June 8, 2005
NCAA Regional Links:
ASU Baseball Links:
College Baseball Links:
PROJECTED STARTING PITCHERS:
June 10 vs. Cal State Fullerton, 7 p.m.
ASU - Jason Urquidez, RHP (9-4, 4.05 ERA)
CSF - Ricky Romero, LHP (12-5, 2.95 ERA)
June 11 vs. Cal State Fullerton, 4 p.m.
ASU - Erik Averill, LHP (9-4, 3.77 ERA)
CSF - Ryan Schreppel, LHP (6-0, 1.83 ERA)
June 12 vs. Cal State Fullerton, 3 p.m.
ASU - TBA
CSF - TBA
ASU IN THE NCAA TOURNAMENT
All-Time Record in NCAA: 132-55 (29)
Last Week: 3-0 at Tempe Regional
CWS Appearances (last): 18 (1998)
CWS Titles (last): 5 (1981)
NATIONAL RANKINGS
The Sun Devils are ranked No. 17 by Collegiate Baseball, Baseball America and NCBWA, and No. 24 by SportsWeekly/ESPN. ASU has appeared in the national rankings in 110 of the last 116 weeks dating back to the start of the 2000 season. Cal State Fullerton is ranked No. 2 by CB, No. 3 by SW and No. 4 by BA.
MEDIA EXPOSURE:
All of ASU's games in the NCAA Tournament will be broadcast locally in the Phoenix area on KDUS 1060 AM. Tim Healey and Bob Eger will call all the action from the Goodwin Field Press Box. The games will also be available on the internet at www.TheSunDevils.com. All three of the Super Regional games will be televised on ESPN, ESPN2 or ESPNU. Check your local listings for specifics.
FUN FACTS:
After starting the year 6-9, ASU turned its season around by going 31-13 over the last 44 games... ASU has advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the sixth straight year and eighth time in the last nine seasons and the Super Regionals for the second time in the last three years... the Devils played 34 of their 56 regular season games against teams that are part of the 64-team NCAA Tournament... ASU has also played 33 of 59 games against teams that have been ranked at some point this season... Jeff Larish has 19 home runs and ranks second in ASU history with 47 career homers... Travis Buck became only the 21st player in school history to record 100 hits in a season.
What's On Tap:
The Arizona State Sun Devils (37-22, 15-9 Pac-10) are making their second appearance in the NCAA Super Regionals in the last three years. After sweeping through the Tempe Regional last weekend with a perfect 3-0 record, ASU takes on No. 6 national seed Cal State Fullerton (45-16) this weekend in a best-of-three series at Goodwin Field on the Cal State Fullerton campus. The winner of the series will advance to the College World Series in Omaha, Neb. ASU is making its 29th appearance in the NCAA Tournament and owns an all-time 132-55 record in tournament play.
Quick Hits:
ASU in Postseason Play:
Arizona State is making its 29th appearance in the NCAA Tournament and its second in the best-of-three Super Regionals. ASU's postseason run includes a string of six straight years in the Field of 64 and eight in the last nine years dating back to 1997. The Sun Devils have advanced to the postseason in eight of head coach Pat Murphy's 11 seasons in Tempe, including playing for the national championship in 1998. ASU has an all-time 132-55 record in the NCAA Tournament and has won five national championships to rank second among all NCAA schools (1965, 67, 69, 77, 81). ASU also leads the NCAA with five runner-up finishes and ranks fifth with 18 trips to Omaha and the College World Series. ASU's regional championship last weekend was the 14th in school history and the first achieved at Packard Stadium since 1993.
Recapping the Tempe Regional:
The Sun Devils claimed an impressive three-game sweep in the NCAA Tempe Regional last weekend with wins over East Carolina (9-6) and two wins over top-seeded Coastal Carolina (11-3, 9-5). ASU outscored its opponent 29-14 in the three games and combined to hit at a .380 (41-for-108) clip. The pitching staff used only six pitchers throughout the weekend and posted a 3.33 ERA giving up only 10 earned runs in 27.0 innings.
