The No. 20 WTAMU Buffalo baseball team voyaged to Abilene to take on the Abilene Christian Wildcats on April 5-7 for a four-game series. The Buffs won both games of a doubleheader on April 6 to earn the weekend split.

WT had taken a 5-4 lead after five innings when ACU scored three runs in the sixth and three more in the eighth to get a 10-7 win to open the series. Sophomore Steven Diaz (1-3) got the loss, pitching 1.1 innings and giving up three runs on four hits. Senior Jess Cooper came to play going 4 for 4 at the plate with a double, a homer and three RBIs on the night.

A first inning two-run home run from senior Kendall Boone would be all the Buffs needed to win the early game on April 6 by a 2-1 score. Junior Ryan Houston (3-2) got the win pitching all seven innings and giving up one run on four hits with five strikeouts.WT would also win the late game with a run in the first, five in the fourth and another two in the seventh for an 8-0 win. Junior Billy Gonzalez (5-0) also threw all seven innings giving up no runs on only one hit. Gonzalez had a no-hitter going into the seventh when the Wildcats finally broke through with a hit.

“Billy [Gonzalez] pitched great and he was just three outs away from one of the hardest feats in baseball,” Head Coach Matt Vanderburg said.

The Buffs would not get such great pitching in the series finale. ACU put up five runs in the second, two in the third and seven more in the fourth on their way to a 14-4 rout of WT. Senior Irving Camacho (3-3) got the loss pitching 2.2 innings and giving up six hits and seven runs, five of which were earned runs.

The Buffs are now 24-10 overall and 11-5 in the Lone Star Conference. WT will continue its conference schedule with a four-game series against Texas A&M Kingsville beginning on April  13 at 7 p.m. at Wilder Park.