SAN ANGELO, Texas – No. 5 UT Tyler struck early and never looked back, handing the top-ranked Angelo State baseball team a 12-3 loss in game one of the South Central Super Regional on Thursday night at Foster Field at 1st Community Credit Union Stadium.

With the defeat, the Rams fall to 48-9 and must win on both Friday, May 23, and Saturday, May 24, to keep their hopes alive for a return trip to the NCAA Division II College World Series.

The Patriots wasted no time taking control, plating three runs on RBI hits in the top of the first inning before launching a three-run homer in the second. The early outburst led to a short outing for Rams starter Alizaeh Gutierrez.

ASU got on the board in the bottom of the second after Weston Valasek was hit by a pitch, advanced to third on a single, and scored on a groundout.

Reliever Clayton Broeder stabilized things for the Rams over the next three innings, keeping UT Tyler scoreless and giving the Rams a chance to claw back. In the fifth, Austin Beck led off with a double to right and later scored on a sacrifice bunt by Justin Harris, cutting the deficit to 6-2.

UT Tyler responded in the sixth with a two-run homer to center, extending its lead to 8-2.

The Rams loaded the bases in the bottom of the seventh and pushed across a run after Harris was hit by a pitch. However, a double play ended the inning and ASU's best opportunity to close the gap.

The Patriots added insurance with a solo homer in the eighth, followed by a two-run shot and an RBI single in the ninth to cap the scoring.

Game two of the Super Regional is set for 7 p.m. Friday, May at Foster Field at 1st Community Credit Union Stadium.