GRAND JUNCTION, Colorado – The Angelo State baseball team downed West Texas A&M, 4-1, in the first round of the NCAA DII South Central Regional Tournament on Thursday evening.
The Rams improved to 36-20 with the win and will advance to face No. 3 St. Edward's at 8:00 p.m. CST. This is the second time in program history that the team won its first round game with the last time coming during the team's 2007 College World Series run.
 ASU pitcher Bryce Zak (9-2) earned the decision while setting a pair of records amassing eight strikeouts on the night. With 266 career strikeouts and 143 single season strikeouts, the San Angelo, Texas native set both the all-time Lone Star Conference career strikeout record and the Angelo State single season strikeout record. Relief pitcher, Graylon Brown (10), closed the game out earing his 10 save of the season, and is two save away from tying his record from 2015. The Angelo State offense outhit the Buffs 9-5, hitting three doubles on the night. With the loss, West Texas A&M dropped to 36-19 and pitcher Brooks Trujillo (7-6) was credited with the loss.
A RBI single from the Michael Urquidi in the second, got things started for the Rams, and he pushed Steven Pinales across. Jay Gonzales followed with the first of two doubles, scoring Paxton DeLaGarza taking the score to 2-0. In the bottom of the fifth DeLaGarza added another run to the tally with the team's second double of the night to right center. Gonzales returned in the seventh cranking his second double of game scoring David Goggin. This would give the Rams a 4-0 lead which they would hold until the ninth until WTAMU scored a single run on a passed ball.
Tossing a spectacular 8 1/3 innings, Zak gave up only one run off of five hits and walked only two. Brown followed, closing out the game and forcing the final two outs. He gave up zero runs on no hits and struck out one. Leading the offense was ASU first baseman, Jay Gonzales, who recorded a perfect 4 – for – 4 at the plate with two doubles and two RBIs. Steven Pinales recorded a team second two hits on the night and also stroked the teams only RBI. Finally, DeLaGarza went 2-for-1 at the dish with the squad's third double of the game. Christian Abilla pocketed the only stolen bag of the night for the Rams.
This will be the first time this season that the Rams will face St. Edward's. The Hilltoppers are 44-10 overall in 2016 and are currently ranked No. 3 by Collegiate Baseball and No. 5 by the NCBWA.  SEU advanced to face the Rams with an 8-4 win over Texas A&M – Kingsville in Thursday's first round. The Last time ASU faced St. Edward's was in the first round of the 2013 regional tournament, which resulted in a 5-4 loss for the Rams.
