SAN ANGELO – The No. 17-ranked Angelo State Rams will return to action this weekend with a four-game Lone Star Conference series against Eastern New Mexico at Greyhound Field in Portales, New Mexico.

The Rams (19-7, 9-6 LSC) and Greyhounds (6-17, 2-10 LSC) will open the series at 6 p.m. (CST) on Friday before playing a 2 p.m. doubleheader (7/9) on Saturday and then the series finale at 1 p.m. on Sunday. The series will wrap up the first half of conference play for the Rams who are currently in third place in the LSC standings behind Texas A&M-Kingsville (12-3) and West Texas A&M (10-6). ENMU is 3-5 on its home field this season, while the Rams are 4-5 away from San Angelo after dropping three of four against the Javelinas on Sunday and Monday in Kingsville. The Greyhounds also lost three of four in their last series when Cameron came to Portales and took the opener and the final two games of the series. The Rams, who went 4-3 against ENMU last season, are in the middle of a stretch of 11 straight conference road games.  

ASU comes into the series leading the Lone Star Conference in 17 statistical categories and is seventh in the nation in fielding percentage (0.975) and strikeouts per 9-innngs (10.0). The Rams are atop the LSC stats in batting average (.315), doubles (30), doubles per game (2.12), ERA (2.77), fielding percentage, total hits (257), home runs (17), home runs per game (0.65), on-base percentage (.383), runs scored (154), sacrifice flies (10), scoring (5.9 runs per game), slugging percentage (.453), strikeout-to-walk ratio (3.31), strikeouts per 9-innings, and won-loss percentage (.731). The pitching staff ERA of 2.77 ranks 12th in the nation through 26 games played. ASU has outscored its opponents 154-82 this season and is coming off an 11-3 win over Kingsville in the series finale on Monday.

UP NEXT: The Rams venture outside of LSC play after playing ENMU this weekend by playing St. Mary's at 6 p.m. on Tuesday at Foster Field before returning to the road to play a three-game series at Cameron next Friday and Saturday to being the second half of conference play.
 
ASU SEASON TRACKER
Overall Record:  19-7
Lone Star Conference Record:  9-6
At Foster Field:  15-2
Away from San Angelo:  4-5
Neutral Site Games:  0-0
LSC Home Games:  6-2
LSC Road Games:  3-4
Current Streak:  W1
Longest Winning Streak:  W15 (*program record)
Longest Losing Streak:  L4
Most runs scored:  18
Fewest runs scored:  0 (2)
Extra-inning games:  1-1
 

#RamBaseball National Rankings No. 17 || @PerfectGameUSA No. 17 || @D2BaseballNews No. 21 || @CBNewspaper RV || @NCBWA

— AngeloSports (@AngeloSports) March 25, 2015

ANGELO STATE PROBABLE STARTING ROTATION
Game 1: Steve Naemark, Junior, LHP (5-1, 0.55 ERA, 63K, 8BB, 32H, 49.0 IP)
Game 2: Blake Bass, Senior, RHP (5-1, 2.35 ERA, 50K, 9BB, 50H, 46.0 IP)
Game 3: Bryce Zak, Junior, RHP (4-3, 1.54 ERA, 42K, 17BB, 23H, 35.0 IP)
Game 4: TBD

LINEUP REPORT: Paxton DeLaGarza enters this weekend on a nine-game hitting streak and leading the Rams with a .410 batting average after going 8-for-15 with two home runs last weekend against Kingsville. A junior shortstop, DeLaGarza is second in the conference with his batting average and comes into the series against ENMU with 41 hits which includes seven doubles and a triple. His two home runs at TAMUK were the first two of his career at ASU and he leads the Rams with 14 multi-hit games, including going 3-for-5 with three RBI in the series finale against the Javelina. DeLaGarza's 41 hits leads the conference and ranks 40th in the nation. His three-hit game in the finale against the Javelinas was his fifth three-hit game of the season. He is second on the team with 19 runs scored and has struck out only nine times in 100 at-bats this season. Nehwon Norkeh leads the Rams with five home runs after blasting a grand slam on Monday in the series-finale win over the Javelinas. Norkeh went 3-for-4 in the game and comes into the series against ENMU with a .299 average and 18 RBI. Only a sophomore, Norkeh has nine career home runs at Angelo State. He also has eight doubles and one triple this season for the Rams as their leadoff hitter.

