TYLER, Texas – For the 14^th time in the program's history, the Angelo State baseball team will compete in the NCAA Tournament, this season as the third seed in the South Central Regional. The Rams will return to Tyler, Texas where they will face MSU Denver on Thursday, May 14.

All games from this weekend will be streamed live and be free for all to watch on NCAA.com.

LAST TIME OUT
The Rams most recently competed as the second seed in the Lone Star Conference Baseball Championship. Opening with an astonishing 3-2 victory over third seed St. Mary's despite being no-hit. Following that, the Blue and Gold dropped the ensuing winner's bracket game to top-seeded UT Tyler and staved off elimination by defeating fifth-seed Lubbock Christian before inevitably falling to the Patriots in the championship game.

HITTING
The bats saw highs and lows last weekend with the obvious is the no-hitter the team suffered despite the win. Furthermore, the Rams were able to get runs up early but were unable to keep the pedal to the metal to close out games.

Tate Greene and Hunter Holt earned spots on the LSC All-Tournament Team as they each launched homers over the weekend while being first and second on the team in on base percentage.

PITCHING
The spotlight of the Rams pitching came out of the bullpen beginning with Garrett Baumann, who tossed seven innings in game one against St. Mary's to keep the Rams in the ballgame. Isaac Godard saw success across 3 1/3 shutout innings against Lubbock Christian. David Dressendorfer also saw success with three shutout innings against UT Tyler in the LSC Championship Game.

THE FIELD
(2, Host) UT Tyler Patriots (43-10, 40-10 LSC)
(3) Angelo State Rams (40-17, 36-14 LSC)
(6) MSU Denver (38-16, 24-8 RMAC)
Irwin Field – Tyler, Texas

HISTORY AGAINST THE FIELD
UT TYLER Patriots
All-Time Series: UTT leads 17-14
Last Meeting: May 9, 2026 – UTT, 6-4 – Tyler, Texas
2026 Record: UTT 4, ASU 1

MSU DENVER Roadrunners
All-Time Series: ASU leads 2-0
Last Meeting: May 18, 2023 – ASU, 11-1 – San Angelo, Texas
2026 Record: First Meeting

KNOWN SCHEDULE
Game 1 vs (6) MSUD:
Thursday, May 14, 3 p.m.

Game 1 Loser vs (2) UTT:
Thursday, May 14, 7 p.m.

SCOUTING THE FIELD
(2) UT TYLER PATRIOTS
The Patriots earned the Lone Star Conference Regular Season and Tournament Championships for the first time in program history with a 43-10 record to secure the second seed in the South Central Regional.

HITTING
As a team, the Patriots enter the weekend with a .315 batting average, which is second in the Lone Star Conference, while averaging 9.18 runs a game.

UT Tyler had five hitters earn spots on LSC All Conference teams led by the conference's Player of the Year in catcher Cole Ketzner, who boasts a team-best .374 batting average with 13 doubles and 12 home runs while driving in 63.

More Hitters to Note
2B Tanner Hornback
- LSC Second Team All-Conference
- .365 Batting Average, .519 On Base %, .472 Slugging %, 59 Runs Scored

OF Connor Clark
- LSC Second Team All-Conference
- .344 Batting Average, .475 On Base %, .486 Slugging %, 58 Runs Scored, 6 Homeruns

OF Kaston Mason
- LSC Third Team All-Conference
- LSC Tournament MVP
- .357 Batting Average, .471 On Base %, .548 Slugging %, 15 2B, 5 HR, 48 RBI

DH Luke Smith
- LSC Third Team All-Conference
 - .354 Batting Average, .460 On Base %, .424 Slugging %, 51 Hits, 10 2B

PITCHING
UT Tyler boasts the best staff ERA in the LSC with a 3.93. The staff had three pitchers make the LSC All-Conference team highlighted by Julio Garcia, who garnered Pitcher of the Year honors. He leads the staff with a 2.40 ERA in 63.2 innings pitched across 13 appearances and 11 starts, picking up a team-best 58 strikeouts.

