Box Score

Season Stats

CANYON, Texas  – Six runs over the final three innings doomed No. 18 West Texas A&M as it dropped the series finale Sunday 8-5 to Angelo State as the teams split the four game series.  WT stands at 19-7 overall and 8-4 in conference play, while ASU is 15-10 and 8-4 in league play. 
 
The Buffs held a 4-2 lead in the fifth, but were unable to hang on as ASU outscored WT 6-1 over the final three innings, including breaking a 5-5 tie in the top of the ninth with three runs and five pitching changes in the frame. 
 
WT now will be on the road for the next three weeks as it travels to Eastern New Mexico for a four game series next weekend and then concludes the first half of conference play at Texas A&M-Kingsville Apr. 1-3, and then at Tarleton State Apr. 8-9 to begin the second half of league play.  The Buffs will return to Wilder Park Apr. 12 versus Lubbock Christian and then will host Cameron Apr. 15-16.
 
The Buffs tallied five runs on nine hits with one error, while ASU had eight runs on 12 hits with one error.  WT was led by senior Trace Hansen who went 1 for 3 with a run scored and two RBI.  Junior John Baiada went 2 for 3 with a run scored and a RBI.  ASU was led by Sam Kohler who went 2 for 5 with two RBI, while Christian Abilla went 1 for 5 with two RBI. 
 
ASU's Joe Hauser (1-0) took the win in 3.2 innings of relief, allowing three hits, one earned run and fanning one, while junior Josh Payne (2-2) took the loss, going 1.1 innings of relief, allowing four hits, two earned runs and fanning two.  Matt Shannon pitched a perfect ninth for his first save of the season.
 
A two out single with a 1-2 count and a hit batsman put two on for Angelo State in the top of the fourth.  Paxton De La Garza came up with a single through the left side and Steven Pinales was plunked by the senior Luke Wiechec offering extending the inning.  A wild pitch moved the runners to second and third.  On a 2-2 count, Abilla singled home two runs for a 2-0 lead. 
 
In the bottom of the fourth, the Buffs got a leadoff single from senior Matt Cole, but he was gunned down trying to steal.  A strikeout wild pitch put Hansen at first.  He then advanced to third on a wild pitch and error.  Baiada hit an infield single plating Hansen for a 2-1 score.  Without the Cole caught stealing, it would have tied the game most likely.  Nonetheless, the Buffs continued to fight, down 2-1, as senior Mason Shiflett drew a four-pitch walk.  Junior Troy LaBrie singled through the left side loading the bases.  Following the hit, Angelo State went to the bullpen in favor of Jayden O'Dell.  O'Dell had pitched just 2.2 innings in two appearances with a 10.12 ERA to this point this season.  Senior Jake Fuller used a seven-pitch at bat for a sacrifice fly to deep center tying the game at two. 
 
Schroter went 3.1 innings, allowing four hits, two earned runs, one walk and he fanned two in in 49 pitches.  He will not factor into the decision.  O'Dell got out of the jam with a fly out to right. 
 
A walk and sacrifice bunt put ASU in position in the top of the fifth with one away.  The Rams hit a ground out advancing Michael Urquidi to third.  A ground out to second got Wiechec and the Buffs out of the jam preserving the tie heading to the bottom of the frame. 
 
A single by senior Nick Chapman through the right side and redshirt freshman Blake Weaver was plunked by a pitch for two on with nobody out.  Senior Matt Cole put down a great bunt single up the third base line loading the bases.  A sacrifice fly from Hansen gave WT its first lead of the game at 3-2.  A walk loaded the bases once again with one out as ASU made its second move to the bullpen as Joe Hauser replaced O'Dell.  A sacrifice fly from Shiflett scored the fourth run of the game and gave WT a 4-2 lead heading to the sixth.
 
In the seventh, ASU put two on with two outs with back-to-back singles.  Pinch-hitter Tyler Coolbaugh came in and, after a meeting at the mound by the Buffs, an error followed on a throw to second and a RBI single from Coolbaugh pulled ASU within 4-3.  WT went to the bullpen in favor Payne relieving Wiechec.  Pinch-hitter Jay Gonzales singled home two runs as ASU regained the lead 5-4 as all five runs came with two outs in the game to that point.  A single to shallow left looked as if ASU were going to score another run, but Fuller threw a great ball to home as the Buffs gunned the insurance run at the plate for the third out.  Wiechec went 6.2 innings, allowing six hits, five earned runs, walked two and fanned three.
 
A single and a sacrifice bunt put Chapman at second and Hansen drove him home tying the game with an infield single for a 5-5 score in the bottom of the seventh.  Hansen was then gunned down attempting to steal second ending the inning.  It was his first caught stealing of the season (7 for 7 previously).
 
After the Buffs failed to convert with a man in position in the bottom of the eighth, Jarryd Klem began the ninth with a ground-rule double to right.  A bunt single from Gonzales put runners at the corners with nobody out.  WT went to the bullpen for junior Colby Price replacing Payne.  A walk loaded the bases as WT again made a pitching change.  Senior closer Kyle Tinius replaced Price.  A fielder's choice out at home got the first out for the Buffs.  Pinch-hitter Clay Wagner hit a bloop-single to center for a 6-5 lead and the Rams' third pinch-hit RBI single.  Sam Kohler singled home two runs for an 8-5 lead as senior Nolan Savage replaced Tinius as Savage hadn't played since logging 0.1 innings in the season-opener against Colorado Mines.  A wild pitch moved the runners to second and third and a walk to De La Garza loaded the bases once again.  WT again went to the bullpen in favor of junior Thomas Garland.  It was the fourth pitcher of the inning for the Buffs.  Garland fanned Pinales for the second out of the inning.  A ground out ended frame as WT trailed 8-5.
 
Matt Shannon came in for the potential save opportunity as he started the first game of the series on Friday.  He got Loya for a strikeout for the first out of the inning, fanned Chapman and senior pinch-hitter Aaron De La Paz grounded out to end the game.