SAN ANGELO, Texas – The top-ranked Angelo State baseball team suffered its largest loss of the 2025 season Thursday night, falling to Lubbock Christian 12-4 in the Lone Star Conference Championship opener at Foster Field at 1^st Community Credit Union Stadium.

The loss snapped the Rams' 11-game winning streak and dropped them into the loser's bracket with a 41-8 overall record.

A pitcher's duel between Angelo State's Dax Dathe and LCU's starter kept the game scoreless until the fifth inning. Justin Harris broke the deadlock with a solo home run over the left-field wall, and Lane Hutchinson added a sacrifice fly later in the inning to give ASU a 2-0 lead.

Dathe turned in another strong outing, throwing six shutout innings while allowing just one hit and two walks with nine strikeouts.

The Rams added a third run in the sixth when Jacob Guerrero singled to center, scoring Ethan Flodstrom after his two-out double.

Nick Wilson relieved Dathe in the seventh and gave up a solo homer off the right-field foul pole to put LCU on the board. Austin Beck answered in the bottom of the inning, scoring on a throwing error after stealing second base, restoring a three-run lead at 4-1.

But in the eighth, the game unraveled for ASU. The Chaps exploded for 11 runs, including a two-run homer and a three-run shot, as the Rams cycled through five pitchers in the frame.

Despite putting at least one runner on base in every inning and placing runners in scoring position in eight of nine frames, ASU stranded 15 total runners and went 1-for-3 with the bases loaded.

The Rams added a final run in the ninth as Harris scored on a wild pitch before a groundout ended the game.

Angelo State will face UT Tyler in a win-or-go-home matchup on Friday, May 9. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. at Foster Field at 1st Community Credit Union Stadium.