MEDIA COVERAGE
Video
Audio
Live Stats
Twitter

SAN ANGELO – The Angelo State baseball team returns to action in a Lone Star Conference series against West Texas A&M at Foster Field this week with the series opener being the 500th game in program history.

The series begins at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday with a 4 p.m. doubleheader on Friday and the series finale at 1 p.m. on Saturday. Angelo State (18-10, 4-4 LSC) is coming off a 3-1 series win over Incarnate Word (16-11, 2-6 LSC) last weekend in San Antonio, while West Texas A&M (16-11, 3-5 LSC) dropped its series against Tarleton State (18-8-1, 7-1 LSC) in Canyon last weekend.

No. 22 Angelo State is 27-5 all-time in the series, including owning a 14-1 record against WT at Foster Field. ASU and WT split their series last season (4-5, 3-1, 7-19, 13-7) in Canyon before the Rams earned a 12-5 in the conference tournament. ASU is 8-7 at home this season, while WT is 3-4 on the road.

The Rams, who played their first game in program history on Feb. 8, 2005, boasts a 323-176 all-time record coming into the milestone game.  ASU comes into the series ranked No. 22 nationally by College Baseball Lineup and are No. 5 in the National Collegiate Baseball Writer's Association's South Central poll. WT is receiving votes in the NCBWA regional poll, but is unranked nationally in the DII polls.

PROBABLE STARTING PITCHERS:
Game One
WT — Nick Duncan, LHP (3-1, 2.53 ERA, 21.1 IP, 21 K)
ASU — Mike Weatherly, RHP (3-2, 3.19 ERA, 36.2 IP, 33 K)

Game Two
WT — Ryan Houston, RHP (2-2, 4.19 ERA, 34.1 IP, 21 K)
ASU — Jake Feckley, RHP (4-3, 2.61 ERA, 31.0 IP, 32 K)

Game Three
WT — Dylan James, RHP (0-1, 3.58 ERA, 27.2 IP, 32 K)
ASU — TBD

Game Four
WT — Josh Weyker,  RHP (2-2, 6.00 ERA, 30.0 IP, 24 K)
ASU — TBD

ANGELO STATE NOTES

Angelo State enters the series hitting .320 as a team with 10 home runs, 14 triples, 58 doubles and 199 singles. ASU ranks second in the nation with its 14 triples behind only UIW who has 15 this season and are in the top-10 in double plays turned (8) and stolen bases (69).

The Rams, who have seven players hitting over .300, have also reached base 113 times on walks, have been hit by 42 pitches and have stolen 69 bases. On the negative side, ASU has struck out 202 times and have been caught stealing 21 times.

Lee Neumann is in a three-way tie for the national lead with six triples and leads the Rams this season with a .373 batting average. The senior from Brenham has also added 38 hits, 29 RBI, six doubles, 11 walks and nine stolen bases. A returning All-American, Neumann holds the ASU program record with 15 triples in his career and is hitting .384 through his first 85 games (310 at-bats) as a Ram. He has been limited to a .296 batting average in conference play this season, but has hit three triples and has six RBI through the first eight LSC games.

Christian Summers struggled through injuries to start the season, but has been vital at shortstop and at the plate for the Rams the past month. Summers went 3 for 3 in ASU's series finale win over UIW last Sunday and is now hitting .365 with two home runs, three triples, nine doubles and 13 singles. The junior from San Angelo has also walked 16 times and has reached four times by being hit by a pitch. He is currently on a seven-game hitting streak and has six multi-RBI games.

Andrew LaCombe continues to swing a hot bat for the Rams and proved his versatility by playing the last two games of the UIW series in left field. LaCombe has played 85 games in his career at ASU with the first 83 being at catcher where he was a first team all-conference selection last season. The senior from Southlake is hitting .353 with 24 RBI for the Rams this season and has reached base 14 straight games. He leads the team with 11 doubles and has added a triple and home run, along with walking nine times and leading the team by being hit by seven pitches. LaCombe is the all-time leader in program history by throwing out 34 base runners.

