SAN ANGELO, Texas – The fifth-ranked Angelo State baseball team will take on Cameron in the first Lone Star Conference road series of the year beginning on Friday at McCord Field in Lawton, Okla.
 
The Rams have not lost a regular-season road contest since April 10, 2021. After finishing last season 24-0 away from San Angelo, ASU has won 32 straight road games to this point as the Rams look to extend that streak in Lawton.
 
#5 ANGELO STATE RAMS (4-0, 4-0 LSC) vs. CAMERON AGGIES (1-3, 1-3 LSC)
Game 1: Fri., Feb. 10, 3 p.m. | Game 2/3: Sat., Feb. 11, 1 p.m. | Game 4: Sun., Feb. 12, 1 p.m.
McCord Field – Lawton, Okla.
Live Video: lonestarconferencenetwork.com/asu
Live Stats: angelostats.com
 
LAST TIME OUT:
The Rams opened the 2023 season with a four-game sweep of Eastern New Mexico. Totaling 39 runs in the four games, ASU hit .351 as a team while holding the Greyhounds to a batting average of .187. Kade Bragg made his debut in the Blue & Gold, throwing six innings with only one hit and 10 strikeouts while Justin Harris led the Rams at the plate, going 7-of-14 with seven RBIs and two home runs.
 
SERIES HISTORY:
All-Time Series: ASU leads the series 55-14
Last Meeting: Apr. 24, 2022: ASU, 11-2 – San Angelo, Texas
The Rams have won 18 of the last 20 matchups against the Aggies, holding a 55-14 overall record in the series. ASU is currently riding an 11-game win streak with Cameron's last win coming in May of 2019. The Rams average just over eight runs per game against CU and hold a 23-8 record on the road.
 
SCOUTING THE AGGIES:
Cameron enters the weekend with a 1-3 overall record after dropping the series against Lubbock Christian on the road. The Aggies started the season with a victory, downing LCU 8-7 in game one before losing the next three, including a 20-12 loss to end the weekend.
 
Beau Williams and Drew Durst both hit .500 on the weekend for the Aggies, collecting five hits each and combing for seven RBIs. Williams has two home runs on the year and holds a slugging percentage of 1.100. Also hitting well for CU was Holden Tate who finished with three hits and six RBIs, including two home runs.
 
On the mound, Clayton McClenan picked up the victory to improve to 1-0 on the year. He threw seven innings with eight hits and three runs to go along with two strikeouts. Having given up 35 runs as a team to LCU, the Aggies hold a team ERA of 12.91 as they prepare to face the Rams.
 
TOP 5 TO START THE YEAR:
ASU began the season ranked fifth overall in Division II according to the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Preseason Coaches' Poll. The next rankings will be released on the week of Feb. 13.
 
PITCHING DEBUTS:
Three pitchers made their first start on the mound for the Rams this past weekend with Bragg leading the way with 10 strikeouts. Braxton Pearson picked up his first win, throwing five innings with three hits while Mason Bryant tossed five 1/3 innings with seven strikeouts. Coming out in relief was Scott Ellis who earned the victory after throwing three 2/3 innings with no runs off of three hits and four strikeouts.
 
QUICK HITS:
-Jackson Hardy ranks sixth in the LSC in batting average at .571.
-Weston Valasek holds the fifth-best on-base percentage in the conference at .667.
-Hardy is second in the conference in hits with eight and fifth in runs scored with seven.
-Justin Harris is second in the conference in home runs (2) and fourth in RBIs (7).
-Austin Beck leads the LSC in stolen bases with four and is fourth in walks with four.
-Bragg is tied for the top ERA in the conference at 0.00 and is second in strikeouts (10).
-ASU ranks third in the LSC in team batting average at .351 and is first in team ERA at 1.50.
 
CONFERENCE FAVORITES:
The Rams were selected as the favorites to take the 2023 LSC crown, earning the top spot in the preseason poll with 407 points, including 23 first-place votes. Coming in second was West Texas A&M followed by Texas A&M- Kingsville and Lubbock Christian.
 
NCBWA PRESEASON ALL-REGION:
The Rams had two players selected to the NCBWA Preseason All-Region Team, infielder Austin Beck and starting pitcher Aaron Munson. Beck was selected as the LSC Freshman of the Year last season after hitting .420 with 59 RBIs and 84 runs scored. He earned two All-American honors and led the Rams in stolen bases with 33. Munson led the Rams in wins a season ago, finishing with an overall record of 11-3 while collecting 81 strikeouts. He held opponents to a .277 hitting average while throwing 94 1/3 innings on the year.