Five Sun Devils Named to All-Regional Team:
Led by Co-Most Outstanding Players Erik Averill (LHP) and Tuffy Gosewisch (C), five Sun Devils were named to the NCAA Tempe Regional All-Tournament Team. In addition to Averill and Gosewisch, outfielders Colin Curtis and J.J. Sferra, and first baseman Jeff Larish were named to the 11-player team. Averill threw a complete game and struck out eight against Coastal Carolina to advance ASU to the Regional Championship. Gosewisch hit .500 (6-for-12) with four doubles and 10 RBI, including a career-high seven RBI agianst Coastal. Larish was 6-for-11 (.545) with two home runs, Sferra hit a blistering .538 (7-for-13) and Curtis was 6-for-11 (.545) with six runs scored and one home run.
Gosewisch Guns Them Down:
Senior catcher Tuffy Gosewisch started all 59 games behind the plate this season and hasn't shown any signs of wearing down. Gosewisch heads into the Super Regionals having thrown out seven of the last 12 attempted base stealers. For the season, the Johnny Bench Catcher of the Year semifinalist (1 of 10) has thrown out 25 of 64 (39%) and has committed only two errors in 474 chances for a .996 FLD%. At the plate, Gosewisch is among the team leaders batting .323 (71-for-220) with six home runs and 67 RBI.
Larish Leading Off:
It is not often that you see a leadoff hitter leading the league in home runs, but for the last six games that is exactly what the Sun Devils have featured. Senior 1B/OF Jeff Larish has hit leadoff in each of the last six games, leading ASU to wins in all six games. Larish is hitting .320 (71-for-222) with 19 home runs on the season, and is batting .364 (8-for-22) with 11 runs scored, three home runs, 11 RBI and a .516 on-base percentage in the six games in the leadoff spot. He has also stolen three of his 11 bases and has combined for a .818 slugging percentage during that stretch of games as a ledoff hitter.
Saving the Best For Last:
The Sun Devils are in the midst of a season-high seven-game win streak dating back to the last game of the Washington series. ASU had a pair of six-game win streaks during the season, but never reached the seven-win plateau. During the current seven-game streak, ASU is hitting .343 (81-for-236) with 20 stolen bases and have outscored its opponent 62-25. Pitchers Brett Bordes and Jason Urquidez each have two wins during the streak, as the pitching staff has combined for a 2.71 ERA by allowing only 19 earned runs over the last 63.0 innings.
Four Devils Selected in First 18 Rounds of MLB Draft:
Led by first-round draft pick Travis Buck, four Sun Devils were selected in the first 18 rounds of the annual MLB Amateur Draft. Buck was the 36th overall selection and was a supplemental pick by the Oakland Athletics. He becomes ASU's 22nd all-time first-round pick and the first since Ryan Mills in 1998. Senior first baseman Jeff Larish (5th round, Tigers), senior catcher Tuffy Gosewisch (11th round Phillies) and senior right-handed pitcher Jason Urquidez (17th round, Diamondbacks) were also selected. Five players who signed NLI's with the Sun Devils were also selected in the first 20 rounds of the draft.
Player Team Round Overall Selection
Mark Pawelek* Chicago Cubs 1st 20
Travis Buck Oakland A's 1st (sup) 36
Michael Bowden* Boston Red Sox 1st (sup) 47
Jeff Lyman* Atlanta Braves 2nd 77
Jeff Larish Detroit Tigers 5th 150
Matt Hall* Los Angeles Angels 8th 253
Tuffy Gosewisch Philadelphia Phillies 11th 337
Ryan Zimmerman* Tampa Bay Devil Rays 12th 358
Jason Urquidez Arizona Diamondbacks 17th 501
Team Speed:
The Sun Devils head into the Super Regionals with a Pac-10-leading 123 stolen bases (123-for-166). The 123 stolen bases are the most by a Sun Devil squad since 1999 (130). Junior Travis Buck is second in the Pac-10 with 24 stolen bases and sophomore Colin Curtis ranks fifth with 17. Redshirt freshman Rocky Laguna tied the ASU single-game record with four stolen bases against New Mexico State (2/7) and added three more against Wright State (4/1). A total of 13 different Sun Devils have recorded a stolen base, 11 players have two or more steals and six have recorded double-digits. Senior Jeff Larish recorded a straight steal of home vs. Stanford (4/17), marking the first steal of home since Colin Curtis swiped home plate in 2004 vs. Lamar. The Sun Devils also entered the record books with eight stolen bases against UCLA (4/24), tying for fourth in single-game history. ASU had only 56 total stolen bases in 59 games last season.
