ALAMOSA, Colo. - Adams State Baseball continues its road trip this weekend as they head to the Lone Star state to take on a tough in-region opponent. The Grizzlies will play a four game series this weekend.

OPPONENT: No. 10 West Texas A&M Buffs (4-0)

WHEN: Friday, Feb. 8 - 1 p.m.
             Saturday, Feb. 9 (DH) - 12 & 3 p.m.
             Sunday, Feb. 10 - 11 a.m.

WHERE: Canyon, Texas - Wilder Park

First Pitch
• Adams State takes on its first ranked opponent of the season. The Buffs were preseason picked tied for 10th in the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) Top-25 poll. Collegiate Baseball has the Buffs ranked No. 18 to start the 2019 campaign.
• The Grizzlies are coming off an 0-3 season opening weekend at CSU-Pueblo. The Grizzlies led at the midway point of the last two games but were unable to hold on for the win in both.
• Despite the 0-3 weekend, Adams State showed signs of a hitting lineup that can provide power and consistency throughout the 2019 campaign.
• The Grizzlies were picked to finish 10th in the 2019 RMAC Baseball Preseason Coaches Poll. The team totaled 10 points in the poll.

Quick Hits
Adams State Baseball History
• Grizzlies Baseball begins its seventh season as an NCAA sport. The program was re-instituted prior to the 2013 season after a 35 year hiatus.
• Prior to the 2013, Adams State last sponsored baseball in 1976 season when the program was still a member of the NAIA.
• Adams State enjoyed quite a bit of success winning back-to-back RMAC championships in 1973 and 1974.
• The Grizzlies posted the best overall record in the conference in each of the last four years (1973-76) while sponsoring the sport before it was discontinued.

The Capra File
• Head Coach James Capra has led the Grizzlies Baseball in each of the last six seasons. Coach Capra is a graduate of Adams State (Class of 1980).
• Coach Capra was a member of the 1976 team before it was cut. He also played football for three seasons at Adams State and was a three-year starter at wide receiver.

Last Time Out
• The Grizzlies went 0-3 against CSU-Pueblo. They dropped the opening day game, 25-1, as the ThunderWolves exploded for 12 runs in the first inning to cruise to the home victory.
• Game two started in Adams State's favor as the team grabbed a 5-1 lead going into the sixth. CSU-Pueblo answered with seven runs scored in the sixth and held on for a 15-7 win.
• The series finale was nearly identical to game two. The Grizzlies led 7-3 going into the bottom of the sixth, but 10 ThunderWolves runs help them sweep the series by a final of 21-7.
• In the final two games of the series, Adams State managed 14 total runs and tallied 25 total hits.

Batter Up!
• Four Grizzlies are hitting over .300 to start the season led by Jared Gay. He tops the list at .583 and boasts a .750 slugging percentage. he is 7-12 to start the year with four RBI and seven runs scored.
• Logan Bistrup is second at .385 with five hits in 13 plate appearances last week. He has three runs scored and a RBI. He and Gay both have a triple, while Bistrup has a home run.
• Nico Nintze sits third batting .375 to start the season. He has the Grizzlies only other home run and is 3-8 this year with three RBI and two runs scored.
• Jake Angelopulos rounds out .300 club with a .3343 batting average on 412 hitting. He has scored four runs as well to go along with a RBI.
• Erik Hildebrandt and Dakota Solis are both batting near .300 going into the weekend. Hildebrandt is batting .273, while Solis is batting .250.

On the Mound
• Daniel Brennan has the top ERA as a starter for Adams State going into the weekend. He sports a 4.50 ERA with one start. He has six strikeouts to start the year and has given up just two runs, both earned.
• Kolton Bleggi sports a 0.00 ERA to lead the the Grizzlies overall. He has pitched 3.1 innings to start the season in one appearance and has fanned three batters.
• Both Troy Gutbub and Dalton Carleo are tied for second on the team in strikeouts with four apiece.

Road Warriors
• The Grizzlies are one the road for their first 14 games on the road before playing a single game on their home turf.
• Adams State will play a total of 30 games on the road this season and 20 games at home.

Scouting West Texas A&M
• The Buffs entered the 2019 campaign nationally ranked in a pair of national polls. They are ranked tied for 10th by the NCBWA and are 18th in the Collegiate Baseball Newspaper poll.
• West Texas A&M season got the season started with a 4-0 road sweep against New Mexico Highlands. They will now return home for their next eight games.
• Senior right-hander Joe Corbett was named a Division II Preseason All-American by the Collegiate Baseball Newspaper.
• Three players are batting over .500 for the Buffs entering the weekend series. Jaxxon Fagg leads the way hitting .667 (8-12) with three RBI, eight runs scored, and has five doubles.
• Clay Koetzer checks in at second batting .571 with eight hits in 14 at bats. he has three RBI, seven runs scored and home run on the year.'
• Kyle Kaufman is also batting .571 on 8-14 hitting. He has hit two homers and is second on the team in RBI with six.
• Christian Loya is the leading home run hitter with three and is batting .429 to start the year. He is also the team leader in RBI and runs scored with seven and eight, respectively.
• Darius Carter, Tanner Schuetz, and Justice Nakagwa are all hitting over .300 to start the 2019 season as well to help the Buffs hitting lineup.
• Drew Mesecher leads the pitching rotation with a 0.00 ERA as a starter. In his lone start he went four full innings and allowed just two hits and struck out four batters.
• Joe Corbett sports a 3.60 ERA in his one start and went five innings. He leads the team in strikeouts with seven in his first game.
• Out of the bullpen, Dominic Yearego has proven to be a go to pitcher with two saves already to start the season. He pitched 3.0 innings total in two appearances, striking out six batters.
• As a unit, West Texas A&M bats an average of .379. They average a 4.20 ERA and are holding opponents to a .261 batting average.

Up Next
• The Grizzlies will head to Hobbs, N.M. next weekend for a four-games series against the University of Southwest Mustangs on Feb. 15 and 16.
• The series will span two days, with both days featuring doubleheaders. Games will be played at 12 pm. and 3 p.m. both days.