SAN ANGELO, Texas – In a rematch of last season's South Central Super Regional, the No. 9 Angelo State baseball team looks ahead to a top ten clash against No. 4 UT Tyler beginning on Friday, Feb. 6, at Foster Field at 1^st Community Credit Union Stadium.

SERIES SCHEDULE
No. 9 Angelo State Rams vs No. 4 UT Tyler Patriots
Foster Field at 1^st Community Credit Union Stadium
San Angelo, Texas

Game 1: Friday, Feb. 6, 3 p.m.
Game 2: Saturday, Feb. 7, 2 p.m.
Game 3: Sunday, Feb. 8, 1 p.m.

LAST TIME OUT
The Rams kicked off the 2026 campaign with a road trip to Odessa to face UT Permian Basin with ASU taking two of three games over the Falcons. All three starting pitchers showed strong performances, combining for only one walk and five earned runs allowed.

Austin Beck and Blake Wilhoite picked up where they left off last season and provided strong plate appearances while receiving support from some of the newcomers, Payton Bush, Tate Greene and Garrett Wallace.

SCOUTING THE PATRIOTS
Under the direction of second-year head coach Justin Phillips, UT Permian Basin will look to continue its form from the end of last season as the Patriots went 49-13 on the way to a South Central Regional title and their first trip to the Division II College World Series.

Recently, UTT hosted Lubbock Christian to open the 2026 season, outscoring the Chaps 32-18 to sweep LCU.

KEY PLAYERS
In a small sample size, the Patriots boast four players who have a OPS over 1.000; Cole Ketzner, Brock Bearden, Connor Clark and Luke Smith. Ketzner leads the team with five RBIs while Clark has registered six hits.

On the mound, the Patriots have yet to see a starting pitcher get through the fourth inning while 10 pitchers have come out the bullpen. Dylan Blomquist is the statistical leader with a 0.00 ERA allowing just four runners aboard in his three-inning start last weekend. Caden Copeland leads the staff with seven strikeouts in his 3.1 innings of work.

RAMBLINGS ABOUT THE RAMS
RAMS IN THE RANKINGS
No. 9 – American Baseball Coaches Association
No. 10 – D2 Baseball
No. 12 – National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association

THE SCHEDULE LOOKS…DIFFERENT
With the addition of UT Dallas in the Fall of 2025, the Lone Star Conference had to make adjustments to the schedule to adhere to the 50-game regular season limit imposed by the NCAA. Therefore, all games on the Rams' 2026 schedule are Lone Star Conference games, with the first two series of the season will be three games each before transitioning back to a four-game series format beginning in week three.

KEY RETURNERS (2025 Stats)
- DH/INF Chase Pendley: .390 batting average in 200 at-bats….461 on-base percentage and .515 slugging percentage…78 hits…13 doubles…3 triples…2 home runs…47 RBIs…60 runs scored.
- INF Austin Beck: .376 batting average in 181 at-bats….500 on-base percentage and .569 slugging percentage…68 hits…11 doubles…3 triples…6 home runs…48 RBIs…65 runs scored.
- C Blake Wilhoite: .297 batting average in 145 at-bats….458 on-base percentage and .421 slugging percentage…43 hits…13 doubles…1 triple…1 home run…32 RBIs…39 runs scored.
- LHP Josh Reed: 19 appearances…1 start…3-2 record…3 saves…6.93 ERA…24.2 innings pitched…29 strikeouts…9 walks…284 opposing batting average.

AUSTIN BECK, RECORD BREAKER
Austin Beck has broken numerous school and Lone Star Conference Records over the course of his stellar career in the Blue and Gold. Entering his senior season, the Allen, Texas native owns the program's:

- Stolen Base in a Career, 119
- Runs Scored in a Career, 246
- Runs Scored in a Career (Lone Star Conference), 246
- Triples in a Career, 17
- Walks in a Game, 4

Beck now has his sights set on more records, including…

- Lone Star Conference Record for Triples in a Career, 3 Away
- School Record for Games Played in a Career, 46 Away
- School Record for Games Started in a Career, 45 Away
- School Record for Hits in a Career, 56 Away
- School Record for Doubles in a Career, 22 Away
- School Record for Total Bases in a Career, 49 Away

THE SKIP: KEVIN BROOKS
Kevin Brooks has guided the Angelo State baseball program to seven NCAA Division II College World Series appearances, including seven South Central Championships, and has compiled an impressive overall record of 836-365 since starting the ASU program in 2005. In 2023, the Rams claimed the Division II National Championship for the first time in program history.

PRESEASON HONORS
NCBWA PRESEASON SOUTH CENTRAL ALL-REGION
Chase Pendley – Designated Hitter

LONE STAR CONFERENCE PRESEASON POLL
The Angelo State baseball team was picked to finish as the runner-up, totaling 599 points and collecting 20 of the possible 42 first-place votes. UT Tyler was selected to win the LSC with 603 points and garnered an additional 20 first-place votes. Lubbock Christian, St. Edward's and West Texas A&M rounded out the top five, with the last two first-place votes going to Texas A&M-Kingsville and Texas A&M International.

LONE STAR CONFERENCE PLAYERS TO WATCH
Chase Pendley – Designated Hitter/Infielder
Josh Reed – Left-Handed Pitcher

2025 SEASON RECAP
Last season, ASU accumulated a 48-10 overall record and went 39-7 in Lone Star Conference play on the way to capturing the LSC Regular Season and Tournament Titles before falling to UT Tyler in the South Central Super Regional.