PUEBLO, COLORADO – The first day of play between the Rams and Thunderwolves played host to 51 hits and 19 different pitchers taking to the mound for their team. Angelo State would ultimately walk away with both wins of the day, outscoring their northern opponent 27-13 in the doubleheader.
Game 1 started off rocky for Angelo State, as Pueblo would strike first and get ahead by three runs in the bottom of the second inning. The offensive started with a JP Hopkins double down the right field line that drove in two. Hopkins would only have to wait for the man on deck to bring him in to score as Daniel Abilies would single up the middle, scratching across the third run of the game for the Thunderwolves.
ASU would respond in the top of the third and be led off by a Joe Scott Pace single through the left side. Nicholas Novak would crush a triple to deep left center field and bring in Pace for the Rams' first run of the game. Angelo State would then even things out in the fourth inning as Parker Bramlett would single to center field to bring in Riley Peterson to score, and then Jackson Hardy would steal home to make it 3-3 game.
The Rams would strike again in the fifth innings, in fact they would strike six more times and take a demanding 9-3 lead. Lachlan Mayo would drive in Novak with a center field single for the first run of the inning. He would be followed by Michael Urquidi drawing a walk before Riley Peterson doubled down the left field line to bring in three runs. Josh Elvir would also double to collect an RBI of his own, and Joe Scott Pace would reach on a fielder's choice that would allow Jackson Hardy to cross the plate.
Angelo State would tally their final run in the sixth inning when Parker Bramlett would also pick up an RBI on a fielder's choice on a groundball to the shortstop. The Thunderwolves put one more run on the board in the bottom of the seventh but the spark would not be enough to catch, and they would fall 10-4.
Trent Baker (3-1) collected his third win of the season by pitching a complete seven inning game. Baker gave up 10 hits, but allowed only four runs and struck out five.
Angelo State found continued success in the second game, but in a much more unorthodox manner. The Rams won the second game of the day 17-9, and 15 pitchers took to the bump to represent their team in the 39 degree Colorado cold. In nine innings of play the Rams would light up the scoreboard in six of them, even putting up seven runs in the top of the fifth. The Thunderwolves started the game with cold bats, but finally struck in the bottom of the fourth with six runs to take the lead for their only time of the game.
Four different Rams drove in multiple runs in the second game of the doubleheader. Lachlan Mayo led the effort with five RBI as he went 4-7 at the plate. Nicholas Novak drove in two, Parker Bramlett had two RBI, and Josh Elvir would go 2-3 and drive in three runs as well.
