Category Archives: Sports

Lady Buffs compete at LSC Crossover

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Every year the Lone Star Conference puts together a crossover tournament to pit the North division against the South division in a weekend of competitive softball.  The 2011 edition promised to be one of the best ever with multiple ranked teams such as #2 ranked Angelo State and the #18 WTAMU Lady Buffs.  WT took part in the event on April 1-3 on the campus of Angelo State in San Angelo, TX.

Central Oklahoma provided the first opposition for the Lady Buffs.  Junior Meghan Brown laid down a squeeze bunt in the bottom of the fourth inning which allowed fellow junior Kimberly LeComte to make the score 1-0 WT.

RBI singles by junior Kristina Myles and freshman Alyssa Lemos in the bottom of the sixth inning increased the lead to 3-0.  UCO struck back in the top of the seventh to tie the game at 3-3.  Myles knocked in senior Kaitlyn Witte on an RBI single for the game winning run to give the Lady Buffs a 4-3 victory.

Junior Shelbey Cockrell got the victory on the mound for WT (14-5) giving up no runs on no hits in 0.1 innings of work.

Luck was not on the side of the Lady Buffs in their second game of the tournament against Cameron.  WT took the lead late in the bottom of the sixth on a fielding error which scored LeComte.  Cameron however, had other ideas as they scored two runs in the top of the seventh to snatch the 2-1 victory.

Cockrell was tagged with the loss in the contest (14-6) giving up two runs on eight hits with seven strikeouts in the complete game effort.

Game three featured the #3 ranked Midwestern State Lady Mustangs and ace Brittany Tanner.  The game more than lived up to the hype as WT starter junior Marci Womack went pitch for pitch against the MSU standout.  Unfortunately, it was the Lady Mustangs who ultimately found the breakthrough and plated two runs to claim the 2-0 victory.

Womack was credited with the loss (12-4) giving up two runs on six hits with two strikeouts in 5.2 innings of work.

Tanner gave up no runs on two hits with 11 strikeouts in the complete game effort.

WT’s overall record now stands at 26-10 overall.  The Lady Buffs were scheduled to finish the tournament with games against Southeastern Oklahoma and East Central.  WT will stay on the road for an LSC south division series against Texas A&M Kingsville which will take place on April 8-9.  First pitch from Kingsville is set for 5 p.m.

Buffs declaw Tigers

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After a frustrating series against Kingsville last time out in conference play, the WTAMU baseball team was looking to rebound against East Central.  The two teams played a crucial three game series at Wilder Park on April 1-2 in Canyon.

In the series opener, the Buffs got off to a hot start by scoring four runs in the first inning on four base hits.  Junior Jess Cooper had the highlight of the inning with a based loaded double to left field.

ECU got one back in the top of the third inning to make the score 4-1.  Cooper tallied another RBI in the bottom half of the inning as he scored fellow junior Kendall Boone to make the score 5-1 in favor of the Buffs.

Boone scored senior Tyler Reagan on a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the fifth inning to make it 6-1.  Junior Jordan Easom increased the lead to 8-1 with a two-run double to left field.  Easom finished off his day with a solo homerun to left center in the bottom of the seventh inning.

ECU tried to make a game out of it but were only able to muster two runs and they eventually fell 9-3 to WT.

The Buffs offense was led by Cooper who went 3-for-4 with four RBI on the day.  Jordan Easom drove in three RBI while Boone and senior Garrett Campfield each drove in one RBI.

Junior Justin Kuks got the victory pitching for the Buffs (6-1) going 6.0 innings while giving up three runs on three hits with four strikeouts.

WT kept their momentum going in the second game of the series.  After leading 9-5 after three innings of play, the Buffs scored five more runs to take the 14-6 run-rule victory.

Senior Will Miller paced the offense for the maroon and white going 4-for-4 with four RBI and three runs scored.  Miller also hit a two run homer in the bottom of the third inning.

Junior Irving Camacho got the victory on the mound for the Buffs (6-3) giving up six runs on five hits with three strikeouts in 3.0 innings of work.

