GRAND JUNCTION, Colorado – The Angelo State baseball team downed No. 3 St. Edward's, 9-2, to win its third overall NCAA Regional title and advance to the NCAA DII College World Series for the second consecutive year.

The Rams complete the tournament with an undefeated 4-0 record and climbed to 39-20 overall. Angelo State has now become the only division 2 baseball team in the state of Texas and in the Lone Star Conference to win back-to-back regional championships.  Firing on all cylinders, the ASU offensive attack out hit the Hilltoppers 14-6. Rams pitcher, Joe Hauser earned the decision and improved to 5-2 on the year. Closer, Graylon Brown marked his 12th save of 2016 and has now tied his 2015 total. With the loss, St. Edward's was eliminated from the postseason and completed its season with a 46-12 overall record.

First baseman, Jay Gonzales was selected to the all-tournament team and honored as the Regional Tournament MVP. For the tournament, the junior went 8-for-16 at the dish cranking three doubles, a home run and driving in five RBIs. He carried a .875 slugging percentage and a .556 on base percentage for the event. Also being selected to the all-tournament team was second baseman Sam Kohler, shortstop Paxton DeLaGarza, outfielder Steven Pinales and pitcher Graylon Brown.

Once again the Rams bats start out hot, with Jarryd Klemm driving in the first run of the game with a single to left center, early in the first. Then with a two aboard in the second Elias Aguirre stroked a double pushing Nathan Ruane across. This was followed by a Sam Kohler sac fly that would plate David Goggin and take the score to 3-0. DeLaGarza closed out the second inning scoring run by poking a RBI single through the left side to give the Rams a 4-0 advantage.

In the fifth, Pinales continued to place runs on the board for the Rams as he blasted a two run shot over the left field fence. SEU added a pair of runs in the seventh but the ASU closer shut down the rally striking out the Hilltopper DH for the final out of the inning. In the eighth, Angelo State added three insurance runs off of hits by Ruane and Aguirre as well as a sac fly by Goggin.

Jayden O'Dell started the game for the Rams, putting in a solid four innings of work on the mound. The senior gave up zero hits and no runs with a pair of strikeouts. Hauser entered the game in relief and earned the decision tossing 2 2/3 innings giving up two runs on six hits. Finally, Brown closed out the game for the Rams with a pair of strikeouts and surrendering runs and no hits.

Ruane led the ASU offense going 3-for-4 at the plate with a double, a RBI and two runs scored. Aguirre, Kohler, Klemm and Goggin also recorded multiple hits for the game. Aguirre and Pinales lead the team with two RBIs each. Pinales also added a homer for his sixth of the season.

Angelo State will advance to its third College world series in program history and play its next game against the winner of the Atlantic Regional on Saturday, May 28 at 2 p.m. Central Standard Time.