MEDIA COVERAGE
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SAN ANGELO – The Angelo State baseball team hosts Tarleton State in a four-game Lone Star Conference series this weekend in the final home games of the season for the Rams who will play their final two regular-season series on the road.

Angelo State (25-13, 9-7 LSC) is coming off a 10-3 non-conference win over McMurry on Tuesday at Foster Field and is in third place in the LSC standings behind the Texans (12-4 LSC) and Abilene Christian (10-6 LSC). The Rams are a game ahead of Texas A&M-Kingsville and West Texas A&M which both have 8-8 conference records with 12 games remaining for each team in the conference. TSU, which is 7-9-1 away from home this season, had its midweek game against St. Mary's rained out and comes into the series following a 3-1 series win over Incarnate Word last weekend in Stephenville.

The series opens at 6:30 p.m. on Friday followed by a 4 p.m. doubleheader on Saturday and the series finale at 1 p.m. on Sunday. Each game will be carried locally on 1260 KKSA with a simulcast on AngeloSports.com. Video and live stats will also be available through AngeloSports.com.

Angelo State is 26-10 all-time against Tarleton State, including going 4-3 against them last season. The Rams and Texans split their regular-season series with TSU taking the middle two games in Stephenville, while ASU won two of three in the LSC tournament – including a 6-0 win to clinch the championship and automatic bid to the NCAA Division South Central Championships. The Texans' last visit to San Angelo in a regular-season series came in 2011 where they won the three-game series by a combined score of 40-12 over the Rams.

ASU, which has been under the guidance of head coach Kevin Brooks since it was started in 2005, come into this weekend's series with a 330-179 all-time record, including a 177-70 record at Foster Field. The Rams are known for getting stronger as the season progresses and are 138-66 in program history in games played after April 1st (115-49 in regular-season games).

Sunday's game will be Senior Day for Nate Alter, Austin Church, James Conlee, Ryan Greer, Andrew LaCombe, Michael Lange, Quaid McKinnon, Lee Neumann, Bryant Rutledge, Travis Stavinoha and Mike Weatherly.

On the Mound

Angelo State's scheduled pitching rotation remains the same as last weekend with Jake Albert, Jake Feckley, Mike Weatherly and Michael Lange set for starts for the Rams. Tarleton State's probable starting rotation is Matt Buckmaster (5-2), Pete Perez (3-1), and Miguel Ramirez (5-1). TSU has not announced its starter for the series finale.

Albert (4-2), a junior from Conroe, will make his second start of the season and his career in Friday's series opener and is coming off a win at ENMU where he struck out four and allowed only two runs in six innings of work. He has a 3.90 ERA this season with 18 strikeouts in 30 innings. Albert will be making his 39th appearance for the Rams which puts him in sixth all-time in program history for appearances. He has a 5-4 career record with 41 strikeouts, 20 walks and 32 earned runs in 64.2 innings in his career.

Feckley (6-3) will make his seventh start of the season and is coming off a complete-game win over ENMU last Saturday where he struck out four. Feckley, a junior from Wylie who started his collegiate career at Texas A&M, has gone six or more innings in his last four appearances. A durable competitor this season, Feckley's pitch count the past four games has been 108, 111, 98 and 102. He has 43 strike outs this season and 91 in his career at ASU. He is 11-6 for the Rams in his career and has a 2.80 ERA this season. A second-team LSC selection last season, Feckley is nine strikeouts away from 100 in his career.

Weatherly (4-2) is coming off a complete-game win over ENMU last Saturday and has 43 strikeouts in 50.1 innings of work this season. Weatherly, a senior who recorded nine saves last season in a LSC first-team year, is 9-5 in his career with 89 strikeouts. The Eastfield College transfer has the second best ERA with a minimum of 74 innings pitched in program history at 3.46 and is also second by limiting opponents to a .248 batting average. Weatherly, who earned the win in relief in last year's series opener in a 14-13 game against the Texans, will be making his 37th appearance and 10th start on the mound in his career at ASU.

