TYLER, Texas – The Angelo State baseball team split a pair of games Friday at the Lone Star Conference Championship, falling 11-8 to top-seeded UT Tyler before eliminating Lubbock Christian with a 6-5 victory later in the evening at Irwin Field.
With the split, the Rams improve to 40-16 overall and 21-5 in games played away from home as they advance to the championship round of the LSC Tournament.
Game 1: UT Tyler 11, Angelo State 8
The Rams started quickly, scoring the game's first three runs in the opening inning. Angelo State plated two runs on a Patriot error before
Tate Greene recorded the Rams' first hit of the weekend.
Garrett Wallace followed with an RBI triple to right field to extend the lead to 3-0.
The Blue and Gold added four more runs in the third inning.
Payton Bush drove in a run with a single before
Hunter Holt added a sacrifice fly. Greene later scored on a two-base error to give the Rams a 7-0 advantage.
UT Tyler answered with five runs across the third and fourth innings against Angelo State pitchers
Clayton Broeder and
Ryan Cook to climb back into the contest.
Holt pushed the Rams' lead back out with an RBI single up the middle, but the Patriots took control in the seventh inning behind two RBI doubles and an RBI single.
Game 2: Angelo State 6, Lubbock Christian 5
Home runs fueled the offense early in the elimination game.
Lubbock Christian opened the scoring with a solo home run in the first inning before
Hunter Holt answered with a two-run shot in the third. The Chaps responded with a two-run homer of their own later in the inning.
Angelo State regained momentum in the fourth.
Tate Greene launched a three-run home run to left-center field before
Garrett Wallace followed with a solo blast over the scoreboard in right field to give the Rams a 6-3 lead.
Lubbock Christian threatened late, scoring two runs in the seventh inning, but the Rams bullpen held firm.
Isaac Godard earned his fifth win of the season after tossing 3 1/3 scoreless innings, allowing three walks while striking out six.
Nick Gray secured the save, working the final three innings and recording six strikeouts while escaping multiple late threats.
Angelo State returns to action Saturday afternoon against top-seeded UT Tyler in another top-15 matchup. The Rams must defeat the Patriots twice to claim the Lone Star Conference Tournament Championship.
