SAN ANGELO, Texas – The third-seeded Angelo State baseball team continues the 2023 NCAA Division II Baseball National Championship on Tuesday as the Rams face second-seeded North Greenville in the winner's bracket at the USA Baseball National Training Complex.
 
LAST TIME OUT:
The Rams held on to a close victory over Southern New Hampshire in their first game of the championship, winning 2-1. Aaron Munson tossed seven innings with only one run while striking out 11 batters to earn his 10^th win of the season. Tripp Clark led the Rams at the plate going 3-for-4 with a run scored.
 
#1 (3) ANGELO STATE RAMS (52-9, 40-8 LSC) vs. #1 (2) NORTH GREENVILLE CRUSADERS (50-9, 26-4 CC)
Tues., June 6, 5 p.m. CST | USA Baseball National Training Complex – Cary, N.C.
Tournament Central
Live Video: ncaa.com/game/6149645
Live Stats: angelostats.com
 
SERIES HISTORY:
All-Time Series: NGU leads 1-0
Last Meeting: June 7, 2022 – NGU, 18-3
The Rams and the Crusaders have met only one time before, facing off  in last year's championship tournament where NGU picked up the win before going on to win the title.
 
SCOUTING THE CRUSADERS:
The Crusaders finished the regular-season with a 49-9 record, earning the second-seed in the national tournament after winning the southeast region. NGU ranks 12^th in Division II in both batting average (.328) and ERA (4.16). The Crusaders have hit the fourth most home runs in DII and have scored the fifth most runs. Pat Monteith leads NGU with a .381 batting average with 51 RBIs and 19 home runs. On the mound, Reece Fields holds a 13-3 overall record with a 4.58 ERA and 109 strikeouts in 96 1/3 innings.
 
ROAD TO CARY:
After finishing the regular season with a 40-8 conference record, the Rams entered the Lone Star Conference Tournament as the top seed before sweeping the competition for their second straight LSC Tournament title. ASU went on to the South Central Regional tournament as the number one seed, defeating Metro State before taking two out of three games against UT Tyler to advace to the Super Regional. The Rams finally punched their ticket to Cary after sweeping Colorado Mesa at home, winning 8-2 before blanking the Mavericks 6-0 in game two.
 
SEASON HIGHLIGHTS:
LSC PLAYERS OF THE WEEK:
- Feb. 14 – Braxton Pearson, Angelo State (Pitcher)
- Feb. 21 – Jordan Williams, Angelo State (Hitter)
- Mar. 14 – Aaron Munson, Angelo State (Pitcher)
- Mar. 14 – Jacob Guerrero, Angelo State (Hitter)
- Mar. 21 – Kade Bragg, Angelo State (Pitcher)
- Mar. 28 – Kade Bragg, Angelo State (Pitcher)
- Apr. 25 – Jackson Berry, Angelo State (Pitcher)
 
TOP PITCHER IN DII:
After leading Division II in win and ERA, Kade Bragg was named the NCAA Division II Pictcher of the Year by both the NCBWA and D2CCA.
 
ALL-AMERICAN HONORS:
Bragg and Jacob Guerrero have each earned three All-American accolades by the ABCA, the NCBWA and D2CCA.
 
WIN RECORDS SET:
Facing the Mavericks of Colorado Mesa in game two of the South Central Super Regional, the Rams held on to a 6-0 victory as Kade Bragg picked up his 14^th victory of the year, setting a new single season program record for wins.
 
It was also the 52^nd win of the season for the Rams which set a new program record.
 
RAMS SET PROGRAM RECORD FOR SHUTOUTS IN A SEASON:
After blanking Colorado Mesa in the final game of the South Central Super Regional, the Rams have tallied 10 shutouts this season which set a program record. The previous record of eight was set during the 2012 season.
 
Kade Bragg also picked up his fifth shutout of the season which set the individual single season record for shutouts.
 
RAMS SET PROGRAM SCORING RECORD:
In a non-conference game against Southwestern, the Rams defeated the Pirates 33-4, setting a new program record for runs scored in a game. The previous record of 29 runs was set in 2021 against McMurry.
 
NEW HIT KING AT ASU:
Jordan Williams became the all-time hit leader for the Rams this season, surpassing 250 hits in his career.
 
WIN No. 700:
Against UAFS earlier this season, Head Coach Kevin Brooks tallied his 700^th win at Angelo State.