The Angelo State football team was seven yards shy of its third win of the season Saturday, falling 20-17 at Texas A&M-Commerce in Lone Star Conference crossover play.

Trailing 13-0, the Rams (2-5) scored on three straight drives spanning the second and third quarters to battle back into the contest.  However, ASU's comeback attempt ended in the final minute with a fumble inside the Lion 10-yard line.

Texas A&M-Commerce (4-5) scored on its opening possession of the ball game using a three-yard run by quarterback Terry Mayo.  However, after a missed extra point, the Lions led 6-0.  A&M-C tacked on a second touchdown early in the second quarter as Mark Fischer returned a Ram fumble 16 yards for the score, giving the Lions a 13-0 lead.

Just before the end of the first half, sophomore Jeremy Hill gave the Rams their first touchdown of the afternonon with a two-yard run off the left tackle with 19 seconds left on the clock .  The score sliced the A&M-C lead to six points, 13-7, at the break.

ASU's momentum continued on its first drive of the second half as Brad Holcomb drilled a 32-yard field goal.  Holcomb's seventh field goal of the season capped a 13-play drive by the Rams to open the third quarter.  But the Lions responded on their very next offense play as tailback Nabil El-Amin scampered 64 yards to give A&M-C a 10-point lead, 20-10.

Hill pulled the Rams back within three points with 4:32 left in the third frame as he scored on a 69-yard run for his second touchdown of the game.  But that would be the last points scored by either team after scoreless fourth quarter.

Hill ended the game with 103 yards and the first two touchdowns of his career in relief of starting tailback Daniel Thomas, who left the game in the first quarter.  This was the first career 100-yard performance by Hill.  Thomas, the LSC's leading rusher entering the game, had three carries for seven yards before his early departure.

Ram quarterback Josh Neiswander completed 17-of-29 passes for 131 yards.  He connected with eight different receivers with Hill leading the way with five grabs for 26 yards.  Sam Tindol led the Rams with 30 receiving yards on two receptions.

Dustin Arthur led the Rams defensively with a career-high 10 tackles, inlcuding 1.5 for a loss.  Ian Ritchey had eight tackles and Tarric Jones added seven stops.

The Rams continue their two-game road stretch next Saturday as they travel to Canyon to face nationally-ranked West Texas A&M.  Game time is 6 p.m. at Kimbrough Stadium.