South action.

In game one, the Buffs had their chances. They had the lead-off hitter reach base in the first eight innings, but failed to get him in seven out of the eight frames. WTAMU left eight men in scoring position on base. In four innings, the Buffs had their first two batters reach base, and in all but the eighth inning, the Buffs failed to score either one of them.

Freshman southpaw Ruben Batista went the distance for WTAMU. He gave up nine earned runs on 19 hits in nine innings, including three home runs. He also balked once, but had two pickoffs.

Junior outfielder Cody Dean went 3-5, while sophomore Justin Graham continued to stay hot, going 2-4. Junior Matt Ray went 2-3 with a double, two runs scored and he was hit by a pitch.

ASU's J.W. Nastoupil ruled game two. The reigning LSC South Pitcher of the Week threw seven shutout innings, allowing only five WTAMU hits and striking out 10 Buffalo batters.

Starter Cody Sessions gave up eight runs on eight hits in 5 1/3 innings. He also hit three batters, had runners advance on five wild pitches and balked once. He is leading the team all three categories with 19, 12, and 4 respectively. Senior Brandon Wright went 2/3 of an inning, allowing three earned runs while also hitting a batter. Freshman Rory Gray threw one shutout inning in the seventh.

WTAMU is leading the LSC by hitting 57 batters this season after plunking four batters.

Sophomore catcher Caleb Palmer accounted for two of WTAMU's five hits with two singles. Graham layed down a bunt for a hit in the fifth inning. Graham has now reached base safely in 11 of the Buffs' last 12 games and is hitting a team-high .397 on the year.

WTAMU will finish the series Saturday, April 15, starting at 2 p.m. at Potter County Memorial Stadium. The Buffs will then host Wayland Baptist University on Tuesday, April 18, for one nine-inning affair. Game time will be 4 p.m. on Tuesday.

For ticket information, contact the WTAMU athletics office at 806-651-4400.