Box Score, Game 1
Box Score, Game 2
SAN ANGELO – The Tarleton Texan baseball team split its series-opening doubleheader with No. 30 Angelo State at Foster Field on Friday, downing the Rams 4-1 in the first game before falling 18-6 in the night cap.
The Texans opened the first game scoring in the first inning on Mark Jeffery's double that brought home Zane Hensley. Tarleton then added a pair of runs in the second inning to take a 3-0 lead. After reaching base on an error, Landon McCall later scored on a single from Andrew Kapple. Kapple then came around to score on a double from Hensley.
ASU produced its first and only run of the game in the bottom of the third inning on a Keith Towne single that scored Clay Puckett.
Chris Casazza connected on his first home run of the season in the top of the seventh inning that gave Tarleton an insurance run heading into the bottom of the inning.
ASU's Puckett singled to start off the Rams seventh inning and Travis Lites reached base on an error, but Texan starter Ryan Salt calmed down enough to get the final three outs and collect the win over the nationally-ranked Rams.
Salt (1-1) picked up the complete-game shutout, working the full seven innings while allowing just the one run (unearned) on eight hits and striking out three batters he faced. Salt threw 80 pitches on the day with 61 of them going for strikes.
Hensley led the Texans at the plate with three hits on the day, while Casazza added a single to go along with his home run. Hensley, Casazza, Kapple and Jeffery were each responsible for driving in one run batted in.
ASU's Phillip Clinard (0-1) went 6.0 innings for the Rams, picking up the loss while giving up three runs on eight hits. He struck out five and walked three. Jerris Springfield worked the final inning for the Rams allowing the one home run and a single.
The Rams jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the first inning of game two and then added a five-run spot in the second inning to increase the lead to 8-0 before Tarleton countered with four runs in the top of the third. Jeffery drove in the first run with a single up the middle that scored Kapple on the play. Three runs came around to score on Tim Rainey's bases-clearing double to make it an 8-4 game, but ASU's Sean Winscher got the recorded the final two outs to get out of the inning.
ASU countered with a pair of runs in the bottom of the inning to increase its lead to 10-4, but Tarleton could only produce single runs in the fourth and sixth innings. The damage was done though, as the Rams scored three more runs in the fourth and then five more in the fifth and the game was called after seven innings due to the 10-run rule.
Brandon Van Riper (0-2) took the loss for the Texans allowing eight runs on four hits in just 1.1 innings of work. Chris Pearson (3.1 innings) and Brandyn Greer (1.1 innings) worked the final five innings in relief for the Texans.
Craig Blair (2-1) picked up the win, becoming the pitcher-of-record in the fourth inning. He threw 1.1 inning of no-hit baseball to get his second win of the season.
Hensley collected his second multi-hit game of the day with a pair of hits in the night game. Jeffery added a pair of hits as well.
Towne had three hits and drove in five runs for the Rams, while Jason Morriss and Isaac Garcia each had two hits apiece. Morriss had four RBI in the game as well.
The Texans (5-5, 2-4 LSC) and Rams (7-6, 2-4 LSC) will conclude the four-game series tomorrow with another double-dip at Foster Field. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. in San Angelo.