Lange (3-2) is the reigning LSC Diamond Pitcher of the week after strong six-inning performances in a win over St. Mary's and a no-decision against ENMU. The senior from Columbus, Neb. by way of Gateway Community College is 12-3 in his career at ASU and is coming off a junior season where he was named first-team all-region and first-team all-conference. Lange has 85 career strikeouts in 118.2 innings of work and will be making his 21st start of his career. He is currently fifth in program history with his 12 wins and is five wins from tying Kenny Elkind (2008-09) for the program's lead of 17. Lange moved his record to 9-0 last season with the win in the conference's title game against the Texans.

TSU's Buckmaster has a 2.29 ERA with 40 strikeouts in 55 innings this season. A lefty from Holliday, Buckmaster started his collegiate career at Paris Junior College before moving to Stephenville. Opponents have been limited to a .237 batting average with only 14 earned runs off 47 hits. He was a LSC honorable mention selection last season. Perez (2.89 ERA) is a right handed senior who has 36 strikeouts in 37.1 innings of work this season for the Texans. Perez, who was a first-team all-conference selection as a junior, struck out seven Rams in nine innings last year at the conference tournament in a 2-0 TSU win in 11 innings. He will be making his seventh start of the season on Friday and has allowed only 12 earned runs and 38 hits.

Ramirez has a 2.01 ERA in his senior season at Tarleton State with 48 strikeouts in 49.1 innings. A New Mexico native, Ramirez went to Lamar Community College before transferring to Tarleton. The right hander has only walked 19 and is holding opponents to a .238 batting average. Troyal Yosko is a fourth-game pitching option who has a 2.87 ERA in his freshman year out of Spring High School in suburban Houston. The right hander will make his seventh start and 15th appearance in the series finale against the Rams. He is limiting opponents to a .265 batting average with 30 hits in 31.1 innings of work.

Seniors in the Angelo State bullpen include Austin Church, Bryant Rutledge, James Conlee and Travis Stavinoha. Church has made 38 appearances in his career at ASU after transferring from Central Missouri and is 3-3 with two saves in his career. He has struck out nine in seven innings this season. Stavinoha, who transferred from Eastfield College along with Weatherly, is 2-0 in his career and has six strikeouts in 10.1 innings of work this season. Stavinoha has made 23 appearances in his career.  Rutledge (4-1) leads the team with 15 appearances this season and has 22 strikeouts in 29 innings. A team captain, Rutledge has made five starts this season and is 13 strikeouts from 100 in his career. Conlee has made 15 appearances on the season with 14 strikeouts in 17 innings of work. A Georgetown native, Conlee is 11-5 in his career with 59 appearances in three seasons.

Britt Robertshaw, a right-handed senior from Cedar Park, leads the Texans' bullpen with a 1.80 ERA in seven appearances and two saves. Robertshaw earned second-team all-conference last season.

At the Plate

Angelo State is hitting .306 with 262 singles, 76 doubles, 17 triples and 12 home runs through 38 games played this season. The Rams lead the conference with 96 stolen bases this season and have taken 148 walks and have been hit by 58 pitches. On the negative side, ASU has struck out 263 times and has seen its batting average dip to .288 in conference play.

LaCombe enters his final series at home with a .358 batting average with 28 singles, 13 doubles and a triple and home run. The senior from Southlake was a LSC first-team catcher as a junior and has played the majority of his time at catcher this season while also playing in left field and is hitting .400 in conference games. LaCombe, who has played in 95 games at ASU after transferring from Texas State last season, is a .337 career hitter for the Rams and is one hit away from 100 for his career. He holds the program's record by throwing out 34 runners attempting to steal. He has 74 career RBI and a .989 career fielding percentage.

Lee Neumann, who is a returning All-American, All-South Central and LSC Player of the Year, comes into this weekend's series with a .343 batting average this season with 29 singles, eight doubles and two home runs. He is in a three-way tie for national lead with seven triples this season. The senior from Brenham has 127 hits in his career and holds the program's record with 16 career triples. He has won the LSC's Hitter of the Week and the National Collegiate Baseball Writer's Association's National Player of the Week Award this season and currently leads the team in runs scored (37), hits (46), RBI (34), triples (7) and total bases (74). He is ninth all-time in program history with a .371 career batting average and 30 stolen bases. Neumann sat out his first game as a Ram in his career on Tuesday but maintains a 16-game reached base streak.

