CANYON, Texas - West Texas A&M leadoff hitter Alyssa Lemos crushed two round-trippers and Hannah Newcomb dealt a three-hit shutout in leading the No. 2 Lady Buffs to a 8-0 (five inning) victory over Abilene Christian Friday night at Schaeffer Park.
The victory lifted WT's season and Lone Star Conference records to 28-4 and 10-2, while the Wildcats fell to 21-18 and 5-8.
Caitlyn Crain (9-9) started for ACU and was touched up for eight runs on six hits and four walks, all of which came around to score.
After navigating her way through a relatively quiet first inning, Crain surrendered a pair of two-out home runs in the second that gave the Lady Buffs a 4-0 lead. Crain issued a walk in between two outs to start the frame, and that free pass came back to haunt her after Mercedes Garcia slammed a shot over the wall in left field. No. 8 batter Meghan Slattery then drew a free pass off a 3-2 pitch and Alyssa Lemos followed with a blast to the left-center gap.
WT ran its lead to 6-0 in the third on yet another two-out hit, this time by Lacey Seidle, who ripped a double to left center, which scored both Mallory Wyatt and Allie Cranfill - each of who reached via base on balls.
Back-to-back homers from Slattery and Lemos to begin the fourth clinched the 8-0 run-rule win for the Lady Buffs, but that's all they would get as reliever
Peyton Mosley left the bases loaded with a pop up of Lacey Taylor and strike out of Lacey Seidl.
Newcomb improved to 11-2 following the win and struck out three, while allowing just three hits to
Keanna Winkfield,
Madison Buckley and
Courtney Flanary. Winkfield's and Buckley's hits both came in the first inning, where ACU left runners stranded at first and second.
Newcomb ended the game by getting
Sara Vaughn to ground into a 5-3 double play with two runners aboard.
The Wildcats and Lady Buffs conclude their three-game series Saturday with a 1 p.m. doubleheader. Both games will be broadcast live in Abilene on 1280-AM KSLI.
