SAN ANGELO, Texas – The top-seeded Angelo State baseball advanced to the second round of the Lone Star Conference Baseball Tournament after securing the series over eighth-seeded Eastern New Mexico with a 9-6 win on Saturday at Foster Field at 1st Community Credit Union Stadium.

With the win, the Rams improve to 44-8 overall on the year and will host the double-elimination tournament beginning Thursday, May 11.

The Greyhounds scored in the top of the first inning, but ASU quickly answered as Austin Beck singled in the bottom half of the inning to score Jacob Guerrero.

The Rams took the lead in the second as Jackson Hardy hit a solo home run to center field before a bases-loaded walk by Thomas Cain and a sac fly by Guerrero made it 4-1.

An error by ENMU in the third inning added another run for the Rams before a double by Tyler Boggs brought in Kamden Kelton to extend ASU's lead.

Braxton Pearson started on the mound for the Rams, tossing two innings of work with one run on three hits while Austin Teel threw three innings in relief with one run on two hits.

After the Greyhounds hit a solo home run in the top of the fifth, the Rams answered again as Kelton hit a sac fly to score Jordan Williams, making it 7-2.

ENMU kept in the fight, hitting a two-run home run in the seventh while Tyler Boggs got one run back on a solo homer of his own over the left-field wall.

Two late runs in the eighth inning wouldn't be enough for the Greyhounds as their season came to a close.

Mason Bryant and Jackson Haga each threw an inning of relief while Caleb Heuertz picked up his second save of the season after throwing two innings with one hit.

The Rams will open the double-elimination tournament against fourth-seeded Lubbock Christian on Thursday.