SAN ANGELO – The No. 23-ranked Angelo State baseball team hosts Tarleton State in a four-game Lone Star Conference series this weekend at Foster Field.

The Rams (24-10, 13-9 LSC) are coming off a three-game sweep against Cameron last weekend, while the Texans (14-15, 8-11 LSC) split a four-game series against Eastern New Mexico in Stephenville. ASU is on a four-game winning streak after also knocking off St. Mary's last weekend and comes into this weekend with a 16-2 record at Foster Field. The series will begin at 6:30 p.m. on Friday before a 4 p.m. doubleheader on Saturday and then the series finale at 1 p.m. on Sunday.

ASU is 2-1 against the Texans this season after winning a rain-shortened series earlier this season in Stephenville. The two teams had their series finale canceled due to rain and will make up the game with the addition of this Sunday's fourth game.

Angelo State leads the Lone Star Conference in 15 statistical categories including batting average (.302), doubles (68), doubles per game (2.0), ERA (2.86), fielding percentage (.978), total hits (318), home runs (19), home runs per game (0.56), on-base percentage (.373), runs scored (186), sacrifice flies (15), slugging percentage (.428), strike-out-to-walk ratio (3.24), strikeouts-per 9-innings (10.0) and won-loss percentage (.706). The Rams lead the nation with their .978 fielding percentage having committed only 25 errors through 34 games. They are fourth in Division II with 10.0 strikeouts per 9-innings and the pitching staff ERA of 2.86 ranks ninth in the nation. Blake Bass (7-1) has the fourth most wins in the country, while Steve Naemark is seventh in the nation with his 80 strikeouts and a 0.72 ERA. Graylon Brown recorded three saves last week and is now seventh in DII with eight saves this season, while J.C. Snyder is 15th with 16 doubles.  

ASU enters this weekend on a four-game winning streak and having outscored its opponents 186-108 through 34 games. The Rams have 318 total hits with 68 doubles, four triples, 19 home runs and 227 singles. The 19 home runs are one more than the total of 18 which was hit last season in 53 games by the Rams.

ASU SEASON TRACKER
Overall Record:  24-10
Lone Star Conference Record:  13-9
At Foster Field:  16-2
Away from San Angelo:  8-8
Neutral Site Games:  0-0
LSC Home Games:  6-2
LSC Road Games:  7-7
Current Streak:  W4
Longest Winning Streak:  W15 (*program record)
Longest Losing Streak:  L4
Most runs scored:  18
Fewest runs scored:  0 (2)
Extra-inning games:  1-1
 

#RamBaseball Rankings No. 23 - @D2BaseballNews No. 25 - @PerfectGameUSA RV - @CBNewspaper UR - @NCBWA

— AngeloSports (@AngeloSports) April 9, 2015

ANGELO STATE PROBABLE STARTING ROTATION
Game 1: Steve Naemark, Junior, LHP (6-1, 0.72 ERA, 80K, 11BB, 43H, 62.1 IP)
Game 2: Blake Bass, Senior, RHP (7-1, 2.53 ERA, 59K, 13BB, 59H, 57.0 IP)
Game 3: Bryce Zak, Junior, RHP (4-4, 2.13 ERA, 50K, 23BB, 34H, 42.1 IP)
Game 4: TBD

STARTER REPORT: Steve Naemark (6-1) will be making his 11th start for the Rams in the series opener on Friday night and comes into the game leading the conference with 80 strikeouts and a 0.72 ERA. Naemark is coming off a win over Cameron where he struck out six and allowed only one earned run in 6 2/3 innings of work. He established the program record for strikeouts with 15 against Regis earlier this season and also has a 12 strikeout performance against Lubbock Christian and an 11-strikeout game against Eastern New Mexico on his resume. Naemark is a two-time LSC Pitcher of the Week and earned a win over the Texans with eight strikeouts and no runs allowed earlier this season. Blake Bass (7-1) leads the conference in wins and is third with his 59 strikeouts coming into his 11th start of the season and the 23rd start of his career. Bass struck out a career-high 10 batters in a win earlier this season against the Texans and enters this weekend with an 11-5 career record and with 98 career strikeouts with the Rams. Bass is in his second season with the Rams after transferring from Texas Tech. He is coming off a win over Cameron where he struck out four. Bryce Zak (4-4) will be making his ninth start of the season and comes into the weekend with a 9-5 career record and 88 career strikeouts. Zak is a San Angelo native who started his career at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi before transferring to ASU after his freshman season. Zak is second in the conference this season with his 2.13 ERA and has 50 strikeouts through 42 1/3 innings this season.

