KINGSVILLE, Texas – The Angelo State baseball team split Saturday's doubleheader with Texas A&M-Kingsville, winning game one 4-1 before dropping the second game 3-0.
The Rams (26-1, 7-4 LSC) outhit the Javelinas (22-8, 2-4 LSC) 12-8 on the day, but were unable to capitalize in the second game, leaving six runners on base.
"Shane threw really well in the first game, but we didn't compete the way we should in the second game," Angelo State head baseball coach Kevin Brooks said. "Gave them some runs early and then didn't fight back, so I was pretty disappointed."
ASU fared well in game one as starting pitcher Shane Browning worked one of his best outings of the season. He shut the Javelinas down for 5.2 innings, allowing just one run while striking out a season-high eight batters.
The Angelo State offense gave Browning an early lead to work with as well, getting on the board in the second inning. With two outs, Mitch Henshaw doubled down the left field line to start the rally. Catcher Alex Salcido then reached on an error while driving in Henshaw. Michael Urquidi drove Salcido in with and single to left field and the Rams were quickly up 2-0.
Texas A&M-Kingsville got a runner to third in the bottom of the second inning with just one out, but Browning was able to work back-to-back strikeouts to erase the threat.
The Javelinas were held scoreless in the third and fourth innings as well, and the Rams doubled their lead in the fifth inning. Salcido led off with a double and Urquid reached base via a walk. The two moved up 90 feet on sacrifice bunt from Parker Bramlett and then came in to score on a single from Nicholas Novak.
In the bottom of the sixth, TAMUK pushed across their only run of the game on a pair of doubles, and Browning was replaced by Kellen Rholl. Rholl finished out the final inning and a third of the game without allowing any more runs, sealing the victory and earning his league-leading seventh save of the season.
Texas A&M-Kingsville flipped the script in game two of the doubleheader, scoring three runs early and holding the Rams off the board in for the remainder of the game.
Freshman Trent Baker started the game for ASU and gave up all three runs, only two of which were earned in the first inning.
The Rams were held off the board in the game by Javelina pitcher Kyle Craft who gave up just four hits. ASU's four hits were split between exactly two players, Mitch Henshaw and Bradley Mathiowetz, who had two each.
Mathiowetz advanced to third after one of his hits, but was unable to score. The Rams got a runner to third again in the top of the fifth inning after Jonathan Soberanes led off with a walk, but were once again unable to capitalize.
Overall, ASU had the exact same number of hits as the Javelinas but stranded six runners as TAMUK took the win.
The Rams will go for a series split at 1 p.m. Sunday in Kingsville.
