SAN ANGELO, Texas – After forcing a do-or-die game seven with a 5-1 win over West Texas A&M, the Angelo State baseball team fell to the Buffs, 4-2, in the Lone Star Conference Tournament final game on Saturday afternoon.
The Rams moved to 35-20 overall with Saturday's outcome and will look forward to the NCAA DII Regional playoff selection show on Sunday, May 15 at 9 p.m. In its two games with the Buffs, ASU out hit opposition 20-13, however, left a total of 16 runners stranded on base. In the first game of the day Kenton Schroter (4-0) masterfully pitched a complete game and earned his fourth victory of the season. Several Rams including first baseman Jay Gonzales, shortstop Paxton DeLaGarza, outfielder Michael Urquidi, designated hitter/outfielder Jarryd Klemm, as well as pitchers Bryce Zak and Schroter were selected to the all-tournament team.
Taking the final game, the Buffs received the automatic bid to the South Central Regional Tournament and improved to 36-18. Starting his first game of the year WT closer, Kyle Tinius (4-3) was credited with the win.
In the first game of the day, Angelo State got on the board in the first with a sac fly from Klemm that plated senior Sam Kohler. Klemm returned in the third to record his second RBI in two at bats with a single up the middle that pushed DeLaGarza across to give the Rams a 2-0 lead. Then in the fifth, Steven Pinales added a pair of runs with single that fell short of the Buffs right fielder.
With the score sitting at 4-0 in the sixth, WTAMU got on the board with a solo homer run. This would be the only run the Buffs would score for the game. Urquidi score the final run for the Rams in the bottom of the eighth, taking advantage of an error by the West Texas A&M first baseman.
In nine innings on the hill, Schroter completed the game with seven strikeouts taking his total to 24 on the season. This was the longest performance of his career at Angelo State. The junior from Nanaimo, British Columbia gave up only a single earned run off of four hits.
DeLaGarza, Gonzales, Pinales and Klemm led the offense with two hit each. Klemm and Pinales also led the Rams adding two RBI to each of their numbers. Freshman Clay Wegner led the team on the base paths pocketing a pair of stolen bags.
The Buffs returned in the final game of the day plating three runs early in the first inning. In the fourth, Pinales pushed across the Rams first run with a single through the right side. WTAMU added one more in the seventh.
Down 4-1 with one out in the top of the ninth, Nathan Ruane got aboard with a deep single to centerfield. David Goggin advance Ruane to second as he grounded out to first. Then with a pair of outs against ASU, Christian Abilla poked a single through the right side allowing Ruane to cross and bring the Rams to within two of tying. Wegner then entered to pinch run for Abilla and advanced to third off a Kohler single. However, the Rams would be unable to plate the tying runs as the final hitter went down on strikes.
Starter Joe Hauser went 1 2/3 on one day of rest, giving up three runs off of four hits. Dustin Angiel then entered in relieve holding the Buffs to a single run in 4 2/3 innings. Graylon Brown closed the game out for the Rams striking out one and giving up a pair of hits.
