CANYON, Texas (May 7, 2022) – No. 15-ranked West Texas A&M pounded out 19 hits and completed a two-game sweep of Oklahoma Christian in the opening round of the Lone Star Conference baseball tournament with an 8-5 win on Saturday night at Wilder Park.

West Texas A&M (37-15) will advance to next weekend's four-team double-elimination bracket, while OC (21-31) will begin preparations for the 2023 season.

OC was the home team on the scoreboard on Saturday and the Eagles started strong. Cole Lee led off with a home run and Grant Lake's single scored Chance Westervelt, although the Eagles missed a chance to take a bigger lead when Michael DiFiore was thrown out at home trying to score from second base.

Unfortunately for OC, the Buffaloes answered with five runs in the top of the second inning off OC starter Isaiah Alvarenga (5-5). Eddy Savoie's two-run double was the big blow in that outburst for West West Texas A&M, which built its lead to 8-2 with another run in the sixth and two more in the seventh.

West Texas A&M starter Jack Eagen (7-2) limited OC to six hits and two runs in five innings. The Eagles rallied against relief pitchers Brennon Berdon and Colton Charnholm in the bottom of the seventh, scoring three runs, two on a single through the left side by DiFiore (who had three of OC's eight hits) and another on a single up the middle by Lake. That pulled OC within 8-5, but that proved to be the Eagles' last gasp.

Closer Reese Miller entered to start the eighth inning for West Texas A&M and struck out five batters without allowing a hit to earn his sixth save of the season.

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