ECU fell victim to the series sweep in game three as the Buffs offense continued to explode in the series.  WT finished off proceedings with a 15-5 victory.

Miller once again was the catalyst for the Buffs offense going 4-for-4 with four RBI.  Just like in game two, Miller hit a homerun; this time it was a three run homer to right field.

Senior Jonathan Paez got the victory (3-0) pitching going 5.0 innings giving up five runs on nine hits with four strikeouts.

WT’s overall record now stands at 24-10 with a 13-8 mark in LSC play.  The Buffs will be looking for revenge as they travel to Plainview to take on Wayland Baptist on April 5.  First pitch from Pioneer Field is set for noon.

Quidditch will make magical debut at WTAMU

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"Muggle" Quidditch. Courtesy of Words and Light.com.

"Muggle" Quidditch. Courtesy of Words and Light.com.

WTAMU Residence Hall Association is hosting a Muggle Quidditch Tournament. Photo by Georgia Romig.

WTAMU Residence Hall Association is hosting a Muggle Quidditch Tournament. Photo by Georgia Romig.

Thanks to the Resident Hall Association, the fictional game of Quidditch will make its WTAMU debut on April 8. Fans of the Harry Potter franchise will be familiar with the game, a popular sport in the books and movies.

 

“During one of our RHA meetings, we were asking for new ideas for events from our members,” Nicole Moore, RHA National Communications Coordinator, said. “One member suggested Quidditch, so we started to research and found out that there is actually an International Quidditch Association.”

The International Quidditch Association involves over 400 American colleges, 300 high schools, and groups from 12 countries who actively play the game on their campuses. Texas Tech University even has their own intramural team.

Since flying brooms do not exist, the Association plays a version of the game called “ground” or “muggle” Quidditch.

“You must hold a broom between your legs at all times during the game,” said Moore. “[Otherwise], the game is quite the same as the movie.”

Teams will consist of 7-10 people who must supply their own brooms, which have to be at least 40 inches in length. Similar to the books and movies, teams are encouraged to dress up and provide team flags for supporters to wave in the name of team spirit. Not only will the tournament winner receive a trophy, but the best dressed team will be awarded as well.

“It will be awesome, and Harry Potter may make an appearance,” Charles Potter, a freshman Computer Science major, said.

“I used to be a huge fan of Harry Potter,” Natalia Rodriguez, a sophomore Wildlife Biology major, said. “Although I’m not anymore, I’m fascinated by the WT Quidditch tournament. I bet it will be fun.”

The free tournament begins at 2:00pm on April 8 in the intramural fields. Teams can sign up in the JBK on April 5-8 or call the RHA office.

Buffs sweep Aggies on road

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The WTAMU Buffs baseball traveled to Goodwell, Oklahoma on March 29 to take on Oklahoma Panhandle State in a doubleheader. The Buffs picked up the win in both games. The final score in game one was 6-4, and game two was 9-6.

In the first game, WT began by scoring three runs in the fourth inning. The first came when freshman Patrick Ramirez walked with the bases loaded, followed by two consecutive hit by pitches. Junior Jordan Easom continued the scoring for the Buffs in the fifth with a two run homerun, making it 5-0. The Aggies would attempt a rally in the sixth, scoring three runs, but came up short.

Junior Casey Lish (3-4) got the win, having given up four runs on five hits in one inning of relief. Junior Irving Camacho also got his first save of the year.

The Buffs grabbed a quick 3-0 lead in the second game when sophomore Jesse Martinez hit a two run homer in the second inning. The Aggies would bounce right back with a three run second and a two run third inning. WT would answer in the fourth with four runs, capped by Easom’s two RBI single. Senior Will Miller’s two run single in the seventh gave the Buffs the 9-6 victory.

Senior Mike De Long (1-1) got the win, giving up no runs on one hit in three innings pitched. Junior Justin Kuks also picked up his second save of the season.

Buffs fight but fall to Kingsville

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While the #18 ranked WTAMU Buff baseball team has been playing well this season thus far, it’s been the road that has been unkind to the maroon and white.  WT looked to put an end to their road struggles on March 25-26 as they took on Texas A&M Kingsville at Nolan Ryan Field in Kingsville.

