NINE RAMS NAMED ALL-CONFERENCE
April 30, 2008

FORT WORTH, TX:  The Red River Athletic Conference has released its all-conference baseball team.  Nine members of the Texas Wesleyan University squad were among those honored.

Seven Rams were named 1st-team All-RRAC including repeat winners Brandon Frazier and Hayden Lackey.  Both earned their third All-RRAC awards and second 1st-team selections.

Lackey (RHP – Duncanville, TX) tied the NAIA career record with his 101st appearance in last night’s win at UT-Brownsville.  This season he has made 29 appearances and holds an ERA of 3.00 with a 4-2 record and four saves.

Frazier (CF – Burleson, TX) ranks 16th nationally with his team leading 64 runs scored.  He also leads the team with 73 hits, 17 doubles, four triples, and 31 stolen bases while hitting .388.

Infielders Butch Ballez and Zach Smith, outfielder Antoine Cole, and pitchers Steven DeFratus and Aaron Wimpee were also named to the 1st-team.

Ballez (SS – El Paso, TX) leads the Rams with a .427 batting average while blasting seven home runs and driving in 53.  Smith (3B – Sanger, TX) is hitting .424 while his 61 RBI rank 24th nationally.  Cole (RF – Shreveport, LA) is hitting .387 with six home runs, 34 RBI, and 21 stolen bases.

Steven DeFratus (RHP – Oxnard, CA) is 8-2 with a 2.08 ERA that ranks 23rd nationally and a team best 57 strikeouts in 56.1 innings of work.  DeFratus is also riding a streak of 24 consecutive scoreless innings.  Aaron Wimpee (RHP – Bells, TX) is 8-0 with a 1.86 ERA that ranks 14th nationally.

Blake Walker and Jayson Racuig were both named to the 2nd-team.  Walker (LF – Southlake, TX) is hitting .383 with a team-best eight home runs to go with 46 RBI and 12 stolen bases.  Rachuig (RHP – Fort Worth, TX) is 6-2 with a 3.65 ERA and 48 strikeouts in 56.2 innings pitched.

After taking a 3-1 win over hosting UT-Brownsville last night, the 19th ranked and top-seeded Rams will play third seeded Huston-Tillotson University who fell 14-7 to fourth seeded Northwood in the tournament’s opening game.  That second round contest is scheduled for a 6:00 p.m. start on Wednesday.