LUBBOCK - Tyler Lesley pitched eight innings strong innings Saturday afternoon, leading the Angelo State baseball team to a 4-1 series-opening win against Lubbock Christian.
The Rams (7-1) scored four runs on just six hits in the contest, but limited the Chaps (1-4) to just four hits and one run.
"I thought he did a great job just throwing strikes and letting his defense play behind him," Angelo State Head Baseball Coach Kevin Brooks said. "Those guys stayed involved and made some key plays and big moments and we ended up getting the win."
Lesley was the ASU starter in the game and only really faced trouble in the first inning. After the Rams went down in order to start the game, Lesley went to work. The first two Chaparrals reached base, but the Ram hurler quickly worked out of it by inducing a double play and a groundout to end the threat.
Angelo State's offense then picked Lesley up by giving him the lead in the top of the second inning. Third basemen Jacob Boston led off the inning and reached base on a hit-by-pitch. He then advanced all the way to third on an errant pickoff throw from the LCU pitcher.
One batter later, designated hitter Bradley Mathiowetz hit a hard ground ball to the Chap shortstop who threw wide of the bag, allowing Mathiowetz to reach base and Boston to score.
The Rams added two more runs in the third inning as Jonathan Soberanes and Nick Novak hit back-to-back singles to start the inning. The two then worked a double steal to get both into scoring position, and right fielder Mitch Henshaw grounded out to bring Soberanes home.
Soberanes had a strong day at the plate, reaching base all three times he came to the plate by way of a pair of singles and a walk. He also swiped the one base and scored once. He was the only Ram with multiple hits in the game.
Novak then came around to score when Boston followed with a double down the left field line.
Angelo State struggled offensively during most of the game, racking up only seven hits while striking 10 times.
Lesley continued to pitch well even after the Rams stopped scoring, however, as only two Chaps made it into scoring position the rest of the game.
In the fourth inning, Will Clark led off with a bunt single and quickly stole second and third. Clark was cut down at the plate by Lesley, however, and the right-hander followed by inducing outs from the next two Chaps.
The Lubbock Christian leadoff man reached again in the fifth by way of a single and another Chap reached on a one-out walk. Lesley picked off the runner at first though, and inducing a fly-out to end the inning.
The fly-out to end the fifth started a string of 10 straight batters retired by Lesley, stretching all the way through the end of the eighth inning.
Angelo State added one more important insurance in the top of the ninth as Henshaw led off with a hit-by-pitch, advancing to third on a perfectly executed hit-and-run by Andrew Morales. Henshaw then scored on an RBI single from Mathiowetz.
Lesley's consecutive out streak finally ended when LCU's leadoff batter reached to start the ninth, also ending Lesley's day on the mound. He finished with a strong line, pitching eight innings while scattering just four hits and striking out four batters.
San Angelo native Josh Barnett came in to relieve Lesley and got one out before the Chaps loaded the bases and Brooks brought in left-hander Kellen Rholl to finish off the game. Rholl got groundouts from the only two batters he faced, closing out the win for ASU and earning his third save of the season.
The win was the 500th in an already illustrious career for Brooks. The Waco native started the Ram program in 2005 and since then has gone 500-284 while leading it, including four Lone Star Conference Championships and three NCAA Division-II College World Series appearances.
Angelo State will face Lubbock Christian two more times in the series with games at 3 p.m. on Sunday and Monday at Hays Field.
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