SAN ANGELO – The Angelo State baseball team earned a series win over Tarleton State Saturday afternoon at Foster Field at 1st Community Credit Union Stadium, exploding offensively for a 26-9 win.
The Rams (25-9, 6-2 LSC) matched single-game records for home runs (6), RBI (26) and walks (13) in the win over the Texans (19-13, 4-4 LSC), while coming just one run short of matching the single game scoring record as well.
ASU set the tone for the game in the first inning. Andrew Croucher started on the mound for the Rams and got through the first inning unscathed. Michael Urquidi then came up to the plate to lead off for the offense and quickly deposited the third pitch he saw on the other side of the center field wall to give the Rams a 1-0 lead.
Nicholas Novak got on base one batter later via a walk and eventually came around to score as well for his first of four runs scored on the day.
Tarleton State got the two runs back and then some in the top of the second to take a 4-2 lead, but it would be the last time they were on top the rest of the game.
The Rams broke the game open in the bottom of the second. ASU sent 14 batters to the plate, taking the lead 6-4 on an Andrew Morales three-run home run and then adding to the lead on singles from Jacob Boston, Jonathan Soberanes and Trevor Moses.
Novak then pushed the lead to 13-4 before the inning, blasting his third home run of the season over the right field wall.
The Texans fought back for two runs in the top of the third, but the Rams scored another seven in the bottom of the inning. Bradley Mathiowetz led off with a walk as Angelo State once again sent 14 batters to the plate and hit two more home runs in the inning.
Catcher Alex Salcido blasted his second home run of the season to add two runs to the lead, and Novak followed with his second of the game and fourth of the season for another two runs.
Novak ended the game 3-5 with a walk, five RBI and four runs scored. He is now tied for the team lead with four home runs on the season.
Although TSU got another two runs in the fourth, their pitching staff could not shut down the Rams. ASU got the leadoff batter on in every inning and scored at least once every inning as well.
The trend continued in the bottom of the fourth, as Salcido walked. Singles from Novak and Morales followed to load the bases with two outs and Mathiowetz coming to the plate. With a 2-0 count, Mathiowetz blasted a grand slam to dead center field, pushing the lead to 24-8.
Mathiowetz reached base in all six of his plate appearances in the game, going 5-5 with four RBI, four runs scored and one walk. The Minnesota native is now hitting .340 with 21 RBI and 21 runs scored for the season.
The Rams finally held Tarleton State scoreless again for an inning in the top half of the fifth as Cole Brandon worked in relief of Croucher.
ASU added one more run in the bottom of the fifth inning as Boston led off with a walk and eventually came in to score on a sacrifice fly from Joe Scott Pace.
Reliever Jared Velasco came in to start the sixth inning and shut the Texans down, getting the first three batters he faced and ending the inning with a strikeout.
One more run came across for the Rams in the bottom of the sixth as Mathiowetz scored his fourth run of the game on a bases-loaded walk to Jonathan Soberanes. ASU then came up short of breaking the single-game run record by stranding the bases loaded.
Velasco came out to finish the game on the mound, allowing one final run, but getting out of the inning and earning the Rams a run-rule win.
Angelo State will be on the road next, facing Texas A&M-Kingsville April 6-8 in Kingsville.