Buck and Larish Named First-Team All-Pac-10:
Arizona State Baseball players Travis Buck and Jeff Larish were selected to the 2005 All-Pac-10 Team and nine other Sun Devils picked up honorable mention all-conference honors. Junior starting pitcher Erik Averill (Orange, Calif.), sophomore relief pitcher Pat Bresnehan (Sherborn, Mass.), junior relief pitcher Brett Bordes (Mesa, Ariz.), sophomore outfielder Colin Curtis (Issaquah, Wash.), sophomore second baseman Seth Dhaenens (Chandler, Ariz.), senior catcher Tuffy Gosewisch (Scottsdale, Ariz.), freshman shortstop Andrew Romine (Lake Forest, Calif.), freshman center fielder J.J. Sferra (Phoenix, Ariz.) and senior starting pitcher Jason Urquidez (Simi Valley, Calif.) were all named All-Pac-10 honorable mention. Buck was named first-team All-Pac-10 for the second straight year and Larish was named first-team for the second time in his career, having been a first-team selection in 2003 and an honorable mention in 2004.
Team Awards Announced at Annual Banquet:
Several individual awards were passed out at the team's annual awards banquet held Tuesday, May 30. Senior catcher Tuffy Gosewisch was a near unanimous choice for the On Deck Circle MVP Award. Several players also shared awards, including Jason Urquidez and Erik Averill for Pitcher of the Year, Travis Buck and Jeff Larish for Offensive MVP and Gosewisch and Larish for Defensive MVP.
On Deck Circle MVP: Tuffy Gosewisch
Pitcher of the Year: Jason Urquidez/Erik Averill
Offensive MVP: Travis Buck/Jeff Larish
Defensive MVP: Tuffy Gosewisch/Jeff Larish
Developmental MVP: Rocky Laguna
Newcomer of the Year: Joey Hooft/Andrew Romine/J.J. Sferra
Mr. Fireman Award: Brett Bordes/Pat Bresnehan
Jim Henderson Courage Award: Colin Curtis
Jim Brock/Mr. Sun Devil Award: Seth Dhaenens
Bobby Winkles Award: Colin Curtis
The Tillman: Travis Buck
Seven Sun Devils Earn Pac-10 Academic Honors:
Arizona State juniors Travis Buck and Erik Averill headlined a list of seven Sun Devil baseball players who were named to the 2005 All-Pac-10 Baseball Academic team. A student-athlete must have a minimum 3.0 overall GPA and either be a starter or significant contributor. Arizona State's seven selections included two on the first team (Averill, Buck), two on the second team (Tuffy Gosewisch, Ty Marotz) and three honorable mention selections (Seth Dhaenens, Joe Persichina, Eric Williams). The seven selections are tied for the most among Pac-10 member schools and the most by an ASU baseball squad since having six in 2002. Buck and Averill were also both named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District 8 team and Gosewisch was a second-team selection.
A Pair of Nine and 21-Game Winners:
Senior right-hander Jason Urquidez and junior left-hander Erik Averill have nearly identical season and career statistics. Each are 9-4 this season and both have recorded 21 career wins. Averill leads the pitching staff this season with a 3.77 ERA and is 21-10 with a 4.14 ERA in 67 career appearances (36 starts). Urquidez is 9-4 with a 4.05 ERA in 2005 and is 21-7 with a 3.73 ERA in two seasons at ASU.
| Arizona State Career Stats in NCAA Tournament: | ||||||||||
| Player | Avg. | G | AB | R | H | RBI | 2B | 3B | HR | SB |
| Sferra | .538 | 3 | 13 | 4 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Curtis | .476 | 6 | 21 | 7 | 10 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Gosewisch | .366 | 12 | 41 | 4 | 15 | 17 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Larish | .339 | 16 | 62 | 18 | 21 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 |
| Buck | .302 | 12 | 53 | 13 | 16 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Dhaenens | .263 | 6 | 19 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Persichina | .250 | 3 | 12 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Romine | .250 | 3 | 12 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Fox | .250 | 8 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Hooft* | .083 | 12 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Laguna | .000 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Player | ERA | W-L | SV | G | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO |
| Bresnehan | 0.00 | 1-0 | 0 | 1 | 2.2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Zinicola | 2.08 | 0-0 | 1 | 2 | 4.1 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 5 |
| Bordes | 2.45 | 0-0 | 1 | 4 | 7.1 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 5 |
| Urquidez | 3.18 | 2-0 | 0 | 2 | 11.1 | 12 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 12 |
| Averill | 5.19 | 1-3 | 0 | 4 | 26.0 | 35 | 17 | 15 | 4 | 25 |
| Barnette | 6.00 | 0-0 | 0 | 1 | 3.0 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Marotz | 18.00 | 0-0 | 0 | 2 | 2.0 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 4 |
*Hooft's stats do not include three postseasons with the University of Miami (Fla.)
