TYLER, TEXAS – UT Tyler baseball will continue their postseason run with a big matchup against #1 seed Angelo State in the double elimination bracket of the LSC tournament.
 
HOW WE GOT HERE

The Patriots bats have gotten hot at exactly the right time and played a huge role in the Patriots series win over Texas A&M-Kingsville. In the first game of that series, the Patriots scored three runs in the top of the ninth to force extra innings and finally score the go ahead run in the 13^th inning.
 
Game two saw the Javelinas run away with the big win, but the UT Tyler bats stayed hot, scoring 10 runs in the defeat. That led to Sunday's finale, and the Patriots jumped all over the Javelinas early and kept it that way. A nine run second inning propelled them to a 19-6 victory and a dominant display.
 
That UT Tyler offense has now scored eight or more runs in their last five games. In three of their last four, they have scored over 10.
 
For the Rams, they took on #8 seed St. Mary's in the opening round of the LSC tournament. The Rams bats were also hot in their two game sweep of the Rattlers. In game one, the Rams held a 7-1 lead after three innings, and expanded that lead all the way out to 15-5 to win the first contest.
 
In game two, the Rams came out firing yet again, this time holding a big 17-3 lead after four innings. That lead expanded out to 23-5 as the final out was recorded.
 
The Rams have now won 15 games in a row, and they have scored at least eight runs in all but one of those contests.
 
SERIES HISTORY
 
The two programs have faced off seven total times, and all of those contests have come within the last two seasons. Angelo State holds the advantage at 4-3, but this will be the first postseason contest between the two teams.
 
Last year's series saw the Rams take two of the three contests in Tyler, Texas. The two programs battled in the very first series of the year way back on February 5-7 in San Angelo, Texas. Both teams battled closely, and played to an even 2-2 series split.
 
In that series, the Rams came in ranked as the #5 team in Division II. Those Rams took the first game, but the Patriots responded with a sweep of the doubleheader on Saturday. In the Sunday getaway game, Angelo State took a close 5-4 victory. The run differential in those four games was 24-22 in favor of the Rams.
 
THE SCOUTING REPORT
 
As a team, Angelo State ranks number one in the LSC in batting average at .355, third in the LSC in ERA at 5.26, and first in the LSC in fielding percentage at .981. The Rams are number one in all of Division II in on base percentage, fielding percentage, sacrifice flies, and are second in stolen bases.
 
Justin Lee leads the Rams and the Lone Star Conference at the plate, batting .440 on the year. He has 77 hits in 175 at-bats this year while combining for 27 extra base hits. He leads the Rams in hits, doubles, triples, total bases, and OPS this season.
 
Benjamin Elder is the leader for the Rams starters on the mound. He has a total ERA of 3.40 on the year which is second in the LSC. Elder has thrown for a team-high 83 innings this season while allowing 81 hits, 31 earned runs, 14 walks, and striking out 68 hitters.
 
Coaching the Rams is Kevin Brooks. Brooks holds a record of 677-320 over his 18 season career, all with Angelo State. Brooks has been the only head coach in the history of the Angelo State baseball program and has led the team to four NCAA World Series appearances.
 
WHAT'S AT STAKE
 
For UT Tyler and Angelo State, they each are looking to take a big leap forward in the LSC tournament with a victory on Thursday. That win would put one of them into the winner's bracket side of the tournament and would lead to a 3 p.m. start on Friday afternoon. The winner would face the winner of the first round matchup between West Texas A&M and St. Edward's.
 
The loser of tomorrow's nightcap will roll into the loser's bracket of the LSC tournament and take on the loser of the contest between the Buffs and Hilltoppers. That game will then become an elimination game, as the loser will go home. The winner of that game will then move on to face the loser of the winner's bracket game at 3 p.m. in another elimination game starting at 7 p.m.