SERIES MEDIA COVERAGE
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SAN ANGELO – The Angelo State baseball team committed four errors and stranded two runners on base in the ninth inning in a 5-4 Lone Star Conference loss to Tarleton State on Friday in the series opener at Foster Field.

ASU (25-14, 9-8 LSC) stranded  11 runners on base for the fifth time this season and committed four or more errors for the fifth time this season. Tarleton State (24-11-1, 13-4 LSC) scored three of its five runs in the fifth inning and won the game despite being outhit 12-6 by the Rams.

“It's mental mistakes and poor decisions that are hurting us right now,” ASU head coach Kevin Brooks said. “We are a good fielding team but we keep making these errors that hurt us in these close games. Baseball is a mental game and we need to start clicking. Our guys are really good players, but they need to start grasping their moments.”

The Rams and Texans resume their series at 4 p.m. on Saturday before concluding the conference set with the series finale at 1 p.m. on Sunday.

Angelo State held one lead in the game after Quaid McKinnon went opposite field for a leadoff home run in the bottom of the fourth inning before the Texans took a 3-1 lead and the advantage for good in the fifth. The Rams cut into a 4-1 deficit with two runs in the seventh on a David Goggin RBI double to left field and a Tyler Coughenour sacrifice fly, but two fielding errors – one by Andrew LaCombe on a pop fly and one by Coughenour on a grounder to second – gave back one run in the top of the eighth and made the comeback attempt more daunting.

With the Rams down a run in the ninth inning, McKinnon drew a walk to lead off the inning and LaCombe hit a sharp line drive through the right side of the infield with one out to put runners at first and second. Lee Neumann fouled out to first base for the second out and Reggie Rodriguez struck out swinging to end the game.

Freshman David Goggin led the Rams with the first three-hit game of his career and drove in two runs. His second RBI came on a two-out single to left field in the bottom of the eighth inning to cut the Texan lead to the eventual final score. Goggin is now hitting .372 in conference games and has seven RBI in those contest.

Jake Albert (4-2) receives the loss in his second start and 12th appearance after striking out two and allowing four runs on six hits. James Conlee threw a scoreless inning in relief, while Graylon Brown struck out three in two innings of work out of the Rams' bullpen.

McKinnon, who came into this week without a home run, has now hit homers in back-to-back games and five home runs in his career. The senior first baseman had two hits in the game along with Christian Summers and Hunter Choate.  Neumann and Ryan Greer also added hits for the Rams.  

Matt Buckmaster (6-2) earned the win for the Texans with a 6.1 inning performance where he struck out five and scattered eight hits. Britt Robertshaw recorded the save in two innings of work with four strikeouts and working through three walks and two ASU hits.

Ryan Small led the Texans at the plate with two hits and an RBI, while Evan Robinson singled to left field in the fifth for a two-RBI hit. Rustin Thomas added a hit and RBI for the Texans.

The Rams are now 1-6 when trailing through eight innings and 6-7 in one-run games.

“We wanted this game but it's only one of four and we have to come out and play better tomorrow,” McKinnon said. “There were some positives and definitely negatives, but tomorrow is another day and we are a team with a short memory win or lose. We have to come out and play with more confidence.”