SAN ANGELO, Texas – Scoring 10-plus runs for the fourth time in the Lone Star Conference Baseball Championship Tournament, the Angelo State Rams defeated St. Mary's 16-3 to advance to the championship game on Friday at Foster Field at 1st Community Credit Union Stadium.

The Rams (38-7) scored on a ground out in the first inning before pulling ahead with five runs in the second to go up 6-0. Nicholas Novak scored on a fielder's choice, sliding just past the tag at home before Reese Johnson brought in a run with a sac-fly to center field. Parker Bramlett came around to score on a wild pitch while Josh Elvir and Nick Seginowich both hit RBI singles.

StMU nearly got on the board with the bases loaded and no outs before hitting a line out to second base who flipped it to the shortstop for a double play, keeping the Rattlers scoreless. ASU added another run in the fourth as Aaron Walters flew out to the center field, scoring Jackson Hardy.

The Rattlers scored their first runs in the bottom of the fourth, hitting two RBI singles to make it 7-5.

Benjamin Elder started on the mound for the Rams, tossing four innings while allowing two runs off of nine hits and striking out four batters. Carson Childers picked up the win after tossing two innings, helping the Rams out of another bases-loaded situation with no outs as ASU turned another double play at second base.

Jake Rogers closed out the game with three innings of relief, allowing one run off of three hits.

With an 8-2 lead, the Rams tallied three more runs in the seventh, scoring on an error before a two-RBI single to center field by Hardy brought the Rams into double digits.

After scoring in the eighth on an RBI double by Koby Kelton, the Rams added four more runs in the ninth, capped off by a two-RBI single by Jordan Williams.

The Rams will play in the championship game tomorrow at 1 p.m., facing the winner of Lubbock Christian vs. St. Mary's. Angelo State is one win away from claiming the LSC title and an automatic bid to the regional tournament.