San Angelo, Texas- So far this season, the Regis Baseball team has been able to put their bats on just about anything that came towards the plate. Today was another story as the Rangers took on #17 Angelo State in a double-header. Regis was able to make contact and reach base just eight total times during the two games, while the Rams pitching staff tallied a total of 26 strikeouts. Angelo State's strong pitching earned them wins for both games.

The series with Angelo State was squeezed into the Rangers schedule just earlier this week after the Rams cancelled their weekend plans with Colorado Mines. Regis had been off to a hot start losing only one game in their first two weekends of competition, but as soon as the Rangers picked up the series they knew they were going to be tested against the national ranked Rams.

In the first game of the day, it was the Steve Naemark show out on the mound as the Angelo State pitcher recorded 15 strikeouts in seven innings. Although Naemark's pitching was on point, the Rams offense still struggled to help out their pitcher. Nehwon Norkehcrossed the plate for the Rams in the first, but a combination of Regis' own pitching and fielding kept Angelo State from being able to pull away with the game. Sophomore pitcher Nick DiPaola threw a solid seven innings allowing just two runs off of six hits.

In the top of the seventh, senior third baseman Logan Knox had reached third from singling to center followed by sophomore infielder PJ Catera's double to left field. Then freshman first baseman Andrew Bryniarski put down a single to bring in Knox tying the game at one. Angelo State's J.C. Snyder answered in the bottom of the seventh with a game winning solo home run. Regis could not reach home plate again and the Rams took game one, 2-1.

During the majority of the second game, Regis was able to once again keep Angelo State within striking distance. Freshman pitcher Matt Heibult worked a good five innings allowing just two runs and four hits. In the fourth the Rangers tied the game at one with a Knox double to left field and junior catcher Ty Overboe strolling in across home after an error by the Rams' infielder.

Unfortunately for the Rangers, things got a bit out of hand in the bottom of the seventh inning. The Rams' Cody Semler had reached first after being walked by freshman pitcher Jake Griffith. Hunter Spear's bunt advanced Semler to second. Then Paxton DeLaGarza's double to right field off of junior pitcher Jake Long scored Semler. Up next, Cameron Massengill's single to left brough in both Spear and DeLaGarza. The Rangers couldn't get any scoring going in the top of the eight or ninth and dropped the second game of the day, 5-1.

Combining both games, Knox led the Rangers in batting with a total of three hits, one run and one RBI. Overboe contributed two hits and one run. Both DiPaola and Heibult were handed their first losses of the season.

The Rangers will need to regroup over night and prepare for one more battle against the Rams to wrap up the weekend. The two teams will play ball tomorrow beginning at 11 am.