SAN ANGELO, TX — The No. 12 Angelo State Rams baseball fell 6-4 to the Texas A&M-Kingsville Javelinas baseball on Sunday in Game 2 of the Lone Star Conference Championship opening round at Foster Field at 1st Community Credit Union Stadium.
The loss snapped Angelo State’s 10-game winning streak as the Rams dropped to 37-15 overall and 18-11 at home.
Locked in a scoreless duel through 5 1/2 innings, Nick Gray kept the Javelinas in check, allowing one run on one hit and one walk while striking out five over 6 2/3 innings in a no-decision.
The Rams broke through in the sixth inning. Blake Wilhoite reached on a bunt that resulted in an error, stole second and scored on an RBI single from Chase Pendley. Austin Beck followed with an RBI triple, and Brett Smajstrla added an RBI double to give Angelo State a 3-0 lead.
Texas A&M-Kingsville answered by taking advantage of defensive miscues, tying the game heading into the seventh inning.
The decisive moment came in the ninth, when the Javelinas hit a pinch-hit three-run home run to take the lead. Garrett Baumann was charged with the loss after allowing the go-ahead homer while striking out one over 2 2/3 innings of relief.
Smajstrla cut the deficit with a solo home run in the bottom of the ninth, but the Rams were unable to rally further as the game ended on a groundout.
The best-of-three series will be decided Monday, with first pitch scheduled for 1 p.m. in San Angelo. The winner advances to the next round of the Lone Star Conference Championship in Tyler.
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