SAN ANGELO, Texas – The 2022 season came to an end for the Texas A&M-Kingsville baseball team on Saturday, as they suffered a 14-2 loss to the Angelo State Rams in the NCAA South Central Regional final at Foster Field at 1st Community Credit Union Stadium in San Angelo, Texas.
The Hogs finish the season at 33-20, the fifth time they've reached 30 victories since 2016.
"The first thing you have to do is congratulate Angelo State," said coach Jason Gonzales, "coach Brooks and his staff. What a tremendous season they've had. But I was extremely proud of my guys and that's what I told them. These guys sacrifice a tremendous amount for me, for this university, for this program. Today wasn't our day but you don't leave here with your head down in any type of way."
The Rams got on the board in the top of the first on consecutive singles sandwiched around a stolen base and they tacked on two more in the third thanks to a walk, an error and a run-scoring triple. The ASU lead increased to 5-0 after two more Ram runs crossed the plate in the fourth. Runners reached scoring position for the Hogs in the second and third, but they narrowly missed capitalizing on each opportunity.
In the fifth, the Rams blew the game open with five runs and the rally began with back-to-back-singles, followed by an error that brought in the first tally. Two more hits followed, including an RBI Justin Harris safety. A bases loaded wild pitch made the score 8-0 and the last two runs came in on a fielder's choice and a squeeze bunt.
Sophomore Ivan Duarte (Juarez, Mexico) knocked in both Javelina runs, the first one on an RBI single in the sixth that sent junior Nick Wolff (Klein, Texas) to the plate. Two innings later, Duarte lined a double into the left field corner to score sophomore Shelby Becker (Giddings, Texas). Four Rams runs in the top of the ninth rounded out the scoring.
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