Buck and Larish Named To Golden Spikes Watch List:
Senior first baseman Jeff Larish and junior right fielder Travis Buck were among 40 college baseball players named to the initial watch list for the 2005 Golden Spikes Award presented by USA Baseball. The Golden Spikes Award is given annually to the top amateur baseball player in the country. Buck and Larish mark the third straight year that ASU has had a player named to the initial Golden Spikes Award watch list. Former All-American shortstop and current Boston Red Sox prospect Dustin Pedroia was named to the watch list in 2003 and 2004 and became ASU's seventh all-time Golden Spikes Award finalist last season. Arizona State has had three winners of the Golden Spikes Award. Bob Horner (1978), Oddibe McDowell (1984) and Mike Kelly (1991) all won the prestigious award during their Sun Devil careers. USA Baseball announced the five finalists for the award were Ryan Braun (Miami), Jeff Clement (USC), Trevor Crowe (Arizona), Alex Gordon (Nebraska) and Luke Hochevar (Tennessee). Buck and Larish were also named to the watch lists for the Brooks Wallace Player of the Year Award and the Xanthus Howser Trophy.
Buck Named Third-Team Collegiate Baseball All-American:
Arizona State junior 3B/OF Travis Buck has been named a third-team All-American by Collegiate Baseball Newspaper. Buck (Richland, Wash.) leads the Sun Devils in several offensive categories heading into the Super Regionals this weekend against Cal State Fullerton. Buck started all 59 games with 17 starts at third base, 40 in right field and two in center field. The first-team All-Pac-10 selection ranks third in the league hitting .389 (100-for-257) with 22 doubles, three triples, four home runs, 38 RBI and 24 stolen bases. He became only the 21st player and 23rd occurrence to record 100 hits in a season in ASU history.
All-Time Series vs. Cal State Fullerton:
Arizona State leads the all-time series against Cal State Fullerton 23-22, but has gone just 3-8 in the last 11 meetings. ASU has had three of its last four seasons end at Goodwin Field, losing to Texas Tech in the 2001 NCAA Regionals, falling one game short of the College World Series in the 2003 Super Regional and then losing to Fullerton in last season's NCAA Regional. The Titans head into the Super Regional as the No. 6 national seed and are 45-16. Left-handed starting pitcher Ricky Romero is 12-5 with a 2.95 ERA and was the first pitcher selected in the MLB Draft going sixth overall to the Toronto Blue Jays. Right fielder Sergio Pedroza leads CSF at the plate hitting .330 (69-for-209) with 15 home runs.
Gosewisch Named Bench Award Semifinalist:
Senior catcher Tuffy Gosewisch was named a semifinalist for the Coleman Company-Johnny Bench Award. The award is presented annually at the Greater Wichita Sports Banquet to the nation's top collegiate catcher. Gosewisch is one of 10 semifinalists up for the prestigious award, including Pac-10 catchers Nick Hundley (Arizona) and Jeff Clement (USC). Gosewisch was also a semifinalist in 2004. Hundley, Clement and Taylor Teagarden (Texas) were announced as the three finalists. Through 59 games against one of the toughest schedules in the nation, Gosewisch is fifth on the team batting .323 (71-for-220) with 15 doubles, six home runs and a team-leading 67 RBI. He was named the Co-Most Outstanding Player in the Tempe Regional last weekend hitting .500 (6-for-12) with four doubles and 10 RBI. Defensively, he has started every game and has caught all but 28 innings. He has made only two errors in 473 chances for a .996 FLD% and has thrown out 25 of 64 attempted base stealers (39%).
