ODESSA, Texas – The third-ranked Angelo State baseball survived a close one in Odessa on Saturday, defeating UT Permian Basin 11-8 in extra innings to win the first game of the series at Roden Field.
 
The Rams are now 7-2 overall on the year and in Lone Star Conference play.
 
The Falcons struck first, taking advantage of an error and a wild pitch to bring in the first run of the game in the bottom of the first inning.
 
ASU answered in the next frame as Blake Wilhoite hit a two-RBI single to give the Rams the lead, scoring Eric Martinez and Justin Harris on the play.
 
The Rams put five runs across the plate in the fourth inning as Jacob Guerrero singled in a run before Harris hit a grand slam over the center field wall to give ASU a 7-1 advantage.
 
Wilhoite added another run in the top of the seventh, hitting a sac-fly to center field to score Conagher Sands.
 
Starting on the mound for the Rams was Braxton Pearson who threw six innings of work with one unearned run and six strikeouts, allowing only three hits.
 
The Falcons cut into the lead in the bottom of the seventh, scoring two runs on a fielding error before a passed ball and a single up the middle made it 8-5. UTPB added another run in the eighth, scoring on a single to right field to make it a two-run game.
 
UTPB sent the game to extra innings after getting two more runs in the bottom of the ninth, scoring on a triple down the right field line before a single to right field evened the score at 8-8.
 
In the top of the 11^th, Harris scored on a wild pitch to regain the lead before Weston Valasek homered to bring in two runs and extend the lead to 11-8.
 
Johnny Stacy picked up the win, throwing three innings of relief with three runs on six hits and five strikeouts.
 
Harris finished the game with four RBIs and came around to score three times while Wilhoite added three RBIs.
 
Both teams are back on the field tomorrow for a doubleheader beginning at noon.