TYLER, TEXAS – The UT Tyler baseball program rallied from an early deficit to defeat #2 Angelo State 11-8 on Friday afternoon at Irwin Field, punching its ticket to the Lone Star Conference Tournament Championship for the first time in program history. The Patriots erupted for a five-run seventh inning and used timely hitting throughout to complete the comeback victory.
Angelo State capitalized on early Patriot miscues to take control in the opening innings. The Rams plated two unearned runs in the first inning without recording a hit, taking advantage of defensive errors to jump out to a 2-0 lead. They added another run in the second on an RBI triple before breaking the game open in the third, scoring four runs to extend the advantage to 7-0.
UT Tyler began to chip away in the bottom of the third. Bryce Jewell reached and came around to score, while Connor Clark also crossed the plate following a pair of Angelo State errors to cut the deficit to 7-2.
The Patriots continued their push in the fourth inning with a strong offensive response. Kaston Mason launched a solo home run to center field to spark the rally, and UT Tyler kept the pressure on with consecutive hits. Jewell added a sacrifice fly, and Brock Bearden delivered an RBI double down the right field line to trim the deficit to 7-5.
After several quiet innings, Angelo State added a run in the seventh to push the lead to 8-5, setting the stage for UT Tyler's biggest inning of the day.
The Patriots exploded in the bottom of the seventh, sending nine batters to the plate and scoring five runs on five hits. Tanner Hornback and Drew Schmidt reached to start the inning before Mason delivered a clutch two-run double to cut the deficit to one. Moments later, Jewell ripped a two-run double down the left field line to give UT Tyler its first lead of the game at 9-8. Clark followed with an RBI single to cap the rally and extend the advantage to 10-8.
UT Tyler added an insurance run in the eighth in unconventional fashion, as Drew Schmidt stole home as part of a double steal to make it 11-8.
On the mound, the Patriots pieced together the game after the early deficit. Matthew Mackenzie got the start before Tyler Puckett provided key innings in relief to stabilize the game. Ethan Jezierski was outstanding down the stretch, tossing three shutout innings while allowing just one hit to earn the win and secure the comeback.
Offensively, UT Tyler totaled 14 hits in the contest. Mason led the way with a three-hit, three-RBI performance, including his home run and go-ahead double. Jewell added two hits and drove in three runs, while Clark and Schmidt each recorded multi-hit performances. Bearden also contributed with an RBI double as part of the Patriots' balanced attack.
With the win, UT Tyler advances to the Lone Star Conference Tournament Championship game for the first time in program history. The Patriots will await the winner of Lubbock Christian and Angelo State and will play for the tournament title at 1 p.m., with an if-necessary game to follow later in the day.
