SAN ANGELO, Texas – The road to Cary, N.C. continues for the top-ranked Angelo State baseball team as they welcome back Lone Star Conference foe, UT Tyler, for a top-five, best-of-three series in the South Central Super Regional that will begin on Thursday, May 22 at Foster Field at 1^st Community Credit Union Stadium.

Super Regional Best-of-Three Schedule
Foster Field at 1^st Community Credit Union Stadium
All times CT
Thursday, May 22
Game 1: [2] UT Tyler vs. [1] Angelo State, 7 p.m.

Friday, May 23
Game 2: [1] Angelo State vs. [2] UT Tyler, 7 p.m.

Saturday, May 24
Game 3 (If Necessary): [2] UT Tyler vs. [1] Angelo State, 7 p.m.

Live Video: FloCollege
Live Stats: Angelostats.com

LAST TIME OUT:
The Rams swept through the South Central Regional, surging to an early lead to eliminate Lubbock Christian on day one before beating St. Edward's twice in two nail biters to punch their ticket to the South Central Super Regional for the fourth straight year since the current playoff format debuted in 2022.

Ethan Flodstrom and Lane Hutchinson hit multi-run homers in the bottom of the second against the Chaps. Justin Harris was responsible for the only run scored in the first game against the Hilltoppers, hitting a one-out double before a double steal put him on third base for a sac-fly from Jacob Guerrero scored him while Dax Dathe and Luke Olson combined for the shutout. In the regional clinching game, Hutchinson and Weston Valasek were the heroes as both knocked in two runs apiece in the top of the ninth that proved to be enough as Josh Reed held off a Hilltopper comeback attempt.

SCOUTING THE PATRIOTS:
(2) UT Tyler Patriots
Record: 46-11 (40-8, LSC)
2025 vs Rams: 2-3; 2-2 Regular Season in Tyler; 0-1 in LSC Tournament
Similar to ASU, UT Tyler also swept through their half of the South Central Regional, eliminating sixth-seeded MSU Denver 12-3 before beating third-seeded Colorado Mesa twice by a combined score of 24-8 to advance to the South Central Super Regional.

At the plate, the Patriots are second in the LSC with a .347 team batting average and are within the top three in the LSC in numerous other offensive categories including Runs Scored (539), Hits (643), Doubles (128), Home Runs (67) and RBI (485).

The Patriots bread and butter has come from their pitching staff as a 3.66 team ERA is top of the LSC and among the nation's leaders. The Patriots 1-2 combo of Rawley Hector and Kyle Froehlich have proven to be dangerous against batting lineups as they've each allowed a .253 batting average with Froehlich allowing just 17 total runs this season while Hector has collected 78 strikeouts. It does not stop there as Nick Niebur and Garrett Arredondo are the major weapons out of the bullpen with the former having a 1.43 ERA and the latter leading the team with seven saves.

KEY PLAYERS
INF Drew Schmidt: .415 Batting Average, .510 On Base Percentage, .627 Slugging Percentage, 1.137 OPS, 61 Runs, 90 Hits, 21 Doubles, 5 Triples, 5 Home Runs, 52 RBI, 36 Walks
OF Justin Williams: .411 Batting Average, .515 On Base Percentage, .695 Slugging Percentage, 1.210 OPS, 57 Runs, 78 Hits, 9 Doubles, 3 Triples, 13 Home Runs, 68 RBI, 41 Walks
INF Tanner Hornback: .408 Batting Average, .513 On Base Percentage, .565 Slugging Percentage, 1.078 OPS, 65 Runs, 78 Hits, 15 Doubles, 3 Triples, 3 Home Runs, 41 RBI, 27 Walks
SP Kyle Froehlich: 9-0 Record, 1.92 ERA, 3 CG, 65.2 IP, 63 Hits, 14 Earned Runs, 12 Walks, 49 Strikeouts, .253 Batting Average
SP Hector Rawley: 9-1 Record, 3.14 ERA, 77.1 IP, 76 Hits, 27 Earned Runs, 18 Walks, 78 Strikeouts, .253 Batting Average
RP Nick Niebur: 2-2 Record, 1.43 ERA, 44.0 IP, 33 Hits, 7 Earned Runs, 16 Walks, 49 Strikeouts, .206 Batting Average

