Box Score STEPHENVILLE – The Tarleton State Texans closed out its series against the No. 4 West Texas A&M Buffs with a 6-3 win on Sunday at Cecil Ballow Baseball Complex in Stephenville.
 
The Texans, who moved to 16-10 overall and 7-7 in Lone Star Conference play, managed to get a key pitching performance from Kyle Goattardy (W, 2-1) in the three-run victory. Gottardy gave up just three runs on six hits in 5 1/3 innings pitched en route to his second victory of the season.
 
Garrett Kelly (S, 1) worked the final 3 2/3 innings, allowing just one hit, while picking up his first save of the 2014 campaign.
 
The Texan offense got to WT starting pitcher Ashton Sivigliano (L, 2-1) early and then tacked on an insurance run off relief pitcher Steven Diaz in the fourth inning to secure the win in the series finale.
 
The day began with a lightning and rain delay, halting the start of the game for a little more than an hour and a half, but when play began Tarleton struck first with a pair of runs in the first inning and never looked back.
 
A run-scoring single from Jared Musgrove and a sacrifice fly from Noel Nevarez put the Texans on top 2-0 in the first inning before Kevin Meredith managed to stride home on a pass ball in the second inning.
 
Following WT's one-run third inning, the Texans plated home another two runs in the bottom half of the frame on a Nevarez double and he later scored when Meredith reached base on an error.
 
Tarleton got its final run of the game in the fourth inning on Rustin Thomas' sixth home run of the season – a solo shot to left field that gave Tarleton a 6-1 lead.
 
WT would finally get to Gottardy in the sixth inning, but Kelly stepped in and handled the first two batters he faced with a strikeout and groundout to end the threat.
 
The Texans will hit the road for the next two weeks, beginning next Friday through Sunday with a four-game series at Texas A&M-Kingsville.