More Pitchers to Note
SP Caden Copeland
- LSC First Team All-Conference
- 6-1 Record, 3.61 ERA, 52.1 Innings Pitched, 46 SO, .242 OBA

RP Coleson Abel
- LSC First Team All-Conference
- 6-0 Record, 3 Saves, 41.1 Innings Pitched, 55 SO, .189 OBA

(6) MSU DENVER ROADRUNNERS
The Roadrunners will make the trip to Tyler to compete in the regional for the second consecutive season and enter the weekend as the sixth seed with a 38-16 while going 24-8 in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference play. In the conference tournament, MSUD went 2-2, beginning the week with victories over Colorado School of Mines and UCCS before falling to inevitable tournament champion, Colorado Mesa and being eliminated in the second matchup against the Orediggers.

HITTING
As a team, the Roadrunners enter the weekend with a .353 batting average, which is fourth in the RMAC, while averaging a tad over 10 runs a game.

MSUD had five hitters garner RMAC All-Conference accolades, highlighted by first team selections, Noah Wicks and Royce Vandine. Wicks, a junior catcher, boasts a .456 batting average, second best in the RMAC, while recording an OPS of 1.299 and leading the team in hits (77), doubles (19), triples (3), and RBI (58). Vandine, who is also listed as a catcher, was selected as a designated hitter after recording a .351 batting average and a 1.186 OPS thanks to a team-best 13 homers.

More Hitters to Note
SS Brayden Oram
- RMAC Second Team All-Conference
- .348 Batting Average, .451 On Base %, .652 Slugging %, 1.103 OPS, 51 Runs, 62 Hits, 15 2B, 11 HR

3B Jared Swarbrick
- RMAC Second Team All-Conference
- .407 Batting Average, .449 On Base %, .520 Slugging %, .969 OPS, 11 2B

OF Lathen Buzard
- RMAC Second Team All-Conference
- .318 Batting Average, .406 On Base %, .682 Slugging %, 1.088 OPS, 11 HR

OF Brooks Rasmussen
- RMAC Second Team All-Conference
- RMAC Gold Glove Team
- .414 Batting Average, .511 On Base %, .569 Slugging %, 1.080 OPS, 75 Hits, 18 2B, 17-22 SB

PITCHING
Metro State has a staff ERA of 6.98, second in the RMAC. They are second in numerous pitching categories in the conference including strikeouts (400), hits allowed (536) and opponent batting average (.305).

The Roadrunners had three pitchers selected to the RMAC All-Conference Teams, spotlighted by Jake Syverson, who was the lone First Team selection. He boasts a 5.90 ERA, fifth-best in the RMAC. He does lead the team in innings pitched (82.1), opponents' batting average (.269) and strikeouts (64).

More Pitchers to Note
SP Alejandro Maltos-Garcia
- RMAC Second Team All-Conference
- 6-1 Record, 5.75 ERA (team-best), 61 IP, 56 SO, .305 OBA

RP Carter Swan
- RMAC Second Team All-Conference
- 7-1 Record, 4 Saves, 4.33 ERA, 27 IP, 37 SO, .232 OBA

RAMBLINGS ABOUT THE RAMS
RAMS IN THE RANKINGS
No. 13 – Perfect Game
No. 16 – American Baseball Coaches Association
No. 16  – National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association
No. 21 – D2Baseball

THE SOUTH CENTRAL REGIONAL
The South Central Regional was set in the DII Baseball Selection Show on Sunday night. Colorado Mesa was awarded the number one seed with UT Tyler coming in second and the Rams following in the third seed. St. Mary's, Lubbock Christian and MSU Denver round out the field of six. CMU will play host to StMU and LCU while UTT will host ASU and MSUD

HISTORY OF SUCCESS
After the victory over Lubbock Christian, the Angelo State baseball program reached 40 wins for the seventh straight complete season and the 13^th season overall since the program was restarted.

