PORTALES, New Mexico – The Angelo State baseball team started its Lone Star Conference play with a commanding, 13-3, victory in the first game of its series against Eastern New Mexico Friday evening.  

The Rams improved to 8-6 on the season and 1-0 in conference play. Starting pitcher Matt Shannon picked up his second win of the season, sitting down nine in six innings pitched and giving up two runs on nine hits. Four Rams recorded multiple hits on the day completed the game with a .419 team batting average. The Greyhounds dropped to7-8 on the season and 0-1 in the conference with the loss.   

David Goggin (1-for-5) kick started the Rams stellar day at the plate with his fourth double of the season. Tyler Coolbaugh's (3-for-4) RBI single to right field then scored Paxton DeLaGarza for the first run of the game. Steven Pinales (2-for-3) then cranked a triple that plated two more to cap ASU's first inning runs at three. Eastern would then add a run of its own, and the two teams enter the second with a score of 3-1.

 In the third, Coolbaugh once again took the ball to right field for a second RBI single. Then Eastern would load the bases and Elias Aguirre (1-for-2) drew a walk to push Coolbaugh across making the score 5-1. Pinales then showed his wheels stealing home to add the Rams final run of the inning. With Greyhounds on first and third in the bottom of the inning, its number three hitter singled to right to close the inning out with a 6-2 score.

Nathan Ruane (1-for-2) then plated Michael Urquidi (2-for-4) knocking an RBI double in the top of the fifth. Ruane would later score off of a pitcher error. With the score sitting at 8-2 in the top of the sixth, both Urquidi and Aguirre each added an RBI single raising the ASU lead to 10-2. An error on the throw to third after Urquidi's single allowed Pinales to cross the plate for his second time of the day. In the seventh and final inning, Sam Kohler (2-for-3) and Jay Gonzalez (1-for-2) got into the mix adding a pair of RBI singles to the team's hit list. In the bottom of the seventh inning, pitcher Kellen Rholl entered the game in relief striking out two and allowing ENMU to tack on a single final run.

Leading the Rams offense, was Steven Pinales and Tyler Coolbaugh. Pinales recorded two RBIs, two stolen bases and a triple for the day. Coolbaugh recorded a team high three hits on the day and added a pair of RBIs and a stolen base to the list as well. Also, recording two RBIs was centerfielder Elias Aguirre. Finally, David Goggin and Nathan Ruane each added a double to thier season numbers.

The Rams return to the diamond in Portales, New Mexico tomorrow for a doubleheader with the first pitch scheduled for 2 p.m. CST.