Quaid McKinnon remains one of the hardest outs to get in the conference and comes into the WT series hitting .347 to go along with a .488 on-base percentage. McKinnon leads ASU and is second in the conference with 26 walks and has also hit eight doubles, a triple and has 25 singles. The senior from Phoenix has 15 RBI and is 6 for 6 on stolen bases. He is currently third all-time in ASU history with 67 walks in his career. Clay Calfee holds the all-time record with 97 with Trey Carter in second with 77 career walks. McKinnon ranks sixth in the nation this season in walks and is only five behind Barry's Sheehan Planas-Atreaga for the national lead.

Ryan Greer leads the Rams with 17 stolen bases this season and is hitting .343 with six doubles, a home run, triple and 27 singles. The senior, who was an all-region and all-conference selection as a junior, has been a steadying force for ASU in the outfield and at the plate throughout his career. He is a .358 career hitter through his first 85 games (293 at-bats) at Angelo State. Greer is currently third all-time in Angelo State history in stolen bases with 46 after passing Ronnie Gaines (2005-06) in last weekend's series. Greer, who has reached base in 20 straight games and is currently on a seven-game hitting streak, is second in the conference in steals this season behind UIW's Derrick Walls who has 23. He is 17th nationally in stolen bases.

Reggie Rodriguez picked up a big RBI for the Rams in the series finale at UIW and enters this week's series against WT hitting .345. The junior from Puerto Rico leads the Rams with three home runs and has also added 10 doubles and 21 RBI. He leads the Rams with 13 multi-hit games and also has six multi-RBI games. A starter in each of ASU's 28 games this season, he has the Rams only walk-off hit of the season after he clubbed a two-out, two-run home run to center field to top Lubbock Christian earlier this season at Foster Field.  

Tyler Coughenour has given the Rams a dynamic of speed on offense and a solid glove at second base. Coughenour has stolen 15 bases this season and comes into the WT series hitting .293 overall and has six hits in the first eight LSC games. The junior from Wichita, Kan. has 24 singles, two doubles and a triple in his first 26 games played at ASU.

David Goggin, a freshman from Red Wing, Minn., started the final two games of the UIW series at catcher and has played in 18 games this season. Goggin is hitting .297 with 11 hits and five RBI and provided strong play at catcher to allow LaCombe to move to left field, Greer to center field and Neumann to be the designated hitter. A patient young batter, Goggin has also reached by 11 times on walks this season.

Tanner Kalina has played in 23 games this season and made tremendous diving catch in right field in the ninth inning of the series finale of the UIW series. Kalina, who was a last-inning defensive substitution by Brooks, made the diving catch for the second out of the inning and took away a triple. Kalina is hitting .226 at the plate this season with 12 hits and three stolen bases.

Brett David and Hunter Choate are both seeing playing time at third base this season. Choate delivered the game-winning run with an RBI single to right field in the second game of the UIW series and is hitting .250 with seven hits this season. David, a sophomore from El Paso, has nine hits in 55 at-bats.
 
The Angelo State pitching staff comes into the WT series with a 5.31 staff ERA in 229 combined innings of work. The Ram pitchers have struck out 187, walked 106 and allowed 270 hits. ASU is allowing opponents to hit .315 against it through the first 28 games of the season.

Jake Albert (3-1) and Bryant Rutledge (3-1) had the strongest showings on the mound for the Rams last week against UIW. Albert appeared in two games, picking up the win in the series opener and series finale in relief appearances. The junior from Conroe threw 7.2 innings in the series finale after coming into the game in the first inning and struck out seven and didn't allow a run. He has now struck out 12 in 19 innings this season and has a 3.79 ERA. Rutledge, who has been a starter, reliever and closer this season, made an appearance in all four games last weekend. He enters the WT series with 21 strikeouts and only three walks in 26.2 innings this season. A senior from Frisco, Rutledge, has recorded three saves and has a 3.68 ERA in 7.1 innings of work in conference play this season. He ranks 10th all-time in ASU history with 86 career strikeouts.