In game one, the Buffs had a golden opportunity to claim victory in the ninth inning with the bases loaded but strikeouts hindered the Buffs and handed the victory to Kingsville by the score of 10-7.

WT was led at the plate by junior Jordan Easom who hit a two-run homerun in the seventh inning.

Junior Justin Kuks was tagged with the loss (5-1) going 3.1 innings and giving up eight runs on 10 hits.

On day two of the series it was the Buffs who were looking to rebound.  WT took a 2-1 lead in the third inning before Kingsville tied the game at 2-2 in the bottom half of the inning.  The Buffs took the lead again in the top of the fourth at 4-2.  After adding three runs in the sixth and seventh innings, the Buffs closed out Kingsville and claimed a 10-2 victory in seven innings.

WT was led on the offensive end by junior Kendall Boone, senior Garrett Campfield and junior Jordan Easom who all collected homeruns in the contest along with two RBI’s.

Junior Irving Camacho got the victory on the mound for the Buffs (5-3) giving up two runs on nine hits while striking out two batters in 5.0 innings of work.

Despite taking an early lead over Kingsville in the final game of the series at 2-1, the Buffs struggled to plate runs throughout the rest of the contest.  Kingsville outscored the Buffs 13-5 over the final four innings to claim a 17-7 run-rule victory.

WT was paced by senior Garrett Campfield who went 2-for-4 with two RBI in the contest.

Junior Casey Lish suffered the loss on the mound (2-4) giving up six runs on seven hits in 1.2 innings of relief.

WT’s overall record now stands at 19-10 with a 10-8 record in conference play.  The Buffs will stay on the road to take on Oklahoma Panhandle State in a doubleheader on March 29.  First pitch from Goodwell, Oklahoma is set for 1:00 p.m.

 

WT offers a variety of workout classes

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The West Texas A&M Virgil Henson Activities Center offers students many different workout options including free fitness classes. The Shape-Up division plays a large role in WT’s Fitness program by giving students the chance to get in shape or stay in shape through a variety of group classes.

“In a workout room some people are self conscious and do not like working out by themselves so they avoid working out or are not sure which exercise machines they should use to get the kind of workout they want,” Hannah Hopkins, Sports and Exercise Science major, said. “Exercise classes are a great idea.”

Some options include kickboxing, bootcamp, water aerobics, Shoto Kan Karate, body resistance and Zumba class. Bootcamp is an intense workout class designed to push the body to its limit by forcing the participant to do a series of exercises without rest. In the body resistance workout class, participants use their own body weight to create a resistance to work out the body and increase fitness levels. Zumba is a dance fitness class that incorporates a large range of dance styles and targets every major muscle group in the body.

Zumba has quickly become a popular workout across the nation and amongst college students.

“The combination of Latin music and aerobics gives you energy that you wouldn’t get from another workout, and having the convenience of the various times it’s offered and the location here at WT makes it a perfect fit for students,” Carolina Dender, Business Administration graduate student, said.

It differs from the typical routine of a workout by adding upbeat music and various dance moves.

“It began mainly as Latin but has branched out into different kinds of music now,” said Stephanie Hall, certified fitness instructor who teaches bootcamp, kickboxing, body resistance and Zumba classes at WT.

The goal of Zumba classes is to create a fun atmosphere to workout in.

“It was invented by a man named Beto Perez who wanted exercising to be more fun,” Hall said.

Students at WT are responding well to the class and it is rising in popularity.

“My favorite part about the class is that I haven’t met anyone yet that, if they come for at least three classes, they don’t like it,” Hall said. “It is very addicting and a great and fun workout if you really let loose.”

Students can choose among these many classes to fit their needs. No matter the fitness level of the person there is a class for everyone.

“And anybody can take the class (Zumba), you don’t have to have dance experience of any sorts because we add new material every couple of weeks so we are all learning together,”  Hall said.

Many of the classes are set up to help teach and guide beginners and do not require students to be experts in order to join.

