STEPHENVILLE - The No. 20 Tarleton baseball team will return to Abilene Saturday, May 7 for the start of the 2011 Lone Star Conference Tournament where they will face Cameron in the opening round.

The Texans series with the Aggies earlier this season was cancelled due to winter weather in the Stephenville area.  The three-game set was not made up, so this will be the first time the two teams meet this season.

Tarleton enters the tournament with a 35-11 record and a 23-10 conference mark.  As a team, the Texans have a .314 batting average, a .504 slugging percentage and a .414 on-base percentage.  Travis Hayes leads the team with a .410 average, to go along with seven home runs and 23 RBI's.  Ethan Stuckly has 45 RBI's on the year and a .390 average, while Mark Jeffery has added 41 RBI's and a .349 average.  Chris Casazza also has provided 15 home runs and 40 RBI's.

The pitching staff for the Texans has a combined ERA of 5.17, compared to opponents' 6.76 mark.  Nathan Lewis has been Tarleton's ace with an 8-1 record, a 4.79 ERA and 50 strikeouts.  Closer Ryan Turner has been just as effective on the back end with 12 saves, a 2.83 ERA and 55 k's.  In middle relief, Brandyn Greer and Jake Sowell both have 5-0 records and over 37 innings of work.

Cameron this season has been up and down, posting a 30-14 record and a 22-11 conference mark.  Offensively, the Aggies have been very dominant with a .352 average and a .591 slugging percentage.  Chase Larsson has been the most dominant individual in the country, leading the nation in a number of categories.  HIs .461 average, 28 home runs and 80 RBI's are just part of what Larsson has been able to do.  Right behind him is Kenny Held, who has 20 home runs, 72 RBI's and a 1.018 slugging percentage.  Cameron has eight players batting over .309 on the season.

The Aggies' pitching staff has not been quite as overpowering, but has still been successful.  They have combined for a 6.19 ERA and 288 strikeouts.  Ricky Cramer has led the way with a 2.30 ERA, a 7-3 record, six complete games and four shutouts.  James Rhodes has added a 6-0 record and a 4.32 ERA while picking up five saves.

Tarleton is 8-14 all-time in the Lone Star Conference Championship Tournament. The Texans have been to two finals (1998, 2002), but have never won the championship.

First pitch is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Saturday, May 7 at Crutcher Scott Field.  If Tarleton wins on Saturday, the Texans would face the winner of the Southwestern Oklahoma/Southeastern Oklahoma game at 7 p.m. on Sunday. Should the Texans lose on Saturday, Tarleton would then face the loser of the Incarnate Word/Texas A&M-Kingsville game in an elimination game at 3 p.m. on Sunday.

For results and more information regarding the 2011 Texan baseball postseason, check back at TarletonSports.com.