Jake Feckley (4-3) has also seen time as a starter, reliever and closer for the ASU pitching staff this season. The right-handed junior leads the team with a 2.61 ERA and has 32 strikeouts in 31 innings of work this season. He also has three saves this season to go along with his four wins. Mike Weatherly (3-2) got a no-decision in the second game of the UIW series and enters this week with 33 strikeouts in 36.2 innings this season and a 3.19 ERA. The senior from Mesquite has made seven starts this season and is second all-time in ASU with a 3.38 ERA and limiting opponents to a .245 batting average in his career.

Michael Lange (2-1) has 26 strikeouts in 33.2 innings this season through five starts and nine appearances. James Conlee (0-0) has matched Rutledge and Feckley with 11 appearances this season and has eight strikeouts in 11.1 innings of work as a reliever. Lange and Weatherly were LSC first-team selections last season, while Feckley was named to the second team.
 
WEST TEXAS A&M NOTES
West Texas A&M comes into San Angelo hitting .338 as a team with 11 home runs, 10 triples, 60 doubles and 206 singles at the plate, while its pitching staff has a 3.27 ERA with 179 strikeouts in 214.2 innings. WT hitters have struck out 111 times and reached base 96 times on walks and 25 on being hit by a pitch. The Buffs have outscored their opponents 182-103 this season.

Mitch Tybroski is hitting .429 to lead WT through his first 56 at-bats this season. Tybroski, a senior outfielder from California, has three doubles and 12 RBI. Matt Redfern (.385) leads the Buffs with 40 hits, including seven doubles, three home runs and a home run. A junior shortstop, Redfern has a .558 slugging percentage and has only struck out five times in 104 at-bats.

Justin Henderson has five doubles, four triples and 23 singles through 94 at-bats this season following his selection to the LSC's first-team last year. Henderson, a senior outfielder from Irving, is one of four WT players to play in each of the 27 games. He is second in the conference with his four triples, behind only Neumann's six. David Hebert has added 30 hits and is hitting .330, while Tyler McKnight is hitting .316 with 16 RBI and six doubles.

John Gebhard is hitting .353 in his senior season out of Dallas in limited action, while Tate Barker is hitting .300 with 16 RBI and Parker Wood is hitting .306 with a team leading 10 doubles.

Dylan James, a right-handed junior from New Mexico, is limiting opponents to a .198 batting average through his first 27.2 innings of work this season. He leads the team with 32 strikeouts and has only walked 11 in five starts. Despite his impressive statistics, he is 0-1 and has 3.58 ERA on the season. Ryan Houston (2-2, 4.19 ERA) has 21 strikeouts through 34.1 innings, while Joshua Weyker (2-2, 6.00 ERA) has fanned 24 in 30.0 innings. Sam Ouellet (0-1, 3.52 ERA) leads the team with 11 appearances in his junior season out of Canada.  

MEDIA COVERAGE: Each game of the four-game series will have audio, video and live stats to provide in-game coverage. Jeremy Bryant will broadcast the games locally on 1260 KKSA with a simulcast on AngeloSports.com. Along with the simulcast, AngeloSports.com will video stream the game and provide live stats. Links to each media option can be found on the baseball schedule page along with at the top of this article. For in-game social media, go to www.twitter.com/AngeloSports and www.facebook.com/AngeloStateSports.  

UP NEXT: Following the series with WT, Angelo State will travel to play nationally ranked St. Mary's University next Tuesday at Wolff Stadium in San Antonio in a non-conference game. ASU and St. Mary's split their home-and-away series last year, but will only meet once in the regular season in 2013. The Rams are 11-6 all-time against the Rattlers.