The classes are open to students and all members of the Virgil Henson Activities Center. All participants must fill out the proper paperwork to participate. Classes are free for students. It is $45 per class for WT faculty and staff, and it costs community members $60 per class. For more information contact Elosia Reyna at 806-651-2323.

Buffs take on TWU

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The WTAMU Lady Buffs softball team played the first two games of a three game set against the Lady Pioneers March 25. The Lady Buffs won the first game, 10-2, in the fifth inning via the run-rule. The Pioneers picked up the game two win by a 6-5 final score, holding off a late WT rally.

The Lady Buffs got off to a quick start in game one. Senior Kaitlyn Witte blasted a grand slam in the first inning. Senior Kasey Henderson followed up with an inside-the-park grand slam in the third, the first homerun of her WT career. The game was halted by the run-rule in the fifth inning, giving the Lady Buffs the 10-2 victory. Junior Marci Womack picked up the win, (11-3), giving up two runs on five hits with three strikeouts in a complete game effort.

“The first game was the most complete game we played in a while,” Coach Kevin Blaskowski said. “Marci was strong inside the circle and our offense did a great job.”

Texas Woman’s started the scoring in the second game with a two run fourth. The Pioneers came right back with a three run homer in the fifth. WT started a rally in the sixth, with a two run homerun by sophomore Meghan Slattery. The Lady Buffs picked up two more runs in the seventh, but fell just short.

“We fought back to make it close in the seventh inning, but we had already dug too deep of a hole to get the win,” Coach Blaskowski said.

Night with WT pro athletes

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Charly Martin and Keith Null talk at Night with the Pros. Photo by Evan Grice.

Charly Martin and Keith Null talk at Night with the Pros. Photo by Evan Grice.

The WTAMU football program has become very successful over the past few seasons and brought WT into the national spotlight.  One big reason for the national attention is the number of former Buff football players that now play in the National Football League and the Canadian Football League.

On March 26 some of those former Buffs returned home to help raise money for the WT athletics department with the second annual “A Night with the Pros.”  Among the special guests were former WT quarterbacks Dalton Bell and Keith Null along with former wide receivers Charly Martin and Anthony Armstrong as well as standout running back Keithon Flemming.

Martin, who now plays for the Carolina Panthers said he was just as excited for this year’s fundraiser as he was for the previous year.

“It’s a blast from the planning process to everything in-between,” Martin said.  “I really look at it as a time of fellowship for people to come have a good time together and ultimately raise money and give back to the student athletes of West Texas.”

Martin’s teammate in Carolina, Keith Null said that he’s always overwhelmed by the response when he comes back to Canyon for this event.

“It’s unbelievable to see just how many people are out here to support WT athletics for this cause,” Null said.  “This whole event is about making life as a WT athlete better because there are so many things that can be improved for the student athlete on campus.”

While getting to the pros is the dream of most football players, sometimes the journey is very difficult and full of hardships.  For Anthony Armstrong, Keithon Flemming and Dalton Bell pro football was a long and winding process.

Armstrong, who had a standout season with the Washington Redskins, said that at one time he was working in a jewelry store just to have income while he practiced in the Arena Football League for the Dallas Desperados.

“The toughest part initially was when I couldn’t try out for the Falcons after I left WT,” Armstrong said.  “I knew I had to get a job just to pay some bills and so it helped to have a little extra income.  I was going to practice and then going to work till about nine o’clock at night so it was really rough.”

After a successful stint as a standout with the Buffs, Keithon Flemming felt that his hard work would lead to an eventual draft position.  Unfortunately, it turned into a long struggle just to stay afloat in football.

“When I was in Philadelphia then Coach (Andy) Reed told me that I was handling things very well especially from a mental aspect,” Flemming said.  “It was more of a business decision as to why they let me go.  After that it was a waiting game and I got a few different calls along with issues with my agent.  I actually ended up getting the same agent that Charly has and it helped me out a lot.  He actually helped get me a tryout with the British Columbia Lions and within two to three weeks I had a contract.”

