SAN ANGELO, Texas – The No. 11-ranked Angelo State baseball team returns home as the Rams host Lubbock Christian in a four-game series beginning Friday, Mar. 22.

LAST TIME OUT
Over the weekend, the Rams took three of four games of a high-scoring series against St. Mary's in San Antonio. Jacob Guerrero led the way for ASU as he collected 11 total RBIs throughout the series highlighted by his game four performance where he knocked in five to clinch the series victory.

#11 ANGELO STATE RAMS (20-9, 19-9 LSC) vs. LUBBOCK CHRISTIAN CHAPS (18-8, 17-7 LSC)
Game 1: Fri., Mar. 22, 6:30 p.m. | Game 2/3: Sat., Mar. 23, 4 p.m. | Game 4: Sun. Mar. 24, 1 p.m.
Foster Field at 1^st Community Credit Union Stadium – San Angelo, Texas
Live Video: lonestarconferencenetwork.com/asu
Live Stats: angelostats.com
Listen Live: https://www.kksa-am.com/sports/
 
SERIES HISTORY:
All-Time Series: ASU leads 32-16
Last Meeting: May 13, 2023 – ASU, 14-4
The Rams faced off against the Chaps six times in 2023, sweeping the four game regular season series and taking both of their post season games where most recently, the Blue and Gold clinched their third straight LSC title. With those wins, ASU enters this weekend's series with a 14-game series lead while riding an eight-game winning streak against LCU.

SCOUTING THE CHAPS
Lubbock Christian enters the series with a 18-8 (17-7 LSC) record, putting them second in the LSC and two games ahead of Angelo State, who sit third. The Chaps have won nine of their last ten match ups with the lone loss coming last weekend when they split a two-game nonconference series against Regis.

The Chaps sit atop the LSC in multiple team batting categories including batting average (.345), triples (23) and home runs (38). Their lineup sports three batters who have earned LSC Hitters of the Week honors: Jacob Gutierrez (.400 BA, 1.249 OPS, 6 HR), Brevin McCool (.333 BA, .999 OPS) and Ryan Ball (.324 BA, .999 OPS). Along with them stands Carson Ogilvie who sits third in the conference with his 1.253 OPS.
 
On the mound, LCU sit at the bottom half of the conference with a 6.66 team ERA. Aydan Alger leads the team's qualified starters in ERA (5.15) and innings pitched (36.2) while being the lone Chaparral to toss a complete game shutout to this point of the season.

GUERRERO EARNS HITTER OF THE WEEK HONORS
Jacob Guerrero's performance over the weekend has netted him Lone Star Conference and NCBWA South Central Region Hitter of the Week honors. The junior accounting major from Colleyville, Texas, went 10-for-14 with two home runs, a double, four walks and 11 RBIs. He now joins Tripp Clark as the only hitters on the team to earn such honors this year.

QUICK HITS
- Tripp Clark leads the conference in batting average (.457), hits (48) and RBIs (46) while being second in run scored (36) and triples (4).
- Jacob Guerrero leads the LSC in OPS (1.293), second in doubles (15), third in hits (44) and RBIs (36).
- Tayten Tredaway's 15 doubles puts him atop DII.
- Weston Valasek has been hit by a pitch 19 times this season which not only leads the conference, but also DII.
- Dax Dathe's 53 strikeouts continues to lead the conference and puts him sixth in the country.
- Alezeah Gutierrez has allowed 26 hits this season, which puts him second in the LSC  

SEASON HIGHLIGHTS:
LSC PLAYERS OF THE WEEK:
- Feb. 12 – Tripp Clark (Hitter)
- Mar. 4 – Dax Dathe (Pitcher)
- Mar. 11 – Alezeah Gutierrez (Pitcher)
- Mar. 19 – Jacob Guerrero (Hitter)
 
CONFERENCE FAVORITES:
The Rams were selected as the favorites to take the 2024 LSC crown, earning the top spot in the preseason poll with 503 points, including 38 of the 39 first-place votes. Coming in second was UT Tyler followed by St. Edwards and Lubbock Christian.

NCBWA PRESEASON ALL - AMERICANS:
The Rams had four players selected to the NCBWA Preseason All-American Team, earning First-Team honors was outfielder Jacob Guerrero who was also selected as the 2024 Lone Star Conference Preseason Player of the Year. Being named to the All-American Second-Team is starting pitcher Braxton Pearson, who was named Lone Star Conference Preseason Pitcher of the Year, and catcher Tripp Clark. Rounding out the honors is utility man Austin Beck who was named an Honorable Mention.