SAN ANGELO, Texas – The Angelo State baseball returns home to Foster Field at 1st Community Credit Union Stadium to face the Cameron Aggies in a four game series that will begin on Thursday, March 24 at 6:30 p.m.
The series will then continue with a doubleheader on Friday, March 25 at 4 p.m., and then finish up with a single game on Saturday March 26 at 1 p.m. The Rams will be looking to build off of last weekend's performance as it split a four game series with No.18 West Texas A&M. This allowed ASU to remain in a three way tie with the Buffs and Texas A&M- Kingsville for first place in the Lone Star Conference. Angelo State now sits at 15-10 overall and 8-4 in the Lone Star Conference.
This weekend's match up will feature an ASU offense that is currently hitting .309 at the plate with a .419 slugging percentage, taking on a Cameron pitching staff that leads the LSC with a 3.66 ERA and has given up the fewest home runs (7). The Aggies enter the match-up with a 16-7, 5-7 LSC record and will be seeking to continue is two game winning streak. Angelo State took all seven games from the Aggies last season and lead the all-time series 32-17.
Pitcher Bryce Zak currently sits on top of the LSC with a conference leading 66 strikeouts and five wins on the season. The senior earned his fifth win of the season tossing a complete game in a curtail game against the West Texas A&M Buffs that helped split the series. He gave up two runs on seven hits and struck out seven during the performance. Zak will enter this weekend's series with a 2.95 ERA and holding opponents to a .217 average at the dish.
Fellow starter Matt Shannon also threw a spectacular complete game last weekend against the Buffs, however, the team came up just short of earning him the win. Shannon is second in the LSC having sat down 56 batters in a conference leading 45.1 innings of work. The sophomore from Pleasanton, Texas is currently sporting a 2.78 ERA and a record of 2-3.
Graylon Brown has recorded three saves this season and is sitting with 20 career saves under his belt. This is one save away (21) from tying the Lone Star Conference record which was marked during the 2010 season by Brad Rutherford of then LSC member Abilene Christian University. The Brownwood native is currently sporting a 3.86 ERA and has tallied 21 batters thus far this season. Opposing hitters are averaging .271 against the right-hander.
Joe Hauser and Kenton Schroter have also played big rolls on the pitching staff, as both have pitched at least 12 innings and are 1-0 on the year. Hauser has a 2.89 ERA and has limited to the opposition to a low .184 batting average. He earned his sole win in last weekends pivotal game four that kept the Rams from dropping the series to West Texas A&M. Schroter also played an important part in that game as he stated the the game, tossing for 3 1/3 and striking out a pair of hitters. He has recorded a total of eight strikeouts in 12 1/3 innings of play in 2016.
Senior Sam Kohler, who currently has a team high 34 hits this season, will lead ASU at the plate this weekend. His .374 batting average is second on the squad and fifth in the conference. He has also scored a team leading 24 runs for the Rams in 2016. Drawn a team high 15 walks from opposing pitchers; Kohler leads the team having masterfully executed five sac bunts. On the field, the second baseman sits one behind the conference leader having turned 14 double plays this year.
Paxton DeLaGarza will also assist the offensive attack for the Rams against the Cameron staff as he is second on the list with 22 hits and 20 RBIs. His eight doubles and three home runs are also team highs. On the field he has turned a conference third 11 double plays this season and tallied 60 assists. The All-American shortstop has not only been superb in his coverage of the middle of the diamond but has also made several quality starts from the hill and has a record of 2-0 on the season. DeLaGarza is currently sitting with a 1.53 ERA thus far and has held opposing batters to a staff low .167 average at the dish.
Steven Pinales, Tyler Coolbaugh and David Goggin have also played great rolls in Angelo State success this season. Pinales leads the team and is third in the conference with a pair of triples on the season. He has a .339 batting average and a team high seven stolen bases. Coolbaugh's .319 average at the plate lays within the top five on the squad and he leads the Rams and is second in the conference with 21 RBIs. Goggin is third on the team with 25 hits and 20 runs scored this season. The senior leader has also plated 13 runs for the Rams in 2016 and has drawn a team third 13 walks.
Nathan Ruane, Christian Abilla, Michael Urquidi and Jay Gonzalez have all been paramount in the line up for the Rams as well. Ruane is currently riding a four game hitting streak that has contributed to his .415 on base percentage. He has recorded 13 hits overall, reach base in the past five games and cross the plate 14 times this season. Abilla is third on the squad with 14 RBIs on the year. The .365 hitter has also recorded a team fifth 22 hits thus far and has also reached base in his past three performances. Urquidi has been solid on the bases for ASU, stealing a team third 11 bases and and scoring 11 times. This gives the outfielder a stellar .436 on base percentage. Finally, Gonzalez marked his fourth game reaching base during Sunday's matchup with West Texas A&M. The junior has recorded 13 hits on the season.
