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KINGSVILLE, Texas (Baseball) – Nolan Ryan Field is the site of a battle between first place and second place this weekend as No. 27 Texas A&M University-Kingsville (24-12, 15-8 LSC) hosts No. 30 Angelo State University (23-14, 16-7 LSC) April 15-16. A doubleheader is scheduled for Friday, beginning at 3 p.m. and the series concludes at 1 p.m. Saturday.
 
The Javelinas and Rams split their first series earlier this season and ASU holds a one-game lead over Texas A&M-Kingsville and West Texas A&M University. Live stats and video will be available for all three games and can be accessed by visiting JavelinaAthletics.com.
 
Dalton Perry enters the Angelo State series with a team-best .415 batting average with four home runs, 20 RBI and five stolen bases. The senior outfielder has reached base safely in 25 consecutive games and is the lone hitter in the Lone Star Conference hitting .400 or better and on-base percentage over .500 (.520). Freshman Ruben Almaguer is batting .331 and leads the league in doubles (13), RBI (35) and walks (25). Hayden Vesely (.321, six triples), Jimmy Roche (.318, three home runs, 22 RBI) and Pablo Hernandez (.316, seven home runs) are also in the LSC's top 20 in batting average. Hernandez's seven bombs are the most in the conference this season. Christian Caudle (.310, 15 RBI) is also over the .300 mark and Zach Smith is fourth in the league with 10 stolen bases.
 
In LSC play, Angelo State is first in hitting (.300) and the Javelinas follow with a batting average of .297. Caudle is batting .339 in LSC play and Hernandez has five home runs against conference opponents.
 
Preston Plovanich is 3-1 on the year with a 2.38 ERA and 34 strikeouts in 41.2 innings. In conference play, the southpaw has a staggering 1.04 ERA in 34.2 innings. Jako Kelm has a 2.27 ERA in 16 appearances and Lance Elling is 3-0 with a 2.70 ERA and 22 strikeouts in 13.1 innings. Hunter Lehman has a team-high three saves and Vesely and Trey Taylor each have two stops.
 
In the Polls
Texas A&M-Kingsville is No. 27 in the Collegiate Baseball Newspaper (CBN) Division II Poll and Angelo State rounds out the national rankings at No. 30. The Hogs are 20^th in doubles in NCAA Division II with 15 and in walks with 177 and 23^rd in shutouts with four. Vesely ranks 11^th in triples with six.
 
Scouting the Rams
The Rams have one of the best rotations in Division II, led by Bryce Zak, who enters Kingsville with 99 strikeouts in 64.0 innings and a 7-1 mark. The right-hander boasts a 2.25 ERA, followed by Matt Shannon, who is 4-4 with a 2.27 ERA and 73 punchouts in 67.1 innings. Graylon Brown has four saves.
 
Offensively, Jarryd Klemm paces Angelo State with a .333 batting average, followed by Paxton DeLaGarza's .328 clip with five home runs and 26 RBI. The last time the Rams played at Nolan Ryan Field, they were crowned the 2015 LSC Tournament Champions en route to an appearance in the 2015 NCAA Division II College Baseball Championships in Cary, N.C.
 
Social Media
Be sure to follow the six-time Lone Star Conference championships on Twitter (@JavelinaBSB) and Instagram (@JavelinaBSB), and like the /JavelinaSports Facebook page.