AUSTIN, Texas – The No. 23-ranked Angelo State (32-14, 30-14 LSC) baseball team split the series against St. Edwards (21-25, 21-23 LSC) after dropping Sunday's series finale by a score of 7-5.
A one out triple in the bottom of the second turned into the first run scored in favor of the Hilltoppers. The Rams responded and took the lead in the ensuing half inning with a sacrifice bunt by
Justin Harris and an RBI single to left field by
Jacob Guerrero.
StEU retook the lead in the third inning as they took advantage of two defensive errors and a wild pitch to score two runs on ASU starter
Mason Bryant. The 'Toppers added a fourth run in the following inning as a fielding error put a runner aboard for an RBI triple to right center to make it a 4-2 contest.
Bryant's afternoon ended after he allowed five runs, three earned, off five hits, two walks and two hit by pitches over four innings of work. He was tagged as the pitcher of record and drop to 0-2 on the season.
The Hilltoppers added two more runs in the fifth with a hit-by-pitch, a balk, a walk and a wild pitch put two runners in scoring position for a single to left field to extend their lead to four runs.
The Rams cut the deficit in half in the sixth inning as Harris led off the inning with a walk before Guerrero launched a two-run home run to left field. They added an additional run in the next inning with
Tayten Tredaway and Ryan McDaniel led off with back-to-back singles before
Hunter Holt laid down a bunt to the pitcher, which was mishandled, allowing Tredaway to score. However, momentum was halted after McDaniel was caught stealing third base which led to two strikeouts to end the inning.
Back-to-back base hits in the bottom of the seventh led to an insurance run for St. Edward's which brought the game to its final score after ASU was unable to get any runners across in the final two innings despite getting runners in scoring position.
The Rams will be back in action next weekend when they begin their final home series of the 2024 season on Friday, April 26, hosting West Texas A&M at Foster Field at 1
st Community Credit Union Stadium.