LUBBOCK, Texas – The No.9 Rams baseball team handed No. 10 Lubbock Christian its first loss of the season on Sunday afternoon, taking the final game if the series, 6-3, at Hay Field in Lubbock.
"I was really proud of the team for showing a lot of character," said ASU head baseball coach Kevin Brooks. "Lubbock Christian has a really good ball club and this was a really big gut check for the team. Friday we let one get away from us and yesterday LCU just out played us. But, I feel that this is one of those things that is going to make us better and stronger in the long run. We will definitely keep getting after it."
Angelo State improves to 6-3 with the win despite dropping the series two games to one. The Rams offense scored six runs off of 11 hits, which included two doubles. Pitcher Joey Wise earned his second win of the season. Graylon Brown also earned his second save of the year. On the field ASU committed four errors on the day. The LCU Chaps dropped to
After a scoreless first inning for the Rams, Jay Gonzalez (3-for-5) stroked a single trough the left side for ASU's first hit of the game at the top of the second. However, would run into a double play that would clear the bases. The next hit would come in the form of single up the middle from Michael Urquidi (1-for-3) at the top of the third. He was later plated by Christian Abilla (1-for-5) single to left center. This gave the Rams its first run of the game. The Chaps would answer in the bottom of the inning putting one of its own up on the board to take the game into the fourth, tied at 1-1.
In the top of the fifth with two outs on the board, Sam Kohler would hit a single up the middle. This was followed by a double by Paxton DeLaGarza (1-for-5) that places runners on second and third. Gonzalez then cranked a double of his own that would score Kohler and DeLaGarza. Jarryd Klemm (2-for-3) then came through with an RBI single for his first hit of the season. After his hit, a Chap error would push Klemm around the bases for the final run of the inning. Again, the chaps would attempt to rally as they gained a run off of a Rams fielding error, but it was quickly stifled by relief pitcher Joey Wise as he fielded a routine grounder and tossed the runner out at first. The two teams would enter the sixth inning with the score sitting at 5-2.
LCU would put up its final run of the game in the bottom of the seventh to make the game 5-3. In the top of the eighth with Klemm on third, Tyler Coolbaugh (-for-) ripped an RBI single to right field. The score would remain 6-3 for final inning and a half. Graylon Brown, who took the hill in the bottom of the seventh, closed the game out sending the final chaps hitter back to the dugout on a strikeout swinging.
Starting pitcher Kellen Rholl threw for three and one-third innings striking out four and giving up one run on four hits. In relief, Wise tossed three innings and sat down one, while giving up two runs on no hits. Finally, Brown gave up zero runs on two hits in two and two-thirds innings of work.
At the plate, Gonzalez led the Rams leading the team with three hits, one of which was a double, and two RBIs on the day. Klemm also had a notable performance at the plate knocking two hits and recording an RBI. DeLaGarza recorded his sixth double on the year and both Abilla and Coolbaugh added an RBI to their season numbers.
The Rams continue its month long road travel with a trip to Golden, Colorado for a four game series with the Colorado School of Mines. The first game of this series will take place on Friday, February 26 at 4 p.m. CST.
