SAN ANGELO - The Angelo State baseball team fell just short of a comeback in the Lone Star Conference Tournament Championship finale Saturday, losing 9-6 to West Texas A&M.
The Rams (41-12, 17-6 LSC) gave up nine runs on 12 hits in the game while scoring just six runs on nine hits of their own.
ASU went down early with Jake Mathys on the mound. The Buffs got three runs in the first inning and scored another two in the second to jump out to a 5-0 lead.
The Rams responded in the bottom of the fourth. With two outs, senior catcher Matt Waller worked a walk and Elias Aguirre followed with a single to right field. Tyler Coolbaugh then doubled, scoring both runners and putting the Rams on the board.
WTAMU scored again in the top of the fifth, however, scoring another three runs to go back out in front by six runs once again.
This time, the Rams responded immediately in the bottom half of the inning. Steven Pinales got on base to start the rally with one out, advancing to second on a wild pitch. Jay Gonzales walked to follow and then second basemen Nate Ruane doubled to score Pinales. One batter, Waller doubled as well, scoring Gonzales and Ruane and bringing the Rams back within three.
ASU added another run in the seventh thanks to Gonzales as the senior blasted a home run over the left field wall. It was his second home run in as many days, and Gonzales has homered three times in the last four games. Heading into the eighth, the Rams were down just two runs.
The Buffs added an insurance run on a solo shot of their own in the top half of the eighth, and Dominic Yearego stymied the Ram offense in the eighth and ninth innings to secure the victory for WTAMU. It was the Buff pitcher's third save in the conference tournament.
Five Rams were named to the All-Tournament team following the conclusion of the game, including Kenton Schroter, Jacob Boston, Nate Ruane, Nick Novak and Mitch Henshaw.
The Rams will now await the NCAA Selection show to find out their postseason fate. The show will begin at 9 p.m. CST on Sunday and will be live streamed on the NCAA's website.