Larish Trails Only Horner For ASU Career Home Run Record:
Senior Jeff Larish has made several dents in the ASU career record books... and he isn't done yet. Larish hit his Pac-10 leading 18th and 19th home runs of the year in the regional opener against East Carolina, moving him into second place in the ASU career record books. He was tied for third with Barry Bonds, but in two swings of the bat tied and passed Mike Kelly for second place. In four years in the Maroon and Gold, Larish has hit 47 home runs and now only trails former major leaguer Bob Horner who holds the all-time record with 56 home runs. The senior slugger has four multi-homer games this season and six in his career. Of his 19 home runs this season, he has hit seven solo homers, five two-run shots and seven three-run bombs. Twelve (12) of his 19 homers have also come on the road. Larish's 229 RBI are tied for fourth in the ASU record books and his 193 walks are second. Larish is also listed fifth in career at-bats (821), fifth in total bases (480), seventh in hits (273), fourth in runs scored (217) and 10th in doubles (54). He needs only one more home run to become only the 12th player in school history to hit 20 home runs in a season. Larish is hitting .320 (71-for-222) this season and is a career .333 (273-for-821) hitter with 107 career extra base hits (.585 SLG%).
| Year | Avg | GP-GS | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | SB-ATT |
| 2002.... | .328 | 34-33 | 128 | 31 | 42 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 24 | 29 | 19 | 0-1 |
| 2003.... | .372 | 65-64 | 234 | 80 | 87 | 18 | 2 | 18 | 95 | 78 | 42 | 3-5 |
| 2004.... | .308 | 57-57 | 237 | 46 | 73 | 17 | 0 | 7 | 49 | 35 | 50 | 3-7 |
| 2005.... | .320 | 59-59 | 222 | 60 | 71 | 15 | 1 | 19 | 61 | 51 | 55 | 11-14 |
| TOTAL... | .333 | 215-213 | 821 | 217 | 273 | 54 | 6 | 47 | 229 | 193 | 166 | 17-27 |
The Barry Bonds Factor:
Since several Sun Devil hitters met with former ASU All-American and seven-time National League MVP Barry Bonds, the team's offensive numbers have improved drastically. Bonds was on campus for a press conference honoring his former coach Dr. Jim Brock on Mar. 8, and stayed after to hang around the batting cage to offer his instruction. Since meeting with Bonds, who hit .347 as a Sun Devil with 45 career home runs from 1983-85, ASU is hitting .335 (456-for-1363) to raise the team batting average 37 points from .278 to .315 and is 26-12 during that stretch. The Devils have also hit 31 of the season total 42 home runs and combined for a .470 slugging percentage. Senior slugger Jeff Larish, who worked extensively with Bonds, is hitting .348 (48-for-138) with 14 of his Pac-10 leading 19 homers. Other hitters have also benefited since listening to arguably the greatest left-handed power hitter in MLB history, with Travis Buck (.429), Seth Dhaenens (.373), J.J. Sferra (.361), and Colin Curtis (.342) all hitting over .300 over the last 38 games.
Still Dominating the Arizona Baseball Rivalry:
Arizona and Arizona State are the only two Division I baseball programs in the state of Arizona and have met 413 times since 1907. While Arizona leads the overall rivalry 224-189, ASU leads the series 166-107 since the school officially adopted the program as a varsity sport in 1959. Additionally, ASU has dominated the rivalry in recent years, winning 17 of the last 25 (17-8) games since 2000. Arizona won four of the five games this season, marking the first time since 1992 that the Wildcats have won a season series over the Sun Devils since 1992. Since head coach Pat Murphy took over the program in 1995, ASU is 35-20 (.636).
Buck Continues Hot Hitting:
Junior Travis Buck (Richland, Wash.) started the season slow hitting only .246 in the first 15 games, but has since heated up going 85-for-196 (.434) over the last 44 games. Buck has recorded at least one hit in 22 of the last 23 games and for the season has gone hitless in only nine games. He leads the team with 33 multi-hit games and has recorded two or more hits in 16 of the last 23 contests. The Golden Spikes, Wallace Award and Baseball America Player of the Year candidate leads the team hitting .389 (100-for-257) with 22 doubles, 73 runs scored, three triples, four home runs and 38 RBI. He also leads the team with 43 stolen bases to rank second in the Pac-10. In 184 career games as a Sun Devil, Buck has at least one hit in 144 games (78%) and has recorded 77 multi-hit games. He recently became only the 21st player in ASU history to record 100 hits in a season and is also vying to become just the 16th Sun Devil to hit over .400. He is currently tied for ninth in ASU history with 262 career hits. He became ASU's 22nd all-time first-round draft pick when he was selected 36th in the 2005 MLB Amateur Draft by the Oakland A's.
