5-0 Ram baseball gains best start in ASU history

The 2012 Ram baseball team is starting off the season with an undefeated and unprecedented 5-0 run.

After finishing 25-23 in 2011, the Rams reformed their roster with 19 new players and now stand alone at the top of the Lone Star Conference with the best record.

The Rams started their season with a four-game sweep of Ouachita Baptist with scores of 14-4, 2-0, 4-1, and 16-3.

The Rams earned their fifth win of the season against St. Mary's University with freshman Brett David batting in the winning run with a single in the top of the ninth that drove in sophomore Blaine Perkins to make the lead 6-5.

Junior pitcher Michael Weatherly struck out the side to end the game where the Rams had been down 5-2 at one point against a team that was ranked No. 4 in the nation in preseason polls.

"I want them to know that they can count on me and that when I come into the game that the other team is not going to score," Weatherly said. "I want everyone to be worry-free and confident that we are going to get the win."

Head Coach Kevin Brooks said Weatherly improved from the weekend.

"He got his jitters out this weekend and he came in here against St. Mary's and was himself," Brooks said. "He's a shutdown pitcher and did a great job in a big moment for us."

Brooks said the team shows a lot of effort.

"This group shows up and competes every day," Brooks said. "They are tough mentally and physically. Who knows what is going to happen this season, but I'm very confident that they are going to come out playing hard every single game."

The combined ERA of the Rams pitching staff is 1.62 with four of the five starters giving up zero earned runs.

The Ram offense has scored 42 runs with 35 of them earned.

Junior catcher and infielder Quaid McKinnon has a .529/.619/.588 stat line (batting average/on base average/slugging percentage).

Brett Parsons has eight RBIs and a home run off of six hits.

The team on defense has committed seven errors, but has only allowed 13 total runs over five games with a .290 on base average.

The team will travel to Magnolia, Ark., for a four-game series against Arkansas-Monticello University (that will be a double-header), Southern Arkansas University, and Lindenwood University this Friday and will play over the weekend.