SAN ANGELO, Texas (February 13, 2015) – Brig Gerlich's streak of consecutive starts without suffering a loss ended at 16, as the senior pitcher suffered his first loss in a Chaparrals uniform. Angelo State opened a three-game series with a 7-1 win over Lubbock Christian University Friday at Foster Field, in LCU's first road game of the season.

LCU's offense has been rolling in 2015, averaging 12.3 runs a game through their first six games. That run production came to a halt Friday, as LCU was held to one run. It marks their lowest run total in their last 35 games dating back to last season. Angelo State pitcher Blake Bass, a Texas Tech transfer and Preseason Lone Star Conference Pitcher of the Year, held LCU to one run off five hits in seven innings, as he improved to 2-0 on the season. He struck out seven batters.

The Chaps lone run came off a Gerardo Arzaga, who connected with a solo home run for his first home run of the season and it tied the game at 1-1 in the top of the second before ASU would go on to score six unanswered runs. LCU was 1-for-9 as a team with runners on base and only had two at-bats with run-ners in scoring position.

Gerlich (1-1), who went 11-0 last season, went seven innings and allowed five runs off seven hits. His first pitch of the game was sent over the fence for a lead-off home run in the first inning by Nehwon Norkeh. The game was within reach with ASU leading 3-1 after six innings, but Cameron Massengill took advantage of a pair of issued walks with a two-run double in the seventh inning, and three Ram hits in the eighth inning off LCU reliever Ryan Taylor led to two insurance runs for a 7-1 Rams lead.

ASU produced 10 hits in the game with three players producing multi-hit games. Massengill led all play-ers with two runs-batted-in.

The loss places LCU with a 5-2 record and improves ASU's mark to 5-1 on the young season. Ironically, the last time LCU lost two games in a role was Feb. 10-14, 2014 (last season), when they lost the last game of the New Mexico Highlands series and the opening game of the Angelo State series. LCU will seek to snap the two-game skid Saturday, as the two teams continue the series in San Angelo with a single game.