EDMOND, Okla. – Behind dominant pitching, the No. 2 Angelo State baseball team swept Oklahoma Christian in today's doubleheader by a combined score of 7-2 to secure the series against the Eagles at Dobson Baseball Field.
With the wins, the Rams collect the third doubleheader sweep of the season and improve to a 13-2 record on the 2025 campaign while dropping the Eagles to 2-9.
GAME ONE: ASU 5, OCU 2
The Rams kicked off the scoring in the top of the second inning when
Weston Valasek doubled through the left side to lead off the inning. After a groundout moved the runner to third,
Chase Pendley forced a throwing error and scored Valasek for the game's opening run. Following a strikeout,
Blake Wilhoite singled through the right side to move the runner to third, setting up a double steal to make it a 2-0 ballgame.
The action picked back up in the top of the fifth when the Rams drew a hit-by-pitch, hit a single and forced a throwing error on a pickoff attempt to extend the lead to three runs.
Dax Dathe took the mound for game one of the doubleheader and turned in a performance where he threw 4.1 innings of shutout baseball allowing just seven base runners and striking out five to improve his pitching record to a 3-1 record.
The Blue and Gold added the team's final two runs in the top of the sixth when Valasek reached first thanks to a throwing error to lead off the inning. After
Lane Hutchinson drew a walk, Pendley singled to center field to score Valasek. Later in the inning, a groundout off the bat of
Blake Wilhoite scored Hutchinson.
Oklahoma Christian battled back in the bottom of the seventh as a leadoff walk and a wild pitch set up a two-run home run off reliever
Scott Ellis and forced a pitching change to
Josh Reed who went on to collect a strikeout and force a groundout to end the game and earn his second save of the season.
GAME TWO: ASU 2, OCU 0
The Rams scored the only two runs in the contest in the game's opening frame when
Ethan Flodstrom led off with a walk before
Chase Pendley hit an infield single. After a passed ball moved the runners up a base,
Weston Valasek doubled down the left field line to score the lone runners of the ballgame.
Alizaeh Gutierrez was given the start in game two and did not allow a runner past second base all day. He completed his shutout going the full seven innings and where he faced five batters over the minimum as the senior southpaw tallied nine strikeouts on the way to his third complete game shutout and second against Oklahoma Christian in his career at ASU.
The Rams will go for the series sweep of the Eagles in the series finale scheduled for Monday, Feb. 24 with the first pitch from Dobson Baseball Field scheduled for 1 p.m.
