SAN ANGELO - The Angelo State baseball team had its best offensive performance of the year Saturday night at Foster Field at First Community Federal Credit Union Stadium, scoring 14 runs in a win over No. 6 Lubbock Christian.
The Rams (7-1) tallied 17 hits in the game overall and had two separate innings that saw them score at least five runs. ASU took the lead to open the game, the seventh time in their first eight games to score first. Outfielder Steven Pinales opened the scoring barrage in the bottom of the second with a home run to right center field. The four-bagger was the senior's first on the year.
Lubbock Christian immediately made up the deficit, however, scoring five runs in the top of the third inning and opening up their biggest lead of the series. All of the runs were credited to Kenton Schroter, who got the start on the mound for the Rams, but the senior stayed in to finish the inning and pitched the next two as well.
In the bottom of the third, the Rams got one run back, when outfielder Elias Aguirre singled to lead off and the next batter Jacob Boston drove him in. The run was one of two Aguirre would score on the day, and Boston finished the day 3-for-5 with three RBI. The JUCO transfer is the team's hit leader with 15 as well as the RBI leader with 14.
ASU retook the lead in the fourth inning when designated hitter Mitch Henshaw singled through the right side to lead off. The next batter, Nick Novak, got on base after being hit by a pitch, and both would come around to score. Novak, in his first ever collegiate start, finished the game 2-for-3 and scored a team-high three runs on the night. The Rams would get three more runs in the fourth, taking a 7-5 lead and never looking back in the final five innings of play.
Schroter gave up one more run in the bottom of the fifth to make the game 7-6, but it would be the final time a Chaparral crossed the plate. The Canada native ended up getting the win in the game after finishing the fifth inning, his third on the season. He also added three strikeouts to his team-leading total of 17.
Dustin Angiel came in to replace Schroter on the mound and pitched an inning and a third without allowing a run. Joe Hauser closed out the game with two and a third inning of relief, earning his second save of the season in the process.
In the bottom of the seventh, Angelo State added a pair of insurance runs when both Henshaw and Novak scored again. The Rams broke the game wide open in the eighth with another five run outburst that started with two outs.
Hauser slammed the door shut in the top of the ninth, finishing out the 14-6 win for ASU by getting out three straight batters in the final inning.
The Rams will attempt to sweep the No. 6 Chaparrals at 1 p.m. on Sunday at Foster Field at First Community Credit Union Stadium.
