SAN ANGELO, Texas – Just a day away from the bracket round of the the Lone Star Conference Championship, the second-seeded No. 12 Angelo State baseball team travel to Tyler, Texas where they will open against third-seeded St. Mary's.

LAST TIME OUT
It took all three games before the Rams defeated seventh-seeded Texas A&M-Kingsville to advance to bracket play, with both victories coming in run-rule fashion.

PITCHING
The Rams pitching staff only saw numerous solid outings including two solid starts from Luke Spencer (5 IP, 1.80 ERA, .167 Opposing Batting Average) and Nick Gray (1.50 ERA, 6 IP, 5 SO, .056 Opposing Batting Average). Isaac Godard got the final win, tossing the final 4 2/3 innings out of the bullpen to clinch the series.

HITTING
Offense proved to be regained consistency as the Rams put up 30 runs throughout the weekend. Brett Smajstrla led the team with a .545 batting average, a 1.583 OPS while recording eight run contributions. Blake Wilhoite, Gamaliel Jones, Austin Beck, Hunter Holt, Tate Greene and Payton Bush recorded on base percentages north of .300. Greene and Chase Pendley led the team with six RBI each.

THE FIELD
(1) UT Tyler Patriots (40-10, 40-10 LSC)
(2) Angelo State Rams (38-15, 36-14 LSC)
(3) St. Mary's Rattlers (38-15, 36-14 LSC)
(5) Lubbock Christian Chaparrals (33-19, 31-19 LSC)
Irwin Field – Tyler, Texas

HISTORY AGAINST THE FIELD
UT TYLER
All-Time Series: UTT leads 15-14
Last Meeting: Feb. 8, 2026 – UTT, 12-11 – San Angelo, Texas
Regular Season Series: UTT 2, ASU 1

ST. MARY'S
All-Time Series: ASU leads 44-12
Last Meeting: Mar. 1, 2026 – ASU, 5-2 – San Antonio, Texas
Regular Season Series: ASU 4, StMU 0

LUBBOCK CHRISTIAN
All-Time Series: ASU leads 41-25
Last Meeting: Mar. 8, 2026 – LCU, 11-8 – San Angelo, Texas
Regular Season Series: LCU 3, ASU 1

KNOWN SCHEDULE
Game 1 vs (3) StMU:
Thursday, May 7, 2 p.m.

Game 2 vs (1) UTT or (5) LCU:
Friday, May 8, 11 a.m. OR 3 p.m.

SCOUTING THE FIELD
(1) UT TYLER PATRIOTS
The Patriots were crowned Lone Star Conference Regular Season Champions with a 40-10 record to secure the top seed in and the only bye in the Lone Star Conference Championship. Most recently, UTT took three of four from St. Mary's just two weeks ago and outscored the Rattlers 15-9.

HITTING
As a team, the Javelinas enter the weekend with a .315 batting average, which is third in the Lone Star Conference, while averaging 9.28 runs a game.

Among qualified hitters, UTT have six players who have an OPS over .900. Cole Ketzner lead the way with a .399 batting average while also leading the team in hits (63), doubles (13), home runs (12) and RBI (62). Tanner Hornback follows with a .372 batting average while leading the team with 56 runs scored and an on base percentage of .527.

PITCHING
UT Tyler boasts the best staff ERA in the LSC with a 3.93, while giving up 3.92 runs a game. Julio Garcia leads the staff with a 2.55 ERA in 60 innings pitched across 11 starts. Coleson Abel lead the staff with 54 strikeouts out of the bullpen.

(3) ST. MARY'S RATTLERS
The Rattlers enter the second weekend as the third seed with a 38-15 record. StMU also needed three games to take care of sixth-seeded West Texas A&M at home last weekend to advance to bracket play.

HITTING
As a team, the Rattlers enter the weekend with a .298 batting average, which is tenth in the Lone Star Conference, while averaging 7.67 runs a game.

StMU have six players, amongst their qualified hitters, who have a batting average over .300 while five of them have OPS over .900. Rob Gonzalez leads the way with a .364 batting average. Ashton Beaird, who is hitting at a .352 clip, leads the team with 56 hits and 53 runs scored.

PITCHING
St. Mary's has a staff ERA of 5.00, third in the LSC. Where they have been successful with all season is the strikeout, as they have recorded 399 of them this season, the second most in the conference. Eric Tenery spotlights the staff as he leads the team with 65 strikeouts. Derek Maples boasts the best ERA on the team with a 3.72 across 58 innings pitched in 16 appearances.

(5) LUBBOCK CHRISTIAN CHAPARRALS
The Chaps enter the weekend with a 33-19 record to secure the fifth seed in the Lone Star Conference Championship. Most recently, LCU went on the road to sweep the fourth seeded to advance to bracket play.

HITTING
As a team, the Chaps enter the weekend with a .309 batting average, which is tied for fifth in the Lone Star Conference, while averaging an even eight runs a game.

LCU have four players amongst their qualified hitters who have a batting average over .300 with three of them having an OPS over 1.000. Hudson Grace leads the way with a .366 batting average, leading the team with 19 doubles and seven triples.

PITCHING
Lubbock Christian has a staff ERA of 6.00, fifth in the LSC. Aaron Rubio spotlights the staff as he leads the team with a 3.33 ERA and 61 strikeouts in 73 innings pitched in 14 appearances.

RAMBLINGS ABOUT THE RAMS
RAMS IN THE RANKINGS
No. 12 – Perfect Game
No. 14 – American Baseball Coaches Association
No. 19  – National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association
No. 21 – D2Baseball

RAMS IN THE (regional) RANKINGS
The Rams debut at No. 3 in the South Central Regional rankings behind Colorado Mesa and UT Tyler, who hold the top two spots in the initial poll. St. Mary's, Lubbock Christian and St. Edward's round out the top six, with MSU Denver and West Texas A&M occupying the final two positions.

NEW KIDS (ON THE DIAMOND)
The Angelo State baseball program has seen numerous contributions from new faces throughout the 2026 campaign:

- Gamaliel Jones : .446 on base percentage, 23 stolen bases
- Garrett Baumann: 9-4 record, 3.74 ERA, 53.0 innings pitched, 59 strikeouts
- Nick Gray: 6-1 record, 4.03 ERA, .188 opponents' batting average
- Payton Bush: .361 batting average, .471 on base percentage, 61 hits
- Tate Greene: .326 batting average, 5 triples, 3 home runs

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, 241
- Games Started in a Career, 236
- 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), 164
- 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

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 .344 batting average and a .547 on base percentage (second in the LSC), picking up 45 hits, 40 walks and 20 hit by pitches.

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 3.74 ERA in his 55.2 innings of work through 22 appearances. The redshirt senior leads the team with 61 strikeouts while limiting hitters to a .254 batting average.

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 874-379 since starting the ASU program in 2005. In 2023, the Rams claimed the Division II National Championship for the first time in program history.

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.