Game 1 Final Stats (.pdf) | Game 2 Final Stats (.pdf)

SAN ANGELO – Senior Zach Klink came off the bench and drove in the winning run in game one and senior Payden Bravenec was magnificent on the mound as he collected a pair of wins in Angelo State's doubleheader sweep of West Texas A&M. The Rams took game one by a score of 9-8 in eight innings and erased a six-run deficit in game two to win, 10-9, in walk-off fashion.

The Buffs got things going early as they plated a pair of runs in the top of the first off of Angelo State (24-20, 18-15 LSC) southpaw Bryant Rutledge. West Texas A&M (29-17, 16-14 LSC) centerfielder Eric Dorton led off the game with a single to the left side and scored the first run of the ballgame on a double down the rightfield line by first baseman Jess Cooper. Cooper moved to third on a single to the left side by clean-up hitter Kendall Boone and scored on a wild pitch as the visitors took a 2-0 lead.

West Texas A&M's lead did not last long, as the Rams plated seven runs in the bottom half of the frame to take a five-run advantage. Second baseman Zach Cohen took first after getting hit by a pitch and catcher Toby Semler drew a walk to put runners at first and second with nobody out. Centerfielder Joseph Leftridge laid a perfectly placed sacrifice bunt to advance Cohen and Semler into scoring position. WTAMU's starter Jonathan Paez loaded the bases after beaning leftfielder Garrett Harris and senior designated hitter Travis Lites slapped a single through the right side scoring Cohen and Semler to even the score at two.

Sophomore Tate Allison stepped to the plate with two outs and hit an infield single to deep second base which plated Harris. Paez got into trouble with the bottom part of the Rams' line-up as he walked senior third baseman Zak Leonhardt and loaded the bases after senior shortstop Chase Barrera reached on a fielding error which scored Allison. Right-hander Josh Reyes came on in relief of Paez and walked Cohen to load the bases with two outs. Semler roped a two-run double to the right-centerfield gap to plate Leonhardt and Barrera, giving Angelo State a 7-2 advantage.

Rutledge did an excellent job with a six-run lead (8-2) after the Rams added another run in the fourth and did not allow the Buffs to score again until the sixth inning when second baseman Bryce Baugh belted a three-run homer to cut the Rams' lead to three (8-5). Sophomore right-hander James Conlee came on in relief of Rutledge and was able to get the Rams out of the inning.

The Buffs, however, would plate three more runs in the top of the seventh to tie the game and send the contest into extra innings. Bravenec entered the game in the eighth and retired the Buffs in order. Semler led off the bottom half of the frame with a double to centerfield. With just one out, Klink was called upon to pinch hit for the injured Lites who had been hit by a pitch earlier in the game. Klink sent the third pitch of the at-bat into rightfield and Semler motored around third to score the winning run.

Bravenec (1-0) collected the win, his first of the season, after pitching 1.0 inning without allowing a run. He retired all three batters he faced and did not allow a base runner.

West Texas A&M's Zach Walker (2-1) absorbed the loss after going 1.1 innings and allowing one earned run on three hits and issued one walk.

In game two, the Buffs put up four runs in the top of the first and added another four in the third to take an 8-2 lead over Angelo State. However, the gritty Rams did not back down as they slowly chipped away at West Texas A&M's lead plating at least one run per inning from the second inning on.

The Rams got an admirable performance from righty Bren Schuehler in relief of starter Steven Valles as Schuehler kept ASU in the game. Bravenec, a right-hander out of Carrollton, was called upon for the second time and turned in another outstanding effort.

Heading into the seventh and final inning of the game trailing 9-8, Allison blasted his second home run of the game to even the score at nine. The junior out of Midland finished the day going 4-for-8 with five RBIs and scored three runs. West Texas A&M's Walker, who came on in relief for the second time in as many games, walked Klink to put the winning run on base with just one out.

Despite being pulled from the contest for right-hander Mike De Long, Walker was still on the hook for the loss as he was responsible for Denny who was now running for Klink at first. De Long walked the first batter he faced in Marcellous Biggins to put the winning run in scoring position. With two outs, Cohen pulled the ball to third base, where West Texas A&M's Kendall Boone watched the ball bounce off his glove and into leftfield. The Rams celebrated their second walk-off win of the day as Denny crossed the plate.

Bravenec (2-0) earned his second win of the day after tossing 3.0 innings of work and allowing one earned run on four hits. He walked one and fanned one.

Ironically, Walker (2-2) also collected his second decision of the day, a loss after surrendering two runs, one earned, on a pair of hits and walked one.

The Rams will take on Texas A&M International in a mid-week, non-conference game Tuesday, April 26, at Incarnate Word in San Antonio. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. Live stats will be available on AngeloSports.com.

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