Late scoring surge secures win for the Rams against Chaps in LSC Baseball Tournament
Top-seeded Angelo State defeated fourth-seeded Lubbock Christian University 11-3 after a late surge from the offense led by a home run from junior Justin Harris.
The Rams (45-8) continue their dominance against the Chaps (33-20), winning seven straight, including Friday's victory. The Rams did not trail at any point in the game, but the Chaps kept it close until the seventh and eighth innings when the Rams offense tallied seven runs. Angelo State kept Lubbock Christian’s offense, which has the most home runs in the LSC, in check most of the night despite giving up two solo home runs in the sixth inning.
The win keeps the Rams in the winner’s side of the bracket in the Lone Star Conference Tournament and now they face off against St. Edwards at 2 p.m. Friday. Despite the late-game runs, Rams coach Kevin Brooks said he wants to see the offense improve moving forward.
“I mean, you know, hitting is contagious is what they always say,” Brooks said. “Tomorrow’s a new day but (the offense) was definitely better.”
Thursday’s highlights
The Rams struck first on a Tripp Clark double down the left field line that brought Thomas Cain home in the bottom of the first. Neither team tallied a run until a Tyler Boggs single brought in Harris for a run in the fourth. The Rams struck again in the fifth on an Austin Beck double that brought in Jacob Guerrero for a run and a Jordan Williams single that Clark ran in to bring the score to 4-0. The Chaps hit two home runs in the sixth to squeeze the lead down to two runs for the Rams at 4-2. Then in the seventh, Harris hit a home run that brought in the two runners on base, Justin Hardy and Clark, expanding the lead to 7-3. Lubbock Christian struck the next inning scoring on an RBI single. The Rams brought in four more runs in the eighth and did not allow a run in the ninth to close out the game.
Thursday’s stars
Kade Bragg started on the mound for the Rams and was credited with the win bringing his record to 12-1. He tossed six innings giving up five hits and had five strikeouts. Caleb Heuertz closed the game on the mound for the Rams and gave up no hits and no runs with two strikeouts in one inning pitched. Williams went 2 for 4 with a double and three RBI and Harris went 1 of 2 with a home run, three RBI and two stolen bases.
They said it.
Coach Kevin Brooks on how his team performed: “I thought Duran for Lubbock did a really good job there early and I thought Kade matched him and did a really great job. Really proud of the bullpen giving up no earned runs…And then we got some big hits from Justin, obviously the three-run homer was huge, but then we were able to tack on there still in the ninth to Jordan (who) had a big one (and) Hardy had a big one.”
Kade Bragg on how he is treated by other teams getting hits on him: “They want to beat me. So of course, they’re gonna be excited to get a hit. I like to wear that brand that people want to beat me that bad, so it’s exciting to watch people get that excited for just a hit.”
This article originally appeared on San Angelo Standard-Times: Late scoring surge secures win for Angelo State vs. LCU