J.C. Snyder is sixth in the nation and leads the conference with 13 doubles this season and comes into the ENMU series hitting .396 with 36 total hits. Snyder is second on the team with four home runs and has 11 multi-hit games and four multi-RBI performances this season. A senior who transferred from BYU this season, Snyder has played in right field and at third base for the Rams this season. His .396 average ranks third in the LSC and his home-run total is second – behind only Norkeh's. Brett David leads the conference with 25 RBI this season and is hitting .341 midway through his senior season. David, who is the only four-year senior on this year's team, leads the Rams with seven multi-RBI games this season and has five doubles, one triple and three home runs. An El Paso native, David has 101 hits, seven home runs and 64 RBI in his career at ASU.  He hit his first grand slam earlier this season in a game against TAMIU where he hit the left-field foul pole at Foster Field.

Derek Tyner has been a strong designated hitter throughout the season and comes into this weekend with a .337 average which includes 22 singles, seven doubles and a home run. Tyner, who is in his second season at ASU after transferring from Odessa College, has 81 hits in 72 games played here in San Angelo. Tyner is second on the team with 12 multi-hit games this season and has two multi-RBI performances. Cameron Massengill had an 11-game hitting streak this season and has a .292 average coming into this weekend against ENMU. Massengill has started all 26 games at catcher and has 26 hits. An LSC first-team selection last season, Massengill has three-hit performances against McMurry and West Texas A&M this season. A Kennedale native, Massengill is in his second season at ASU after transferring from Cisco College. He currently has 76 hits (.311 average) and 35 RBI in 77 games played for the Rams. Massengill hit the only home run of his career last season at ENMU in the final series of the regular season.

David Goggin returned to the lineup last weekend after missing the first half of the season with an injury. A returning Academic All-American and All-LSC selection, Goggin has 97 career hits coming into this weekend in Portales. A junior from Red Wing, Minnesota, Goggin led the Rams last season with 34 RBI and has 10 doubles and four career triples. He had two hits last weekend against TAMUK and had a career-best four hits in a game against Cameron last season. Hunter Spear has been a valuable utility player for the Rams all season and is hitting .356 with 16 hits, while Cody Semler has 14 hits including one home run. Semler has started 23 games and has played in all 26, while Chandler Patterson has 10 hits and three RBI through 44 at-bats. Jarryd Klemm has also battled injury this season and is hitting .279 with 12 hits and four RBI this season, while Sam Kohler has started 14 games and has nine hits.  

RAM STARTER REPORT: Bass and Naemark come into this weekend with the 14th most wins in the nation and leading the LSC with their five victories. Naemark is fourth in the nation with his 63 strikeouts and leads the LSC in that category and along with his 0.55 ERA which is 11th in the country. A junior left-hander, Naemark is coming off his first loss of the season despite not allowing an earned run and striking out five in a 2-0 series-opening loss last Sunday at Texas A&M-Kingsville. It was the seventh straight game where Naemark had five or more strikeouts and he also allowed only four Javelina hits in six innings of work. He had previously recorded a win over West Texas A&M where he struck out six and went eight innings against the Buffs which was his longest outing of the season. He picked up the 1-0 win over WT by allowing only one walk and scattering five hits. He has allowed only three earned runs throughout the season and has not allowed an earned run in his four LSC starts. Naemark has a 3-1 record in LSC play with a 0.00 ERA and 25 strikeouts in 25 innings pitched against conference batters. He established a new program record with 15 strikeouts against Regis and also has a 12-strikeout performance against Lubbock Christian on his resume. He is a two-time LSC Pitcher of the Week and has also earned the NCBWA National Pitcher of the Week and was honored by Collegiate Baseball with a National Player of the Week nod after his 15-strikeout performance.

Bass is coming off a loss against TAMUK where he allowed three earned runs and struck out three in six innings of work after having no-decision in his previous start against WT which snapped a five-game winning streak by the 6-foot-7 right-hander. Bass, who was named the LSC Preseason Pitcher of the Year, is second in the conference behind only Naemark with his 50 strikeouts and is scheduled to start the seven-inning game on Saturday against the Greyhounds. Bass has recorded 22 strikeouts in his last three starts, including striking out nine Buffs two weeks ago and 10 in a win over Tarleton State in six innings of work. He has been identified as the No. 3-ranked DII professional prospect by Baseball America and comes into this weekend with 89 career strikeouts and a 9-5 career record. He is in his second season with the Rams after being a positional player at Texas Tech during his freshman and sophomore seasons.

