SAN ANGELO, TX – Home runs from Lane Hutchinson and Ethan Flodstrom powered the top-ranked and No. 1 seed Angelo State past fifth-seeded Lubbock Christian 11-3 in the Rams’ opening game at the NCAA Division II South Central Regional on Thursday night at Foster Field at 1st Community Credit Union Stadium.
The Rams (46-8), who notched their 31st game scoring double-digit runs, jumped out to an early lead with a three-run first inning. Tayten Tredaway drove in the opening run with an RBI single, Hutchinson followed with a sacrifice fly, and a double steal by Tredaway and Chase Pendley plated the third run.
Angelo State broke the game open in the second inning, scoring five more behind a pair of home runs from Hutchinson and Flodstrom.
Lubbock Christian answered in the fourth, scoring twice on an RBI double to right-center that chased ASU starter Alizaeh Gutierrez out of the game. The left-hander from El Paso went 3.2 innings, allowing two runs on three hits and four walks, with three strikeouts. Reliever Scott Ellis entered and recorded a key popout to end the threat.
The Chaps added a run in the fifth on a sacrifice fly, trimming the deficit to 8-3.
The Rams responded with three runs in the bottom half of the inning. A groundout, a throwing error and an RBI double from Pendley extended the lead to its final margin.
Ellis, Clayton Broeder and David Dressendorfer combined to allow just one run and five baserunners over the final 5.1 innings to close out the win and eliminate the Chaps.
The Rams advance to host No. 4 seed St. Edward's at 6 p.m. Friday, in the next round of the regional.
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