SAN ANGELO, Texas – The top-ranked Angelo State baseball team will host its final regular-season home series of the year as the Rams face St. Edward's in a key regional matchup beginning on Friday at Foster Field at 1^st Community Credit Union Stadium.
 
Fans will be able to enjoy fireworks following the conclusion of Friday night's game. On Saturday's doubleheader, ASU will be celebrating youth sports day and any kids 12 and under will get in free while wearing their official youth sports organization jersey and accompanied by an adult. The Rams will honor seven seniors prior to Sunday's series finale.
 
LAST TIME OUT:
The Rams returned from Texas A&M – Kingsville with three wins last weekend, earning their sixth straight conference series win. ASU allowed only three runs in the last three games combined while Kade Bragg threw an eight-inning shutout with 12 strikeouts.
 
#1 ANGELO STATE RAMS (36-6, 34-6 LSC) vs. #8 ST. EDWARD'S HILLTOPPERS (32-9, 30-9 LSC)
Game 1: Fri, Apr. 21, 6:30 p.m. | Game 2/3: Sat., Apr. 22, 4 p.m. | Sun. Apr. 23, 1 p.m.
Foster Field at 1^st Community Credit Union Stadium – San Angelo, Texas
Live Video: lonestarconferencenetwork.com/asu
Live Stats: angelostats.com
 
SERIES HISTORY:
All-Time Series: ASU leads 14-4
Last Meeting: Apr. 3, 2022 – ASU, 7-4
The Rams are currently on a nine-game win streak against the Hilltoppers which is the longest of the series between these two teams. ASU swept a close series on the road last season, winning all four games by three or fewer runs.
 
SCOUTING THE HILLTOPPERS:
The Hilltoppers currently sit in second place in the Lone Star Conference standings with an overall record of 32-9 while going 30-9 in the LSC. SEU is third overall in the latest NCBWA South-Central Regional poll while holding the eighth overall rank in the Collegiate Baseball Newspaper Top 30 and the 12^th rank in NCBWA's Top 25.
 
SEU is 16-4 overall in its last 20 games while splitting the most recent series against Lubbock Christian after dropping the first two against the Chaps. The Hilltoppers hold the second-best ERA in the conference at 4.63 and rank sixth in batting average at .310. Luke Short is 9-0 as a starter with a 2.25 ERA and a conference-best 102 strikeouts. Lance Little holds the fifth-best batting average in the LSC at .414 and leads in on-base percentage at .521.
 
POLL RANKINGS:
For the third week in a row, the Rams rank at the top spot in the Collegiate Baseball Newspaper poll while coming in at No. 2 in the NCBWA Top 25.
 
LEADING THE REGION:
The Rams came in at No. 1 in the latest NCBWA South-Central Regional Poll, earning all eight first-place votes.
 
QUICK HITS:
-The Rams hold the top batting average in the LSC at .347 and lead in ERA at 3.57.
-ASU is fourth in Division II in batting average and ninth in team ERA.
-ASU's pitching staff has allowed 7.28 hits per nine innings which rank second in DII.
-Ram batters have been hit by a pitch 111 times this season which leads Division II.
-The Rams are second in on-base percentage in the country at .471.
-ASU has scored the fifth most runs with 421.
-The Rams have stolen 140 bases this season which is the fourth most in DII.
-Bragg leads Division II in ERA at 0.29 and is ninth in strikeouts with 83.
-Austin Beck has scored the 12^th most runs with 59.
-Jordan Williams is the third hardest batter to strike out in Division II, averaging a strikeout every 34.2 at-bats.
 
SEASON HIGHLIGHTS:
LSC PLAYERS OF THE WEEK:
- Feb. 14 – Braxton Pearson, Angelo State (Pitcher)
- Feb. 21 – Jordan Williams, Angelo State (Hitter)
- Mar. 14 – Aaron Munson, Angelo State (Pitcher)
- Mar. 14 – Jacob Guerrero, Angelo State (Hitter)
- Mar. 21 – Kade Bragg, Angelo State (Pitcher)
- Mar. 28 – Kade Bragg, Angelo State (Pitcher)
 
RAMS SET PROGRAM SCORING RECORD:
In a non-conference game against Southwestern, the Rams defeated the Pirates 33-4, setting a new program record for runs scored in a game. The previous record of 29 runs was set in 2021 against McMurry.
 
NEW HIT KING AT ASU:
Jordan Williams became the all-time hit leader for the Rams this season, surpassing 250 hits in his career.
 
WIN No. 700:
Against UAFS earlier this season, Head Coach Kevin Brooks tallied his 700^th win at Angelo State.
 
CONFERENCE FAVORITES:
The Rams were selected as the favorites to take the 2023 LSC crown, earning the top spot in the preseason poll with 407 points, including 23 first-place votes. Coming in second was West Texas A&M followed by Texas A&M- Kingsville and Lubbock Christian.
 
NCBWA PRESEASON ALL-REGION:
The Rams had two players selected to the NCBWA Preseason All-Region Team, infielder Austin Beck and starting pitcher Aaron Munson. Beck was selected as the LSC Freshman of the Year last season after hitting .420 with 59 RBIs and 84 runs scored. He earned two All-American honors and led the Rams in stolen bases with 33. Munson led the Rams in wins a season ago, finishing with an overall record of 11-3 while collecting 81 strikeouts. He held opponents to a .277 hitting average while throwing 94 1/3 innings on the year.