SAN ANGELO, Texas – The top-ranked Angelo State baseball team fought through a pair of elimination games Friday, edging No. 5 UT Tyler 3-2 in 12 innings before rolling past Lubbock Christian 15-3 at Foster Field at 1^st Community Credit Union Stadium.

With the victories, ASU (43-8) advances to face St. Edward's on Saturday, May 10, in the Lone Star Conference championship, which is scheduled for 3 p.m. The Rams will need to defeat the Hilltoppers twice to claim the tournament title.

GAME ONE: ASU 3, UTT 2 (12 Innings)

Rams starter Alizaeh Gutierrez and Patriots right-hander Kyle Froelich traded zeros early, until Weston Valasek broke the scoreless tie in the bottom of the third with a sacrifice fly that plated Chase Pendley, who had tripled to right-center with one out.

UT Tyler answered in the fifth with back-to-back doubles to even the score at one run apiece.

Angelo State reclaimed the lead in the sixth when Valasek doubled to left, advanced to third on a flyout, and scored on a base hit by Tayten Tredaway.

Gutierrez continued to cruise into the ninth, but issued a leadoff walk that eventually came around to score, tying the game at 2 and forcing the Rams to turn to the bullpen. The El Paso native finished with a career-high 8.1 innings, allowing two runs on four hits and four walks, while striking out four.

Luke Olson entered in relief and slammed the door, stranding the go-ahead run and sending the game into extras. Olson worked 3.2 shutout innings, giving up just two hits and a walk while striking out two to earn the win and improve to a 3-1 record.

After both teams threatened across several extra frames, the Rams finally broke through in the 12th. Jacob Guerrero drew a leadoff walk, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt, took third on a wild pitch, and scored the winning run when Lane Hutchinson's grounder to third resulted in a throwing error, securing the walk-off win for Angelo State.

GAME TWO: ASU 15, LCU 3

Designated as the visiting team, the Rams struck quickly as Ethan Flodstrom led off the game with a double and Chase Pendley followed with a two-run homer over the left-field wall.

Angelo State doubled its lead in the third inning when Lane Hutchinson delivered a two-run single to center, scoring Jacob Guerrero and Flodstrom.

Austin Beck added to the lead with an opposite-field solo shot to open the fourth, and Pendley drove in another run later in the frame to make it 6-0.

Ryan Free got the start on the mound and was sharp, allowing just one hit while striking out two over 5.1 scoreless innings to earn the win and improve to 5-1. He was lifted in the sixth after a walk and a hit batter, but reliever Scott Ellis escaped the jam with a fielder's choice and a strikeout to preserve the shutout.

The Rams extended their lead in the seventh with two bases-loaded walks drawn by Pendley and Weston Valasek. LCU finally got on the board in the bottom of the inning, scoring three runs on a pair of RBI singles.

Angelo State put the game out of reach in the final two innings, plating six runs. Blake Wilhoite delivered an RBI double in the eighth, and Beck added a two-run double in the ninth to cap the scoring. Ellis closed it out with a groundout to eliminate the Chaps.

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