TYLER, TEXAS – UT Tyler secured the series victory with a 12-11 win over #9 Angelo State on Sunday, holding off a furious late rally by the Rams. The Patriots plated 12 runs on 12 hits, launching five home runs in the process.
UT Tyler wasted no time getting on the board as Bryce Jewell opened the scoring with his second first-inning home run of the series to make it 1-0. Dylan Blomquist took the mound for the Patriots and, after issuing a leadoff walk, retired the next three batters to keep the early momentum.
The Patriots broke the game open in the second with a five-run inning on four hits. Ben Lea led off with a home run to center, and after a walk, Cole Ketzner lifted a two-run shot over the center field wall. Brock Bearden followed with another homer before the first out of the inning was recorded. A hit by pitch later came around to score on a Jewell double, extending the lead to 6-0.
Blomquist faced the minimum in the second, and the offense added on again in the third. Lea doubled after a leadoff out and a hit by pitch put two aboard for Ketzner, who launched his second home run in as many innings, a three-run blast that pushed the advantage to 9-0.
After a quiet stretch offensively, Angelo State got on the board with a solo homer in the fifth. The Patriots answered immediately in the bottom half, using two singles to set up a sacrifice fly and taking advantage of a Rams error to extend the lead to 11-1.
The Rams chipped away late, scoring once in the sixth before erupting in the final two innings. A combination of hit batters, singles, walks, and extra-base hits fueled a nine-run surge that trimmed the deficit to 12-11. Garrett Landry entered to shut the door, securing his second consecutive save and preserving the series-clinching win.
Blomquist earned his first victory of the season, allowing no runs in 2.1 innings of work. Six Patriots recorded a hit, with Jewell, Lea, and Ketzner leading the way. Jewell finished 4-for-6 with two runs and two RBI, Lea went 3-for-4 with two runs and two RBI, and Ketzner drove in six runs on two home runs while reaching base four times.
With the top-10 series win, the Patriots improve to 5-1 overall and in conference play. UT Tyler returns home Friday to open a four-game series against Texas A&M International, with first pitch set for 6 p.m.