LUBBOCK, Texas - Twelve total runs in the middle innings for no. 3/3 Angelo State helped the Rams pull away and take the series sweep over Lubbock Christian, rolling over the Chaps 18-7 in seven innings.
With two outs in the top of the first inning, a throwing error from
Marcos Escalera allowed Jacob Guerrero to score all the way from first base, and give the Rams (30-4, 28-4) a 1-0 lead. ASU added another on a double steal, with Thomas Cain coming in to score and pushing Angelo State ahead 2-0.
The Chaparrals (16-13, 15-13 LSC) answered in the bottom of the opening frame, as a
Nate Van Maanen RBI double scored
Brevin McCool, before Van Maanen came home in the next at-bat, thanks to an RBI single from
Chris Shull. The Rams retook the lead in the top of the second, after an RBI double from Justin Harris scored Austin Beck to put ASU back on top 3-2.
After opening the top of the fourth with a triple, Kamden Kelton scored on a wild pitch, putting the Rams up 4-2. Another RBI double from Harris scored Tyler Boggs, and Harris came home off an RBI single from Tripp Clark, increasing the advantage for Angelo State to 6-2. A three-RBI, bases clearing double from Jordan Williams blew the game wide open, and the Rams took a 9-2 lead.
A single from
Caden Hensley in the bottom of the fourth scored
Hayden Blair to cut the deficit to 9-3, but an RBI single from Boggs scored Beck in the top of the fifth to make it a 10-3 game in favor of the Rams. With the bases loaded, a sac fly from Clark scored Boggs, before a two-RBI single from Cain brought home Guerrero and Harris, and ASU pushed on, going up 13-3.
The offensive onslaught did not stop from Angelo State, as an RBI single from Harris scored Beck in the top of the sixth, before a Reese Johnson single brought in Harris later in the frame to put the Rams up 15-3. McCool came through for the Chaps again in the bottom of the sixth, as his RBI single scored Hensley.
Eduardo Acosta brought home McCool and Carson Ogilivie with a two-RBI double, cutting the lead to single digits, going down 15-6.
ASU got all three of those runs back in the top of the seventh, as a Kelton RBI single scored Clark before Beck put a stamp on this one with a two-run home run, his second of the series, to put Angelo State on top 18-6. Shull hit a home run of his own in the bottom of the seventh, and
Jarred Gibson picked up a double, but Austin Teel shut down the next three batters, and the Rams took the 18-7 run rule victory to complete the sweep.
It is the first time ever the Chaps have been swept in a four-game conference series since joining the Lone Star Conference in 2019. The LSC went to four-game series last season.
Harris led the Rams on offense, batting 3-for-4 with three RBi and three runs, while Beck also went 3-for-4, scoring four runs and picking up two RBI. Despite the loss, McCool was perfect on offense, batting 4-for-4 with an RBI and two runs. Shull went 3-for-4 with two RBI and a run scored.
Jackson Berry (1-0) earned the win, going 2.2 innings, giving up two runs off four hits, and striking out a batter. Escalera (1-3) was handed the loss, going four innings, giving up nine runs, seven of those being earned, off eight hits, walking four batters and striking out four others.
The Chaps look to get back on track, heading south to Laredo to face Texas A&M International in another four-game conference series. Game one is set for a 2:00 PM start on Friday, Mar. 31.