BULLPEN REPORT: Graylon Brown (2-1) is seventh in the nation and leads the LSC with eight saves this season after recording a save against St. Mary's last Tuesday and then a pair of saves last weekend against Cameron. Brown, who owns a 0.31 ERA, has made 18 appearances this season and 62 in his career and enters this weekend with 95 career strikeouts. He has 13 career saves and a 10-5 record in his three seasons with the Rams. Dillon Becker (3-1) has made 18 appearances this season and has 32 strikeouts in 19 1/3 innings of work. He has recorded five saves this season and owns a 2.79. He enters this weekend with 67 career strikeouts in 57 1/3 innings of work after transferring from Blinn College after his freshman season. Matt Shannon (2-1) has made two starts and has 10 appearances this season. He has 16 strikeouts through 22 2/3 innings, while Kellen Rholl (0-1) has 11 strikeouts through 13 1/3 innings. Trae Davis has 11 strikeouts in 11 appearances from the bullpen.

LINEUP REPORT: Paxton DeLaGarza enters this weekend on a six-game hitting streak and has reached base in 17 straight games. A junior shortstop, DeLaGarza leads the conference with a  .386 batting average which includes 10 doubles, a triple, two home runs and 36 singles. A right-handed hitter, he has supplied 21 RBI and is tied with Derek Tyner for the team lead with 15 multi-hit games this season. Tyner enters this weekend with a .345 batting average as the team's designated hitter and has two home runs and 20 RBI. J.C. Snyder lead the team and conference with 16 doubles this season and enters this weekend hitting .367. A senior transfer from BYU, Snyder has four home runs and 19 RBI.

Nehwon Norkeh leads the Rams with five home runs this season and leads the conference with 34 runs scored. A sophomore center fielder, Norkeh also has nine doubles and a triple as the team's leadoff hitter. He comes into this weekend with nine career home runs and has scored 68 runs in 84 games. Brett David has four home runs and leads the team with 29 RBI. A senior first baseman, David has eight career home runs and 68 career RBI. Cameron Massengill has started all 34 games at catcher for the Rams and has provided 18 RBI. Massengill has eight doubles this season and is coming off a junior season where he was an LSC first-team selection. Sam Kohler enters this weekend on a five-game hitting streak, while Cody Semler leads the conference with eight stolen bases and has 18 hits this season. Semler went 2-for-2 in the series finale against Cameron which included his third double of the season, while David Goggin also had two hits. Goggin, who is the team's captain, missed the first part of the season with injury but has now started 12 games for the Rams.
 
Angelo State Records Watch
Most strikeouts
1. 89 - Michael Gunter - 2007
2. 88 - Kenny Elkind - 2009
3. 86 - Joseph Key - 2009
4. 81 - J. W. Nastoupil - 2006
5. 80 - Steve Naemark – 2015
 
Most strikeouts looking
1. 28 - Sean Winscher - 2008
2. 24 - R. Reyna - 2012
24 - Steve Naemark - 2015
24 - Mike Weatherly - 2013
5. 23 - Jason Zgardowski – 2014
 
Most saves
1. 9 - Mike Weatherly - 2012
2. 8 - Joseph Key - 2008
8 - Graylon Brown – 2015
 
Lowest opponent batting avg. (min. 37 IP)
1. .147 - Tommy Rafferty (52.0 IP) - 2006
2. .192 - Steve Naemark (62.1 IP) - 2015
3. .220 - J. W. Nastoupil (82.0 IP) - 2006
4. .225 - Bryce Zak (42.1 IP) - 2015
5. .226 - Graylon Brown (55.1 IP) – 2014
 
Lowest earned run avg. (min. 37 IP)
1. 0.72 - Steve Naemark (62.1 IP) - 2015
2. 1.73 - Tommy Rafferty (52.0 IP) - 2006
3. 2.13 - Bryce Zak (42.1 IP) – 2015
 
Most strikeouts/9 inn game (min. 37 IP)
1. 11.55 - Steve Naemark (62.1 IP) - 2015
2. 10.89 - Mike Weatherly (38.0 IP) - 2012
3. 10.63 - Bryce Zak (42.1 IP) - 2015
4. 9.58 - Austin Church (41.1 IP) - 2012
5. 9.32 - Blake Bass (57.0 IP) – 2015
 
Most doubles
1. 28 - Steven Allred - 2007
2. 24 - Clay Calfee - 2008
3. 23 - Shan Sullivan - 2008
4. 22 - Austin Lasprilla - 2009
22 - Nate Hemm - 2005
6. 20 - Zak Leonhardt - 2010
7. 19 - Lee Neumann - 2012
19 - Bucky Strickland - 2007
19 - Christian Summers - 2013
19 - Garrett Harris - 2011
11. 18 - Clay Puckett - 2010
18 - Trey Carter - 2009
18 - Clay Calfee - 2007
18 - Matt Lenderman - 2007
18 - T. Semler - 2012
16. 17 - Quaid McKinnon - 2012
17 - Kyle Mandelbaum - 2005
17 - Brad Hough - 2006
19. 16 - Drew Caraway - 2007
16 - J.C. Snyder - 2015