G2 BOX SCORE: Tarleton State 10, Angelo State 9

STEPHENVILLE – Angelo State staged another dramatic comeback with four runs in the top of the ninth to take a one-run lead, but Tarleton State responded with a leadoff home run and a walk-off single to take a 10-9 Lone Star Conference win in Saturday's finale which resulted in a sweep of the three-game set against the Rams at the Cecil Ballow Baseball Complex.

ASU (23-18, 12-14 LSC) has now dropped its last seven conference road games after falling 8-0 in Saturday's first game and was swept by the Texans (21-16, 11-13 LSC) for the first time in program history. The Rams outhit TSU 17-16 in the series finale, but also stranded 10 runners on base including hitting into an inning-ending double play with the bases loaded in the fifth and leaving runners on the corners with three consecutive strikeouts in the eighth.

"I still believe we are a good team and are going to get things figured out," ASU head coach Kevin Brooks said. "But we're running out of time and games to prove that. These were real big games and we needed to get at least one and we didn't do that. We just made it harder on ourselves. We battled and fought like we have been, but we just didn't make the plays today that we usually make. That would have been a good one to win and now we just have to keep our guy's heads up and continue to get better."

Left for dead with an 8-5 deficit entering the ninth, ASU would score four runs on four hits to take a 9-8 lead capped by JP Zapata hitting a triple to right field to score David Goggin who had tied the game with a two-out single. The inning started with Christian Summers singling to center field and Derek Tyner reaching on a walk before Brett David drove in the first run with a sacrifice fly to center field for the second out of the inning. Reggie Rodriguez kept the rally going with a single to center and would score following Goggin's hit by racing home as the TSU battery discussed the play walking back to the mound. Zapata's potential insurance run would be the 10th stranded runner though as Tyler Coughenour struck out to end the frame.

With a 9-8 lead, Tarleton State quickly tied the game in the bottom of the ninth with a leadoff home run to left field by Noel Nevarez on a 2-0 count from ASU pitcher Jason Zgardowski. Jonathan Schmitz followed with a double down the left-field line, moved to third on a Jake Klauck bunt single and would score the game-winning run on a Luke Slentz walk-off single to center field.  

Goggin, Rodriguez and Zapata lead the Rams at the plate with Goggin and Rodriguez going 3-for-4 and Zapata at 3-for-5. Choate, Summers and Tyner each provided two hits for the Rams. ASU took a 2-1 lead in the top of the second inning with Tyner delivering a two-out single down the right field line and Choate hitting a single through the left-side of the infield to score Summers who walked. TSU responded with three runs in the bottom of the inning to take a 4-2 lead before Coughenour hit a sacrifice RBI flyout to center in the fourth and Choate and Goggin provided RBI in the fifth to put the Rams up 5-4.

The Texans reclaimed the lead and seemed to take a grip on the game with three runs on three hits in the bottom of the sixth, highlighted by a three-run Jared Musgrove triple over the outreached glove of Rodriguez in center field. TSU added another run in the eighth to set up the combined six-run final inning of the series.  

Zgardowski (4-4) received the loss in relief, allowing three earned runs in 2 1/3 innings after starter Jake Feckley exited in the sixth inning. Feckley struck out two, walked two, hit one and saw 10 TSU hits on his 102 pitches. Zgardowski, who entered the weekend with a 4-2 record, took the loss in the opener and finale.

Ethan Lentz (1-1), who blew the save by allowing four runs on four hits in the top of the ninth, was credited with the win. TSU starter Kyle Gottardy also gave up 10 hits in four innings of work, while Garrett Kelly was in line to earn the win after throwing four innings of scoreless relief.

The Texans took the first game of the day behind a dominating performance by Colton Burleson (4-4) who threw a three-hit shutout where he allowed only four base runners. Matched in a pitcher's duel with ASU's Blake Bass for most of the game before the Texans exploded for six runs on only two hits in the sixth inning. Bass (3-3) received the loss after allowing six runs on five hits in 5 2/3 innings of work. Despite limiting TSU to five hits, the junior right-hander walked four and hit two batters.

Coughenour, Tyner and Choate accounted for the three ASU hits with Choate breaking up a no-hitter in the fifth inning with a single through the left side of the infield. Coughenour's hit came on a sixth-inning double, but he was stranded at third after his team-leading 10th double of the season.

Alvaro Moreno led TSU at the plate, going 2-for-4 with five RBI with a grand slam. Noel Nevarez went 3-for-4 for the Texans who finished the game with seven hits.
The shutout represented the third time ASU has been held without a run this season.

NOTES: Angelo State now has nine games remaining on its regular-season schedule with three three-game series coming up against West Texas A&M, Texas A&M-Kingsville and Eastern New Mexico... The Rams returns home to play their final series at Foster Field this season next weekend with West Texas A&M coming to San Angelo. WT swept the Rams in Canyon last month and is currently tied in the conference standings with Texas A&M-Kingsville... The series will also be the final home series for Jake Albert, Jake Feckley, Reggie Rodriguez, Mason Leavitt, Christian Summers and Tyler Coughenour… David Goggin led the Rams at the plate by going 4-for-8 with three RBI, while Reggie Rodriguez and Hunter Choate both produced 5-for-11 performances for the Rams… Choate had two RBI and six assists in the field at second base… Tyler Coughenour and JP Zapata provided the only two extra-base hits of the series for the Rams with Coughenour hitting a pair of doubles and Zapata hitting a triple… Coughenour finished the weekend 3-for-11 after missing the past five games due to injury and Zapata went 3-for-5… The Rams had 28 singles in the series to go along with Coughenour's doubles and Zapata's triple… Summers and Cameron Massengill both went 3-for-10 against Tarleton and Brett David went 2-for-7 with an RBI… Angelo State hit .348 while TSU hit .391 with four home runs… The Rams stranded 23 runners on base to TSU's 19.