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. As of the publishing of this article, the Allen, Texas native owns the records for:

- Games Played in a Career, 245
- Games Started in a Career, 240
- Hits (Career), 317
- Runs Batted In (Career), 219
- Runs Scored (Career), 308
- Runs Scored (Career) Lone Star Conference, 308
- Runs Scored (Career) NCAA, 308
- Stolen Bases (Career), 165
- Total Bases (Career), 492
- Triples (Career), 19
- Walks (Game), 4

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

- Lone Star Conference Record for Triples in a Career, 1 Away

Furthermore, Beck garnered Lone Star Conference postseason accolades for the fourth season of his historic career for the Rams, picking up first team honors for the third time after leading the team with a .350 batting average, 20 doubles and seven home runs while being amongst the national leaders with 47 stolen bases.

MIND THE PEND
Chase Pendley continues his standout career since donning the Blue and Gold, earning Lone Star Conference First Team honors for the second straight year after a .342 batting average, team-high 75 hits and 60 RBI. Furthermore, the redshirt senior picked up LSC All-Defensive Team accolades in just his first season playing first base.

BAU-WOW-MANN
Through the many roles he's played in the pitching staff this season, Garrett Baumann has been crucial to the Rams' success on the mound. The Poth, Texas native boasts a 9-5 record and a 3.73 ERA in his 62.2 innings of work through 23 appearances. The redshirt senior leads the team with 64 strikeouts while limiting hitters to a .243 batting average to pick Lone Star Conference Second Team accolades.

LET'S GO PAYTON
In his first season with the Rams, Payton Bush garnered second team all-conference honors courtesy of a .347 batting average, slicing 67 hits with seven doubles with 53 RBI.

SMAJ-ING SUCCESS
Brett Smajstrla earned a spot in the LSC Second Team as a designated hitter with a .339 batting average and a team-best 1.040 OPS. The junior from Pearland has collected 11 doubles, six triples and seven home runs while knocking in 50 RBI.

NICK AT NIGHT
Despite making his Angelo State debut in mid-February, Nick Gray earned a spot on the LSC All-Conference Third Team after making 15 appearances and nine starts, garnering a 7-1 record and a 3.75 ERA across 48 innings pitched, limiting hitters to a .181 batting average.

THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GLOVE
Blake Wilhoite has been exceptional this season, improving in all statistics since he's arrived on campus just two seasons ago. The Gold Glove winner from Midlothian, Texas boasts a .327 batting average and a .525 on base percentage (second in the LSC), picking up 50 hits, 44 walks and 21 hit by pitches to garner Third Team All LSC honors.

SEXY AFTER DARK
Tate Greene has been stellar at the plate in his first season with ASU. The redshirt freshman was named to the LSC Third Team following a season in which he slashed a .329/.381/.478, collecting 68 hits, 9 doubles, 5 triples and four home runs while bringing in 61 RBI.

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 876-381 since starting the ASU program in 2005. In 2023, the Rams claimed the Division II National Championship for the first time in program history.

POST SEASON AWARDS
LONE STAR CONFERENCE
ACADEMIC PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Austin Beck – Second Base

FIRST TEAM ALL-CONFERENCE
Chase Pendley – First Base
Austin Beck – Second Base

SECOND TEAM ALL-CONFERENCE
Garrett Baumann – Relief Pitcher
Payton Bush – Shortstop
Brett Smajstrla – Designated Hitter

THIRD TEAM ALL-CONFERENCE
Nick Gray – Starting Pitcher
Blake Wilhoite – Catcher
Tate Greene – Third Baseman

ALL CONFERENCE DEFENSIVE TEAM
Chase Pendley – First Baseman

IN SEASON AWARDS
NCBWA NATIONAL HITTER OF THE WEEK
Feb. 19 – Austin Beck

NCBWA SOUTH CENTRAL REGIONAL HITTER OF THE WEEK
Apr. 22 – Austin Beck
Feb. 25 – Austin Beck
Feb. 18 – Austin Beck

LONE STAR CONFERENCE PITCHER OF THE WEEK
Mar. 2 – Garrett Baumann

LONE STAR CONFERENCE HITTER OF THE WEEK
Apr. 20 – Austin Beck
Feb. 23 – Austin Beck
Feb. 17 – Austin Beck

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.

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.