CANYON, Texas – A three run
Tayten Tredaway homer in the top of the tenth inning powers the No. 1 Angelo State baseball team to a 7-6 victory against RV West Texas A&M to open the four game series on a warm Friday evening at Wilder Park.
With the win, the Rams notched their first extra-innings victory of the season and became the first team in the Lone Star Conference to reach 30 league wins, improving to 32-7 overall (30-7 in conference play) to remain atop the LSC standings.
West Texas A&M scored the game's first three runs of the ballgame with a wild pitch in the bottom of the second and two solo homers in the bottom of the third.
Tredaway led the Rams' response in the top of the fourth as he hit an RBI triple to score
Lane Hutchinson, who doubled to get on base. In the following at bat,
Brett Smajstrla hit a sacrifice fly to cut the deficit to one run.
The Buffs loaded the bases in the bottom of the fifth inning off Rams' starter
Nick Wilson to force a pitching change to
Keene Kreusler, who proceeded to force a ground ball double play to retire the side. Wilson pitched four and a third innings, allowing three earned runs off six hits and collected three strikeouts as he did not receive a decision.
The Rams took the lead in the top of the seventh as
Blake Wilhoite hit a one-out single before
Ethan Flodstrom hit an opposite-field homer over the left field wall.
With a runner on in the bottom of the ninth, the Rams called upon
Caleb Heuertz to attempt to get the save in his first appearance in over a month. The Buffs were able to bunt the runner over before a single up the middle tied the game and forced it into extra innings.
Chase Pendley led off the top of the tenth with a single to left center field and after Hutchinson walked, Tredaway pulled a 0-1 pitch over the right field wall to give the Rams a three-run lead.
In the ensuing half inning, the Buffs pieced together a walk, a fielding error and two hits to cut the Rams' lead down to one run before
Luke Olson collected two strikeouts to slam the door and collect his third save of the season.
The Rams and Buffs will continue the series with a doubleheader tomorrow, Apr. 12, with the first pitch from Wilder Park scheduled for 2 p.m.