Zak is sixth in the LSC with his 42 strikeouts and is coming off a loss to the Javelinas after earning a 4-2 win over West Texas A&M two weeks ago where he limited the WT batters to only four hits in 5 2/3 innings of work. His 1.54 ERA ranks second in the conference behind only Naemark and it is the 60th best ERA in the nation. Zak, who threw a season-high 104 pitches in a no-decision against Cameron and threw 80 pitches in his loss to TAMUK, comes into this weekend with a 9-4 career record and with 80 strikeouts in 80 2/3 innings of work in his career. He is in his second season with the Rams after transferring from Texas A&M-Corpus Christi where he pitched during his freshman season. Zak went 5-1 in the 2013 season for the Rams before missing last season with an arm injury. He has made six starts this season and eight appearances. A San Angelo native, he established a career-best with 11 strikeouts earlier this season against Regis and had seven strikeouts in a win over Cameron. Zak also had six strikeouts in a relief appearance against TAMIU and six strikeouts in his first start of the season against Lubbock Christian.

Matt Shannon made the first start of his career on Monday in a no-decision against TAMUK in the series finale where he struck out four and scattered four hits in 3 1/3 innings. Shannon, a redshirt freshman from Pleasanton, has also made five appearances from the bullpen and has 13 strikeouts and a 4.70 ERA through 15 1/3 innings this season. Kellen Rholl, a freshman left-hander from Minnesota, has made two starts and five appearances for the Rams this season. Rholl, who did not pitch last against the Javelinas, has not recorded a decision yet and has five strikeouts and five earned runs through 7 2/3 innings of work. Either Rholl or Shannon will start the fourth game of the series depending on who is used out of the bullpen during the first three games against the Greyhounds.  

BULLPEN REPORT: The Angelo State bullpen has been led by Graylon Brown, Dillon Becker and Trae Davis this season. Becker (2-0) earned the win in the series finale over the Javelinas after striking out three and not allowing a run in 2 1/3 innings of relief of Shannon on Monday. Becker and Brown are tied for the team lead with five saves which ranks second in the LSC. A junior from Bastrop, Becker has recorded 21 strikeouts and has allowed only 12 hits in 12 innings of work this season and has a 3.00 ERA. He also earned a win this season over Lubbock Christian after striking out three in two innings of relief. A right-hander, Becker has a 5-3 career record with 56 strikeouts in 50.0 innings this season. Davis has yet to record a decision this season but has been strong in the bullpen throughout his senior year. A Mexia native who started his career at Baylor, Davis has recorded one save this season and has nine strikeouts in 10 1/3 innings of work. Brown (2-1) leads the Rams with 13 appearances this season and is coming off a save against the Javelins where he went 3 1/3 innings without allowing a run and striking out three. Brown owns a 10-5 career record in three seasons with the Rams and has 83 career strikeouts in 109.0 innings of work. Brown has 10 career saves coming into this weekend at Eastern New Mexico.
 
EASTERN NEW MEXICO REPORT
The Greyhounds come into the weekend having lost nine of their last 10 games, including being swept by the Javelinas two weeks ago before dropping three of four last weekend against Cameron. ENMU is hitting .269 as a team with 46 doubles, nine triples and are second in the conference behind the Rams with 14 home runs this season. ENMU's pitching staff has a 6.18 ERA and has 176 strikeouts and 108 walks allowed.

Chris Sanders leads ENMU with a .329 batting average, while Charles Sandberg is at .324 and Justin Paul is hitting .320. Blake Cooper leads the Greyhounds with four home runs and has 15 RBI with Paul leading the team with 17 RBI. Matthew Burks, who was named the LSC Preseason Hitter of the Year, is hitting .269 with five doubles and 15 total hits.
Cody Pope leads the pitching staff with a  4-2 record and has 37 strikeouts and only 10 walks in 35 2/3 innings of work.

The Greyhounds, who canceled their LSC-opening series against Tarleton State because of weather, will return to action next week with a midweek game against Lubbock Christian before playing the Texans in a four-game series next weekend in Stephenville.

MILESTONE APPROACHING
Kevin Brooks is the only head coach in Angelo State history and has led the Rams to an impressive 388-220 overall record since the modern program started in 2005. Brooks and the program are only 12 wins from 400. The Rams are only one wins away from securing the 20-win milestone for the 11th season in a row and 11 wins away from reaching the 30-win mark for the ninth time. ASU's single-season record for wins came in the 2007 World Series season when the team went 51-20 under the guidance of Brooks in the program's third season. He was named the 2012 Lone Star Conference Coach of the Year and has led the Rams to four regional tournaments and to one DII College World Series appearance.