Buffs swept at UT–Dallas, enter conference play on five-game skid

The West Texas A&M Buffaloes wrapped up a tough weekend in Richardson on Sunday afternoon, leaving the Dallas metroplex with more questions than answers after a three-game sweep at the hands of the University of Texas–Dallas. The series capped a difficult stretch for WT, which has now dropped five consecutive games and sits at 1–5 on the young season.

The Buffs entered the weekend hoping to reset after a promising opening win over St. Edward’s on Jan. 30, but the road trip instead highlighted ongoing struggles on the mound. Across the three games against UT–Dallas, WT surrendered 27 total runs, continuing a season-long trend that has seen opposing offenses take advantage early and often. Through six games, the Buffaloes pitching staff has allowed 61 runs, a number that underscores the urgency for improvement heading into conference play.

Friday’s series opener set the tone in a narrow 7–6 loss, followed by an 11–4 defeat on Saturday. Sunday’s finale followed a similar script, as WT struggled to generate consistent offense while UT–Dallas capitalized late to secure a 9–3 victory.

Sunday’s contest remained within reach for much of the afternoon. The Buffs fell behind 3–0 through four innings before finally breaking through in the fifth. Jacob Police delivered an RBI single to cut the deficit to two and briefly inject momentum into the WT dugout. However, that spark proved short-lived.

The turning point came in the bottom of the eighth inning when UT–Dallas erupted for six runs, effectively putting the game out of reach. A three-run double from Alex Miller and an RBI single from Gavin Barker fueled the decisive rally, exposing a WT bullpen that has struggled to contain late-inning surges throughout the season.

WT managed to scratch across two runs in the ninth inning to add some respectability to the final score. Brock Bunker’s sacrifice groundout brought home Luis Reyes, and an ensuing hit-by-pitch allowed another run to score. Despite the late push, the Buffs finished the day with just three runs on six hits in 32 at-bats, a reflection of an offense still searching for rhythm.

On the mound, Nick Yeager took the loss after allowing three runs on four hits over five innings, while striking out five and issuing two walks. The bullpen endured a difficult outing, with Riley Kettner surrendering six runs in just over two innings of work. Riley Schroeder and Ruben Garcia Diaz combined to finish the game, limiting further damage but unable to undo the decisive eighth inning.

With nonconference play in the rearview mirror, the Buffs now turn their attention to Lone Star Conference action. WT opens league play with a four-game series at Eastern New Mexico beginning Friday. Game times are set for 3 p.m. on Friday, doubleheaders at 2 and 5 p.m. on Saturday, and a 2 p.m. finale on Sunday. For the Buffaloes, the series represents an opportunity to regroup, recalibrate, and begin climbing out of an early-season hole.