SAN ANTONIO, Texas – The ninth-ranked Angelo State baseball team opened its final regular-season series with a 5-1 victory, defeating St. Mary's on the road Friday night at Dickson Stadium.
 
The Rams improve to 32-6 overall the season, winning four straight games against the Rattlers this season who fall to 22-16.
 
Angelo State scored early in the contest, adding two runs in the first inning as Aaron Walters singled to center field to score Jackson Hardy while Josh Elvir came around to score on a wild pitch,
 
Elvir led off the third inning with a walk before adding another run for the Rams after scoring on a ground out by Jordan Williams to go up 3-0.
 
The Rattlers scored their one run of the game in the bottom of the third, scoring on a passed ball.
 
Trent Baker started on the mound for the Rams, tossing seven innings while allowing one run off of eight hits while striking out seven batters. He is now six strikeouts away from tying the Lone Star Conference record for career strikeouts. Baker also improved to 11-1 overall on the year with his fourth straight win.
 
The Rams added to their lead in the fifth inning as Walters tallied his second RBI of the game, singling through the right side as Hardy scored his second run.
 
Carson Childers and Jake Morgan each pitched one inning of relief for ASU, combining for no hits, one walk and a strikeout.
 
ASU's final run came in the eighth inning as Parker Bramlett grounded out to first base, scoring Nicholas Novak in the process.
 
The Rams out hit StMU nine to eight as both teams left eight runners on base while ASU earned five walks on the night.
 
The Rams and Rattlers close out the series tomorrow with a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m., at Dickson Stadium.