Quaid McKinnon went 3 for 4 in the Rams' 10-3 win over McMurry on Tuesday and continues to be one of the most consistent hitters in the conference. McKinnon is hitting .338 with 31 singles, 12 doubles and a triple and home run. The senior from Phoenix leads the team with 33 walks and is only three walks away from tying Trey Carter with 77 in his career for second all-time in program history. ASU's first baseman also is tied with outfielder Ryan Greer with a .992 career fielding percentage with a minimum of 100 chances for the all-time program lead. He has a .476 on-base percentage this season and is sixth in program history with a .469 career on-base percentage. McKinnon, who has stolen 18 bases as a Ram, has started in all 95 games ASU has played since he transferred from Paradise Valley Community College. He is sixth in tha nation in walks this season.

Greer has also started all 95 games in his career after transferring from Paradise Valley along with McKinnon and comes into his final home series as a Ram with strong career numbers. The senior from Glendale, Ariz. is third all-time with 50 stolen bases and is tied with Tyler Coughenour for the team lead with 21 this season. Greer is a .337 career hitter for the Rams with 111 hits in his career. He has 32 singles, seven doubles and a triple and home run this season. Greer, who was a first-team all-region and conference selection as a junior, ranks seventh in program history with seven triples in his career and is tied with McKinnon for the best fielding percentage. In the outfield, he has 121 putouts and eight assists. He has not made an error this season.

Christian Summers comes into the Tarleton State series leading the Rams with a .361 batting average with 20 singles, 13 doubles, four triples and two home runs. The junior shortstop is tied for the team lead with LaCombe with his 13 doubles and has also added 21 RBI in 33 games played. Summers, who is in his first season at ASU after transferring from the University of Texas following a stellar high school career at San Angelo Central, has also reached base 24 times on walks and has been hit by four pitches. He has 85 assists and 39 putouts in the field.

Reggie Rodriguez is hitting .331 with a team-leading three home runs in his first season at ASU. The junior right fielder has 44 hits this season, including 11 doubles and a triple. He has added 23 RBI for the Rams, including hitting a two-run walk-off home run against Lubbock Christian earlier this season. Rodriguez and LaCombe also lead the team by being hit by 10 pitches this season.

Coughenour has been a menace on the base paths this season for the Rams with his 21 stolen bases and 25 runs scored. The junior, who is in his first season after transferring from Wichita State, is hitting .282 with four doubles, two triples and 30 singles. He hit his first home run of the season last Sunday in inside-the-park fashion at Eastern New Mexico.

Hunter Choate and David Goggin continue to fill important roles as underclassmen for the Rams this season. Choate, a redshirt freshman from Athens, is hitting .300 with a double and 17 singles, while Goggin is hitting .294 as a true freshman. Choate, a third baseman, has 15 RBI with Goggin driving in 11 while playing at catcher and in the outfield. Tanner Kalina has added 12 hits and 12 runs as a junior, while Luke Solomon had 10 hits and Brett David nine hits.

Tarleton State's Alvaro Moreno leads the Texans with a .409 batting average and is tied for the conference lead with five home runs. Moreno, a junior from McAllen, has a .441 on-base percentage and six doubles. He also leads the conference with 56 hits and 42 RBI. Nico Moran has added 50 hits and is hitting .397 with 17 RBI, while Colten Boothe has 43 hits and 26 RBI. Moran is a junior from Longview who leads the Texans with 30 runs scored and is second on the team with 12 stolen bases.

Jared Musgrove (.343), Matt Olive (.333), Rustin Thomas (.316) and Ryan Small (.310) round out the seven Tarleton State regulars hitting over .300. Small, a senior from Longview who played at Midland College, has added 25 RBI for the Texans.