SAN ANGELO, Texas – The Angelo State baseball team was picked to win its third consecutive Lone Star Conference baseball titles as the defending Division II National Champions were selected first in the LSC Preseason Coaches poll.
 
The Rams collected 503 total points in the poll including 38 of 39 first-place votes. Last season, the Rams were 56-9 overall and 40-8 in league play en route to the first baseball national championship for both ASU and the LSC.
 
ASU also tallied two individual awards as outfielder Jacob Guerrero and right-hander Braxton Pearson were named the Preseason Player and Pitcher of the Year respectively.
 
Guerrero, a junior accounting major from Colleyville, Texas, batted .420 – including a league-high 97 hits – with seven home runs, five triples, and 25 doubles last season. He also drove in 57 runs, scored 79 times and stole 22 bases.
 
A senior communications major from Georgetown, Texas, Pearson went 8-2 with one save and a 2.64 ERA last season. He walked just 11 batters and struck out 48 over 58 innings of work. Pearson tossed two complete games and opponents hit just .215 off him.
 
Coming in second in the preseason poll was UT Tyler with 450 votes, followed by St. Edwards in third, Lubbock Christin in fourth, and West Texas A&M rounding out the top five.
 
The Rams open the 2024 campaign on the road beginning Friday, Feb. 2 against Eastern New Mexico before hosting Cameron in the first home series on Friday, Feb. 9.