| Year | Avg | GP-GS | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | SB-ATT |
| 2003.... | .326 | 66-65 | 239 | 59 | 78 | 13 | 3 | 4 | 46 | 35 | 28 | 12-14 |
| 2004.... | .373 | 59-59 | 225 | 64 | 84 | 16 | 1 | 9 | 58 | 41 | 34 | 13-16 |
| 2005.... | .389 | 59-59 | 257 | 73 | 100 | 22 | 3 | 4 | 38 | 25 | 32 | 24-32 |
| TOTAL... | .363 | 184-183 | 721 | 196 | 262 | 51 | 7 | 17 | 142 | 101 | 94 | 49-62 |
Complete Games:
The Sun Devil pitching staff has registered five complete games this year with four coming from junior LHP Erik Averill and one by sophomore RHP Pat Bresnehan against USC (3/25). The five complete games are more than the entire season totals from 2004 (2), 2003 (1), 2001 (1), 2000 (2) and 1996 (3). Averill's four complete games are the most by a Sun Devil since Will Waldrip also had four in 1999.
Gosewisch Among Nation's Elite Catchers:
Senior catcher Tuffy Gosewisch joins former Sun Devil Don Wakamatsu (1982-85) as the only other full-time, three-year starter at the catching position in school history. Gosewisch has started 174 games behind the plate in his career and has combined to go 183-for-552 (.331) over the last three years. This season he is fifth on the team hitting .323 (71-for-220) with six home runs and ranks tied for second in the Pac-10 with 67 RBI. He has been one of ASU's most consistent hitters this season with at least one hit in 43 of 59 games and leads the team with 19 multi-RBI games. Gosewisch was named one of 10 semifinalists for the 2005 Johnny Bench Catcher of the Year Award, an honor he also received last season. He is a career .321 hitter with 10 home runs, 159 RBI and owns an impressive .993 fielding percentage. Gosewisch has been nearly perfect behind the dish this year with only two errors (.996 fielding percentage) in 473 total chances. He has gunned down 25 of 64 base stealers and has allowed only one passed ball. He has caught all but 28 innings this season (out of 527.2) and showed his true "tuffness" when he played the next day after suffering a mild concussion and had several stitches after being hit by a pitch in the head against Baylor (2/25). Here is a look at Tuffy's progression at the plate in games started during his Sun Devil career:
Gosewisch as a Starting Catcher:
2002: 12 games started (1-for-29, .034)
2003: 45 games started (45-for-136, .331)
2004: 58 games started (67-for-196, .342)
2005: 59 games started (71-for-220, .323)
| Year | Avg | GP-GS | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | SB-ATT |
| 2002.... | .128 | 30-12 | 39 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 12 | 0-0 |
| 2003.... | .340 | 59-45 | 144 | 41 | 49 | 9 | 0 | 2 | 41 | 22 | 19 | 2-2 |
| 2004.... | .342 | 59-58 | 199 | 36 | 68 | 14 | 1 | 2 | 49 | 31 | 37 | 0-2 |
| 2005.... | .323 | 59-59 | 220 | 40 | 71 | 15 | 2 | 6 | 67 | 27 | 33 | 5-8 |
| TOTAL... | .321 | 207-174 | 602 | 123 | 193 | 38 | 3 | 10 | 159 | 84 | 101 | 7-12 |
Fox Likes Starting:
Arizona State freshman designated hitter Willy Fox has proved a point that he should be in the starting lineup. The freshman slugger is seventh on the team hitting .313 (30-for-96) with four home runs and 27 RBI. While Fox has started only 20 games, almost all of his offensive production has been in those games. As a starter, Fox is batting .366 (26-for-71) with all nine of his extra base hits and 24 of his 27 RBI. Off the bench, the Scottsdale native is hitting just .160 (4-for-25). Here is a look at Fox's season stats as a starter and reserve.
