KINGSVILLE, TEXAS – Visiting #20 Angelo State University swept a pair of games on Friday night from Texas A&M-Kingsville at Nolan Ryan Field in Lone Star Conference play, 11-6 and 16-11.  (Game 1, Game 2)

In the first game, the Rams (38-16, 29-13) jumped out to an early lead scoring three times in the first inning and once more in the second.  The Javelinas (20-33, 15-27) tied the game in the bottom of the third inning when they scored three unearned runs.  A.J. Hecker (Orange/Bridge City HS) had a two-out, two-run single to tie the game.

The Rams went back on top in the fourth inning and never looked back.  Trey Carter hit a three-run homer in the inning and finished with five RBI’s in the game.  Austin Lasprilla went 3-for-3 with two runs and an RBI while Keith Towne had a double and drove in two runs.  They rapped out 13 hits in the game.  Keith Elkind picked up his ninth win of the season on the mound after allowing nine hits, three earned runs and one walk while striking out six.

The Javelinas were led by Hecker and Travis Earles (Houston/Cy-Falls HS) who each had two hits.  Robert Cox (Corpus Christi/Calallen HS) added a two-run single.  Trey Mattox (Yorktown/St. Paul HS) pitched 2.1 shutout innings in relief.  Senior Sam Strickland (Houston/Spring Woods HS) was tagged with the loss to fall to 5-4 on the season.

In the second game, the Javelinas took the early lead and led 8-4 after four innings before the Rams mounted their comeback.  The Rams scored at least one run in each of the last six innings of the game.

The Hoggie offense had 14 hits in the game, but they were overshadowed by the potent Ram offense that had 22 hits.  Each team struggled defensively as they combined for nine errors in the game.

Hecker led the Javelinas with three hits, three RBI’s, two runs, a double and a stolen base.  Earles, Thomas Miller (Las Vegas, NV/Sierra Vista HS) and Philip Johnson (Malibu, CA/Malibu HS) each had two hits.  Miller hit his 19th double of the season in the first inning which puts him in second place on the single season charts at A&M-Kingsville.  Johnson had two doubles and two RBI’s in the game, part of a seven double game for the team.  Adrian Williams (Victoria/Memorial HS) had the team’s lone home run of the game, a solo shot in the seventh inning.  James Brown (Corpus Christi/King HS) went 1-for-2 with two runs, two stolen bases and three walks.

The Javs used seven pitchers in the game with none having much effectiveness.  Tim Hanan (Groves/Port Neches-Groves HS) was handed the loss after pitching 1.1 innings in relief.

Every player in the Rams lineup had at least one while the top five hitters in the lineup all had at least three hits.  Keith Towne went 4-for-5 with four runs, two RBI’s and a home run, his 25th of the year.  Carter added his second home run of the day and drove in three runs while Chris Adamson went 3-for-6 with two doubles and three RBI’s.  Jeffrey Asby picked up the win after pitching 3.0 innings of relief while striking out four batters.

The two teams will meet again on Saturday for a 1 o’clock doubleheader.  The Javs will celebrate Senior Day prior to the first pitch of the game.
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