SAN ANGELO, Texas  –  The No. 17 West Texas A&M baseball team had a pair of 5-1 leads midway through a doubleheader, but were unable to hang on as Angelo State plated six runs in an inning late in each game for a 7-5 win in the opener and a 7-6 win in the nightcap.  With the losses, the Buffs suffered their first series sweep of the season falling to 29-15 on the year and 17-12 in Lone Star Conference play, while ASU kept pace with Texas A&M-Kingsville improving to 27-17 overall and 20-9 in league play.

WT fell three games back in the league standings of ASU and Texas A&M-Kingsville as TAMUK swept Eastern New Mexico.  More importantly, ASU won the season series with the Buffs (5-2) so if WT ties ASU with the same conference record at the end of the regular season, the Rams would hold the tiebreaker.  There are six conference games left as WT returns home to host Eastern New Mexico next weekend and Texas A&M-Kingsville the first weekend in May.  Angelo State is at Cameron next weekend, while Texas A&M-Kingsville travels to Tarleton State.

This is the first time the Buffs have been swept in a conference series since Apr. 22-23, 2011, at Angelo State.  The four consecutive losses also mark the first time that has happened since Mar. 23-29, 2013, in games at Tarleton State and at Angelo State.

Angelo State 7, #17 West Texas A&M 5 (Game One)

The Buffaloes got three runs in the first inning off ASU hurler Bryce Zak as senior Mason Shiflett doubled to right center to begin the game.  Senior Nick Chapman followed with an infield single and senior Josh Day plated Shiflett with a single through the right side.  Junior John Baiada, later in the inning, singled home two runs for a 3-0 lead.  Entering the game the Buffs were 12-2 when scoring in the first inning and 16-4 when scoring the first run. 

ASU had a good scoring opportunity in the bottom of the second as WT starter Austin Moore got the first two outs, but a pair of walks and a single loaded the bases, but Moore got the third out with a strikeout to end the threat.  In the bottom of the third, the Rams broke through, this time with one out, as Jarryd Klemm singled home DeLaGarza for a 3-1 score.  Following an out, Tyler Coolbaugh singled to center, but Jay Gonzales was gunned down at the plate with a great throw from Day in center for the third out.

A walk and a hit batsman put two on for WT in the top of the fourth.  Zak walked senior Matt Cole to load the bases with one out.  ASU went to the bullpen in favor of Joe Hauser to replace Zak.  Shiflett hit a sacrifice fly to right for a 4-1 lead and runners at second and third.  Chapman came through with a RBI single for a 5-1 advantage. 

With one out in the bottom of fourth with one on, on a 3-2 pitch fanned Elias Aguirre looking for the second out and Sam Kohler, who was 3 for 3 last night, flied out to right to end the inning.  Kellen Rholl relieved Hauser to begin the top of the fifth.

WT put two on with a walk and a hit batsman in the top of the fifth with one out looking to add to the lead.  ASU went to its fourth pitcher of the game and second of the inning in Dustin Angiel.  Angiel got out of the jam with a double play to end the inning.

Klemm hit a two out single to left in the bottom of the fifth and Steven Pinales battled back from a 0-2 hole to a 3-2 count earning a walk for two on.  Moore had gotten ahead in many of the counts to that point, but allowed batters to battle back as it was his fifth free pass of the game.  On another 3-2 count, Moore walked Coolbaugh loading the bases once again.  The Buffs went to the bullpen as junior Justin McAllister relieved Moore.    McAllister got the Buffs out of the jam as David Goggin looked at strike three on a 2-2 count as ASU left ten stranded to that point.  It was the second bases loaded jam WT got out of unscathed in the game.

ASU pinch-hitter Christian Abilla began the bottom of the sixth with a hit and Aguirre walked for two on with nobody out.  Kohler, who was 0 for 3, singled loading the bases once again for the Rams.  DeLaGarza reached on an error plating two runs as the Rams had runners at second and third with nobody out.  WT senior closer Kyle Tinius came in to relieve McAllister following the miscue.  Jay Gonzales tied the game with a two RBI single as ASU plated four runs with two errors in the inning and nobody out.  The third error of the inning put a runner at third with one out.  A double from Pinales gave ASU its first lead of the game at 6-5 and then added with a RBI double from Goggin for a 7-5 lead.

Ram closer Graylon Brown pitched the seventh as he gave up a leadoff single by Day.  Redshirt freshman Christian Loya hit into a double play and a ground out ended the game.  It was Brown's sixth save of the season and second in as many games.

For the game, the Buffs had five runs on nine hits with two costly errors in the sixth.  Shiflett was 3 for 3 with a run scored and a RBI, while Day was 3 for 4 with a run scored and a RBI.  Moore went 4.2 innings, allowing six hits, one earned run, walked six and fanned five.  Tinius (3-2) took the loss allowing two unearned runs on four hits in one inning of work.  Zak went 3.1 innings, allowing five hits, five earned runs, walked three and fanned five in a no decision.  Angiel (1-0) earned the win in 1.2 innings of work allowing one hit, while Brown picked up his sixth save.

Angelo State 7, #17 West Texas A&M 6 (Game Two)

In the nightcap, the Buffs plated three runs again for the early lead in the second inning as three consecutive walks loaded the bases.  Senior Matt Cole tripled plating all three runs with two out for a 3-0 lead. 

The Rams got on the board in the bottom of the third as Kohler began the frame with a double to left center and a sacrifice bunt moved him to third, followed by a sacrifice fly to score him from Gonzales.

WT answered back with single runs in the fourth and fifth innings as Fuller was hit with a pitch and stole second.  From there, junior Roberto Carrasco hit a ground-rule double plating Fuller for a 4-1 lead.  The Buffs could have had a lot more in the fifth as they left the bases loaded, but a bases loaded hit batsman plated the one run for a 5-1 lead. 

In the eighth, the Rams got a double to begin the inning from Gonzales, followed by a ground-rule double from Klemm for a 5-2 score.  Tinius relieved McAllister who pitched three innings after taking over for senior starter Luke Wiechec.  Coolbaugh hit a RBI single and a Aguirre two RBI double coupled with a Kohler two RBI single all with two out gave ASU a 7-5 lead. 

WT had a chance in the ninth as Shiflett reached on an error with one out.  Junior Hunter Henderson plated Shiflett for a 7-6 score with two out as the Buffs left the tying run 90 feet away with the bases loaded.

Tinius (3-3) took the loss in one inning of work as he allowed three hits, three earned runs and fanned two.  Brown (5-5) earned the win going the final 2.1 innings, allowing one hit and one unearned run, while walking two and striking out three.  WT had five players with single hits, but Cole led the way with three RBI.  Kohler had two hits for the Rams and two RBI with a run scored, while Aguirre had two driven in and one scored. 

The Buffs will look to regroup next week hosting Eastern New Mexico in a three game series beginning Apr. 29 at 6:30 p.m. at Wilder Park.