SAN ANGELO, Texas – The Angelo State baseball team lost a close, 7-6, game to split its series at two games apiece with Texas A&M – Kingsville on Sunday afternoon at Foster Field at 1st Community Credit Union Field.

The Rams drop to 13-8 overall with the loss and 6-2 in the Lone Star Conference.  The ASU offense out-hit the Javelinas 14-to-9 but left 12 runners stranded. Graylon Brown was credited with the loss and now sits at 2-3 on the year. With the win, Texas A&M – Kingsville improves 12-6, 5-3 LSC.

"It was a frustrating weekend," Angelo State head baseball coach Kevin Brooks said. "We finished 2-2 but felt like we should have been 4-0. We had chances in both games to win and didn't finish it. We have a chance to correct the mistakes that cost us but we need to fix those mistakes for us to be successful moving forward. We have a huge weekend ahead and it will be a big challenge against WT in Canyon."

TAMUK started the game by plating three runs through three and a half innings. It was not until the bottom of the fourth, when Michael Urquidi laid down a sac bunt down to advance Christian Abilla and Steven Pinales into scoring position. Matt Waller then sent a double down the right field line that scored Abilla and Pinales.  
 
The Rams weren't done adding three runs in the fifth. After a leadoff walk by Tyler Coolbaugh, Pinales crushed a ball to deep centerfield for his third home run of the season and put ASU on top 4-3.  Urquidi used his speed to double to right center. Matt Waller hit a RBI single up the middle to increase the lead to 5-3. Nathan Ruane tripled off the wall in right field but was left stranded at third to end the fifth inning. 

The Javelinas scored a run in the sixth and seventh to tie the game at five. Pinales leadoff the seventh with a double to deep right center and advanced to third on a wild pitch with no outs. The junior was left stranded at the end of the seventh.
 
Texas A&M-Kingsville regained the lead with two runs in the eighth. The Rams tried again to answer in the bottom of the ninth. Abilla recorded his third double of the season and would score on a fielder's choice to close the deficit to 7-6. TAMUK's Hayden Vesely forced a groundout with the tying run on second to end the game. 
 
Pinales finished the day going 4-for-5 with one home run, one double, two singles and two RBIs. Waller led ASU with three RBIS on two hits. Sam Kohler, Abillia and Urquidi each had two hits in the game. 

The Rams will hit the road to face West Texas A&M in Canyon with a four game series starting on Friday, March 18.