SAN ANGELO – The Angelo State baseball team will open its 2015 season with a 1 p.m. doubleheader (7/9 innings) on Monday against McMurry at Walt Driggers Field in Abilene.

The Rams went 3-1 last season against the War Hawks after sweeping a season-opening doubleheader (3-2, 10-2) before the two teams split an April doubleheader (2-3, 6-4) at Foster Field. The War Hawks went 26-28 during the 2014 season. ASU is 5-1 all-time against McMurry after the two programs met for the first time in 2013. The Rams took both games during the 2013 season in a home-and-away series. ASU and McMurry will meet again this season on Monday, April 20 at Foster Field in a game which was rescheduled.

ASU is 5-5 all-time in season-openers and comes into its 11th season of baseball with a 369-211 all-time record. Kevin Brooks has coached the Rams since the program was reinstated in 2005, while assistant coach John Anderson is back for his fourth season. The Rams have made the NCAA Division South Central Championships in two of the past three seasons and were picked fourth in the Lone Star Conference Preseason Poll.

Angelo State will make its Foster Field this weekend when it hosts Texas A&M International in a three-game set. The Rams and Dustdevils will play a single game at 3 p.m. on Friday and will then play a doubleheader starting at 1 p.m. on Saturday. ASU, which started last season with a 6-0 record, swept a three-game set over TAMIU last season in Laredo.
 
Monday's Probable Angelo State Starting Pitchers
Blake Bass is scheduled to start the first game of the doubleheader for the Rams, while Steve Naemark will start the second game on the mound. Bass, a 6-foot-7 right-handed senior, was named the Lone Star Conference Preseason Pitcher of the Year after posting a 2.72 ERA with 39 strikeouts in 76.0 innings of work last season. He had four games with five or more strikeouts last season and threw six or more innings in eight of his 12 starts. Naemark, a left-hander who transferred from Cochise College, will be making his first start for the Rams. 

Monday's Projected Angelo State Starting Lineup
Center field – Nehwon Norkeh
Designated hitter – Derek Tyner
Catcher – Cameron Massengill
Right field – J.C. Snyder/Chandler Patterson
Left field – Jarryd Klemm
First base – Brett David
Shortstop – Paxton DeLaGarza
Third base – Hunter Spear
Second base – Cody Semler

Lineup Breakdown
Brett David is Angelo State's lone four-year senior and will be starting at first base where he played at seven times last season as a junior. David is a career .269 hitter for the Rams who has 71 total hits, including 12 doubles, two triples and four home runs in his first three seasons. An El Paso native, David hit two home runs and nine doubles last season as a junior. He has 14 multi-hit games and three games with two doubles.

Cameron Massengill was named to the LSC first-team and was a Daktronics All-South Central selection as a junior. He led the Rams with a .323 batting average in the 2014 season and made 47 starts at catcher. A Kennedale native who played at Cisco College for two seasons, Massengill had 15 multi-hit games and finished the season with 50 total hits. He had five doubles, 21 RBI and hit one home run.

Derek Tyner is in his second season at Angelo State after playing his first two seasons at Odessa College. Tyner had 14 multi-hit games last season and finished the season hitting .321 with 21 RBI. He had six multi-RBI games and finished the year with seven doubles. He was the team's designated hitter in 12 games and started 27 games at first base.

Nehwon Norkeh made 49 starts in center field as a freshman and had 20 stolen bases. He finished his first season at ASU hitting .242 with seven doubles, three triples and four home runs. Norkeh, who is a Minnesota native, had nine multi-hit games and stole two bases in four games. He had two triples against McMurry in the second game of last season.

The projected starting lineup for Monday also includes newcomers Hunter Spear at third base, Paxton DeLaGarza at shortstop, Cody Semler at second base, Jarryd Klemm in left field and J.C. Snyder in right field. Chandler Patterson, who played in nine games as a freshman, is projected to start in right field in Monday's second game.
 
Coach Kevin Brooks Quotes
Brooks on senior pitcher Blake Bass:
"Blake is a guy who has developed into a pitcher who has all the potential to pitch for money next year. His development on the mound has been unbelievable. He really came on strong at the end of the season for us last year and has really gotten stronger out there. He's an intimidating presence out there on the mound with his size and he's really figured out his pitches."

Brooks on junior pitcher Steve Naemark:
"Steve is a mature pitcher who has a knack for figuring out how to not give up runs. He's a winner out there with some really good stuff."

Brooks on the Angelo State returners:
"The returners have done a really good job of indoctrinating the new guys since the fall. They came back with a great work ethic and that really started everything that we've been able to build on up to this point. They have done a great job of leading and showing the new guy what it takes to be successful here. They knew what we were going to expect from them and they are really good players who have gotten better since last season."

Brooks on the Angelo State newcomers:
"The newcomers really bought in from the first day and you could tell that they believed in what we are trying to accomplish here. I think our team will benefit a lot of positive results from what they are bringing to this year's team. They are a very talented group."

Brooks on senior catcher Cameron Massengill:
"Cam had a great year last season, but I look for him to have an even better year for us as a senior. It's comforting as a coach to have a catcher like Cam back there behind the plate. We don't even have to really think about that position because he is such a valuable and steady player for us."

Brooks on junior shortstop Paxton DeLaGarza:
"Paxton is one of those players who are unbelievably talented and can make plays. He really improved in the fall and showed us some big-league type plays at short. He is a very strong hitter and could be really important for us this year. He'll also pitch for us."

Brooks on senior first baseman Brett David moving from third base to first base:
"Brett is going to start off at first for us and has a ton of pop in his bat. He's been around for four years now and has had some really big hits for us throughout the years. He had some big home runs for us and has made a smooth transition over to first. He's played the majority of his time at third base, but he really picked up the position during the fall."

Brooks on senior Derek Tyner who will start the season at designated hitter:
"Derek is a really good hitter and will be an important part of our lineup throughout the season."
 
Brooks on sophomore center fielder Nehwon Norkeh:
"Even as a sophomore, I could see Nehwon being one of the better players in the country if he's able to stay healthy and puts it all together."

Brooks on the Angelo State bullpen:
"We have a lot of power arms with about 11 guys who can throw 90 or better. Our starters are going to benefit from a strong group of relievers. If we're ahead in the middle innings, we should feel pretty good because we have a strong bullpen. Trae Davis will be important for us there, Dillon Becker has an unbelievable slider and throws really hard, Graylon has been there for a while and really showed consistency in the fall. I think he's grown and matured as a reliever."