QUICK HITS:
- Jacob Guerrero reached base safely in 53 of 55 games he has appeared in this season.
- Ethan Flodstrom holds the Rams longest active on base streak at 24 games.
- The Rams have scored 20+ runs in five games thus far in 2025, two more than the entire 2024 season.
- The Blue and Gold are 42-2 when they out hit their opponents this season…
-…and 6-6 when they've been out hit.
- The Rams have scored more runs in the first inning, 106, than any other inning this season. The third inning is the second most thus far (98).
- The Rams are 24-4 when they score in the first inning…
- …and 36-4 when they score first and 12-4 when opponents score first.
- The Rams have yet to win a ballgame when trailing after the 7^th inning (0-4) and 8^th innings (0-5).
- 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; 55 hits (21 doubles, 8 home runs)
- Six pitchers have registered a save for the Rams; Luke Olson (6), Josh Reed (3), Caleb Heuertz (2), Keene Kreusler (1), Scott Ellis (1), Jude Cook (1) and Clayton Broeder (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:
Games Played in a Career
- 11, Justin Harris

Games Started in a Career
- 10, Justin Harris

Doubles in a Career
- Justin Harris is 4 behind active leader Jacob Guerrero

Walks in a Career
- 4, Justin Harris

LONE STAR CONFERENCE RECORDS:
Triples in a Career
- 3, Austin Beck

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

Hit by Pitch in a Career
- 81, Weston Valasek

Stolen Bases in a Career
- 117, Austin Beck

Runs Scored in a Career
- 239, Austin Beck

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

RAMS IN THE RANKINGS:
No. 1 – D2 Baseball
No. 2 – American Baseball Coaches Association
No. 2 – National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association

RAMS' SKIPPER: KEVIN BROOKS
On 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 825-362. His winning percentage of .695 ranks 24th all-time in Division II and is eighth on the list of active DII coaches.

POSTSEASON AWARDS/ACCOLADES
D2CCA South Central Region Teams
First Team
OF Jacob Guerrero
DH Chase Pendley
SP Dax Dathe

Second Team
2B Austin Beck
OF Ethan Flodstrom

NCBWA South Central All-Region Teams
Coach of the Year: Kevin Brooks

First Team
2B Austin Beck
OF Jacob Guerrero
DH Chase Pendley
SP Dax Dathe

Second Team
3B Lane Hutchinson

Honorable Mention
OF Ethan Flodstrom

2025 Lone Star Conference All-Tournament Team
Most Valuable Player: DH Chase Pendley
SP Nick Wilson
2B Austin Beck
3B Lane Hutchinson
SS Justin Harris
OF Weston Valasek
OF Ethan Flodstrom

2025 LSC All-Academic Team
OF Ethan Flodstrom: Sr.; Management; Port Angeles, Wash.
OF Jacob Guerrero: Gr.; Professional Accountancy; Colleyville, Texas
RHP Nick Wilson: Gr.; Business Administration; Carrollton, Texas

2025 LSC BASEBALL ALL-CONFERENCE AWARDS
SPECIAL AWARDS
Coaching Staff of the Year: Angelo State (Kevin Brooks, Adam Foster, Sam Mote, Jackson Berry)

First Team
RHP Dax Dathe: Sr.; Round Rock, Texas|
INF Austin Beck: Sr.; Allen, Texas
OF Jacob Guerrero: Sr.; Colleyville, Texas
DH Chase Pendley: Jr.; Prosper, Texas

Second Team
LHP Alizaeh Gutierrez: Sr.; El Paso, Texas
INF Lane Hutchinson: Sr.; Slaughter, La.
OF Ethan Flodstrom: Sr.; Port Angeles, Wash.
OF Weston Valasek: Sr.; Katy, Texas

Third Team
RHP Nick Wilson: Sr.; Carrollton, Texas
LHP Ryan Free: Sr.; Frisco, Texas
RHP Luke Olsen: Sr.; Granville, Ill.
SS Justin Harris: Sr.; The Woodlands, Texas

2025 LSC All-Defensive Team
C Blake Wilhoite: Jr.; Midlothian, Texas
1B Tayten Tredaway: Sr.; Newark, Texas
OF Weston Valasek: Sr.; Katy, Texas

WEEKLY AWARDS:
Lone Star Conference Hitter of the Week
Feb. 25 – Weston Valasek
Apr. 14 – Ethan Flodstrom

Lone Star Conference Pitcher of the Week
Apr. 28 – Dax Dathe

NCBWA South Central Region Pitcher of the Week
Apr. 29 – Dax Dathe

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