When Dalton Bell graduated from WT, the Buffs were just hitting their stride and starting to become a national powerhouse.  After several unsuccessful stints with NFL teams, Bell settled north of the border in Canada.  Bell said that one of the things he had to get used to was a different ball as well as a different style of play.

“The ball is fatter, it’s 13 pounds of air,” Bell said.  “When I first grabbed ahold of it then I thought that the ball was from Wal-Mart.  One of the things that is so different about the CFL is the field is bigger and you can throw the ball through the uprights and catch it for a touchdown.”

Bell also said that the strangest rule he had to get used to is known as the “Rouge Rule.”

“Rouge is basically where you can catch a punt or field goal in the end zone and kneel it, then the kicking team gets a point,” Bell said.  “We’ve actually had a game where that process went on for a long time and it can get really crazy.”

One of the popular topics for discussion on the night was the ongoing labor dispute in the NFL.  Martin, as well as the other NFL pros took these questions in stride and even took time to address facts that might not be known.

“If people want to be informed then that’s their choice,” Martin said.  “The bottom line is that we want to play and we’re ready to play.  It’s the owners who chose to lock us out and it was their choice to opt out of the Collective Bargaining Agreement that we had in place.”

Fans who attended the fundraiser had the chance to get autographs as well as pictures with the pros.  Live auctions as well as a silent auction were held to help raise funds.  AJ Swope and The Last Train Home band provided live entertainment for the evening.

 

Lady Buffs split doubleheader with Emporia

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The WTAMU Lady Buffs softball team traveled to Oklahoma City to play a doubleheader against Emporia State on March 23. The Hornets took game one by a final score of 3-1. WT bounced back and won the second game 2-1.

“We played well enough to get a split,” Coach Blaskowski said.

The Lady Buffs scored first in game one when senior Kaitlyn Witte blasted a solo homerun off the scoreboard. The Hornets would take advantage of a two run sixth to earn the 3-1 victory. Junior Marci Womack fell to 10-3, giving up three runs on five hits in 6.1 innings.

WT picked up the win in game two behind a strong outing by junior Shelbey Cockrell. The Lady Buffs got the winning run on a sacrifice fly by freshman Alyssa Lemos, giving WT the 2-1 win. Cockrell (13-4), gave up one run on one hit over 6.0 innings, earning the complete game win.

“Marci and Shelbey had solid outings in the circle and both pitched well enough to win their respective games,” said Coach Blaskowski. “The difference was, we did a better job creating enough runs to win the second.”

 

Buffs fall to Pioneers

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Dorton and Boone get RBI’s

Coming off an impressive conference series victory, the #18 ranked WTAMU Buff baseball team was looking to continue its momentum as they played host to Wayland Baptist on March 22 at Wilder Park.

WT struggled from the plate all night against a solid pitching performance and was simply unable to rally from an early deficit as the Buffs fell 6-2.

WBU took the early lead in the top of the first inning after a leadoff double which led to two runs off four hits to give them a 2-0 lead.  In the bottom half of the inning, WT managed to get runners on first and second but were unable to drive either of them home.

A very similar occurrence happened in the bottom of the second as WT had runners on second and third but once again just couldn’t get the crucial hit to drive home the runners.

WBU took advantage in the top of the fifth inning to increase their lead to 4-0.  However, in the bottom half of the inning the Buffs finally broke through thanks to an RBI double from junior Kendall Boone to make it 4-1.

It looked like a rally might be in the works in the bottom of the sixth when junior Eric Dorton got an RBI single to cut the lead to 4-2.  Unfortunately, that was as close as the maroon and white got all night.

WBU plated one more run in the top of the eighth inning and shut out the WT offense from that point on to claim the 6-2 victory.

Senior Mike De Long was charged with the loss on the mound (0-2) for the Buffs giving up two runs on one hit in his 1.0 innings of relief.

WT’s overall record now stands at 18-8.  The Buffs will return to Lone Star Conference play on March 25-26 as they travel to take on Texas A&M Kingsville.  First pitch is set for March 25 at 6:00 p.m. from Javelina field.