SAN ANGELO, Texas – The No. 1 Angelo State baseball team will hit the road for the penultimate time in the 2025 regular season and travel to Canyon where West Texas A&M awaits for what is expected to be a series with playoff implications.

#1 ANGELO STATE RAMS (31-7, 29-7 LSC) vs RV WEST TEXAS A&M (26-12, 24-12 LSC)
Game 1: Fri., Apr. 11, 4 p.m. | Game 2/3: Sat., Apr. 12, 2 p.m. | Game 4: Sun., Apr. 13, 1 p.m.
Wilder Park – Canyon, Texas
Live Video: FloCollege
Live Stats: Angelostats.com

SERIES HISTORY:
All-Time Series: ASU leads the series 61-42
Last Meeting: May. 18, 2024: ASU, 8-3 – Grand Junction, Colo. (NCAA DII South Central Regional)
The Rams went 4-2 against the Buffs last season including splitting the regular season series and taking down WT twice to eliminate them from the DII South Central Regional. Overall, the Rams are 26-21 when playing in Canyon and average nearly seven runs a game through the entire series.

LAST TIME OUT:
The Rams took three of four games at home in unusual conditions against RV St. Edward's over the weekend. In Saturday's doubleheader, ASU were able to come from behind and eventually walk it off in the bottom of the seventh to hand their ace pitcher his first loss of the season.

The offense saw contributions from a different Ram in each of the three victories. Jacob Guerrero, Austin Beck and Ethan Flodstrom each played vital roles in day one's doubleheader while Chase Pendley, Blake Wilhoite and Brett Smajstrla each contributed multiple RBIs throughout the rest of the series.

Dax Dathe toed the rubber in game two of the series and turned in yet another quality start as he completed six innings of work where he allowed just two home runs off five hits and a walk while striking out eight which puts him at 57 on the season, third best in the LSC.

SCOUTING THE BUFFS:
West Texas A&M enters the weekend with a 26-12 (24-12) record and sit fourth in the Lone Star Conference standings. The Buffs have dropped five of their last eight games including losing a series to St. Mary's at home while splitting with Lubbock Christina on the road last weekend.

At the plate, the Buffs are fourth in the conference with a .333 team batting average. The longball continues to be WT's main threat as Dylan Fesperman and Kyle Micklus have hit 11 and 10 homers respectively to sit within the conference's top five in the category.

On the mound, WT has found some consistency of their Friday and Sunday starters in the form of Matt Milner and Max Lankford respectively. Lankford leads the lead team with a 3.77 ERA while Milner leads in strikeouts in 55.

QUICK HITS:
- ASU leads DII in numerous offensive categories including Batting Average (.373), Doubles (100), On Base Percentage (.500), and Runs Scored (409).
- Jacob Guerrero reached base safely in 36 of the 37 games he has appeared in this season.
- Chase Pendley holds the Rams longest active hitting streak at 14 games.
- The Rams have scored 20+ runs in four games thus far in 2025, one more than the entire 2024 season.
- The Blue and Gold are 27-2 when they out hit their opponents this season.
- The Rams have scored more runs in the first inning, 78, than any other inning this season.
- Two batters have registered inside the park home runs this season (Justin Harris & Brett Smajstrla)
- Justin Harris is one of six batters in the LSC where more than 50% of their hits have been extra base hits; 35 hits (15 doubles, 5 home runs)
- Five pitchers have registered a save for the Rams; Caleb Heuertz (2), Josh Reed (2), Luke Olson (2), Jude Cook (1) and Keene Kreusler (1).
- 11 pitchers have held opponents' batting average below .300.

RECORD WATCH:
The Rams have numerous records on watch throughout the season that will be tracked here from week to week. The number listed is the amount needed to BREAK the record:

PROGRAM RECORDS:
Runs Scored in a Career
- 11, Austin Beck

Doubles in a Career
- Justin Harris is 1 behind active leader Jacob Guerrero

Walks in a Career
- 12, Justin Harris

LONE STAR CONFERENCE RECORDS:
Runs Scored in a Career
- 11, Austin Beck

Triples in a Career
- 4, Austin Beck

BROKEN RECORDS THIS SEASON:
Doubles in a Career
- 58, Jacob Guerrero

Hit by Pitch in a Career
- 74, Weston Valasek

Stolen Bases in a Career
- 107, Austin Beck

RAMS IN THE RANKINGS:
No. 1 – D2 Baseball
No. 1 – American Baseball Coaches Association
No. 3 – National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association

RAMS' SKIPPER: KEVIN BROOKS
On Monday, Feb. 24, Head Coach Kevin Brooks secured win number 800 of his career. In his 21 years at the helm of the Rams' baseball program, he has collected an overall record of 803-355. His winning percentage of .693 ranks 24th all-time in Division II and is eighth on the list of active DII coaches.

WEEKLY AWARDS:
Lone Star Conference Hitter of the Week
Feb. 25 - Weston Valasek

PRESEASON CONFERENCE FAVORITES:
The Rams were selected as the favorites to take the 2025 LSC crown, earning the top spot in the preseason poll with 483 points, including 29 of the 39 first-place votes. Coming in second was Lubbock Christian followed by West Texas A&M, UT Tyler and St. Edwards to round out the top five.

PRESEASON HONORS:
Jacob Guerrero (Sr., OF, Colleyville, Texas, Accounting)
- D2 Baseball Second Team All-American
- NCBWA All-South Central Region Team
- Lone Star Conference Player of the Year

Caleb Heuertz (Sr., RHP, San Angelo, Texas, Business Management)
- D2 Baseball First Team All-American
- NCBWA All-South Central Region Team

Dax Dathe (Sr., RHP, Round Rock, Texas, Coaching, Sport, Recreation and Fitness Administration)
- NCBWA All-South Central Region Team