| AVG | GP-GS | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | TB | SLG% | BB | HBP | SO | GDP | OB% | SF | SH | SB-ATT | |
| Starter.... | .366 | 20-20 | 71 | 21 | 26 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 24 | 44 | .620 | 11 | 4 | 15 | 1 | .471 | 1 | 0 | 7-9 |
| Reserve.... | .160 | 20-0 | 25 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 4 | .160 | 2 | 1 | 12 | 0 | .250 | 0 | 0 | 0-0 |
Buck Earns Fifth Career Pac-10 Player of the Week Award:
Arizona State junior outfielder Travis Buck was named the Pac-10 Baseball Player of the Week for April 12-18. Buck helped lead the Sun Devils to a series sweep over nationally ranked Stanford by hitting .462 (6-for-13) with four runs scored, one double, one home run and six RBI. He also stole a base and recorded a 1269 OPS (slugging + on-base). Coming up clutch all weekend, Buck recorded multi-hit games in each victory over the Cardinal. He provided the heroics with a two-run, game-tying home run in the bottom of the ninth inning in Saturday's 6-5 come-from-behind win and had a key three-run double in Sunday's 10-9 win to clinch the sweep. The Pac-10 award was Buck's second this season, also being honored after hitting .571 (8-for-14, 6 H, 6 RBI) against Baylor. The Player of the Week honor is the fifth of Buck's career and the 76th such honor for Arizona State since the Sun Devils joined the Pac-10 in 1979. Buck becomes the first position player in school history to earn five Pac-10 Player of the Week honors and is now one award away from the school record of six set by left-handed pitcher Sean Rees (1989-91). He also won the award twice last season (Mar. 2, Mar. 9) and once during his freshman season in 2003 (Apr. 1).
Most Pac-10 Weekly Awards in School History:
Sean Rees, LHP (1989-91) 6
Travis Buck, OF (2003-P) 5
Jeremy West, 1B/DH (2001-03) 4
Antone Williamson, INF (1992-94) 4
Devils Facing Big League Arms:
The Sun Devils will face their 13th preseason All-American pitcher of the season this weekend in Cal State Fullerton's LHP Ricky Romero. Romero was the first pitcher selected in the 2005 MLB Draft, going sixth overall to the Toronto Blue Jays. In addition to facing Romero this Friday, the Sun Devils have already faced Tim Lincecum (Washington), John Meloan (Arizona), Dallas Buck (Oregon State), Ian Kennedy (USC), Cesar Ramos (Long Beach State), Brian Bogusevic (Tulane), Micah Owings (Tulane), Neil Jamison (Long Beach State), P.J. Walters (South Alabama), Mark McCormick (Baylor), Mark Romanczuk (Stanford) and Andrew Miller (North Carolina). ASU also beat a pair of second-round (Trey Taylor) and third-round (Cory VanAllen) draft picks during the Baylor series.
Triple Your Pleasure:
Through 59 games the Sun Devils have hit 16 triples to rank second in the Pac-10 and have more than doubled the entire season total of seven from last season. Travis Buck ranks third in the league with three triples, while Rocky Laguna, Andrew Romine, Joe Persichina and Tuffy Gosewisch each have a pair of triples to rank tied for ninth. In 59 games last season, ASU had only seven triples, ranking 245th out of 285 teams in the NCAA.
ASU in the Pac-10:
The Sun Devils completed their 27th season in the Conference of Champions by finishing in a tie for third with the USC Trojans with a 15-9 record in league play. ASU owns an all-time 442-323 (.578) record in Pac-10 play dating back to the first season in 1979. ASU was previously affiliated with the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) were they combined to go 195-56 (.777) with 11 league championships from 1963-78. ASU has won six Pac-10 championships (last in 2000). Since the Pac-10 North and Pac-10 South joined in 1999, ASU is 102-66 (.607) in league play and 289-131-1 overall. In 11 seasons under head coach Pat Murphy the Sun Devils are 163-124 (.568) in Pac-10 play.
Buck Prefers Hitting Second:
In his three seasons as a Sun Devil, junior right fielder Travis Buck has enjoyed his most success while hitting in the No. 2 spot in the lineup. In 121 career games in the No. 2 spot in the lineup, Buck is a career .415 (201-for-484) hitter with 155 runs scored, 14 home runs and 107 RBI. While hitting No. 2, Buck has accounted for 75% of his career run production (107 of 142 RBI), 79% of his runs scored (155 of 196), 82% of his home runs (14 of 17) and 76% of his total hits (201 of 262). This season Buck is hitting .442 (88-for-199) with 64 runs scored and 34 RBI in 45 games batting in the second spot. ASU is 32-13 this season when Buck hits No. 2 and 93-28 over the last three years. He has combined to hit just .257 (61-for-237) with three home runs and 35 RBI in 63 career games when not batting No. 2.
Buck Ninth in Career Hits and Fourth Member of 100-20-20 Club:
With six hits in the NCAA Regional last weekend, Travis Buck reached a number of milestones. He became only the 21st player (23rd occurrence) in school history to record 100 hits in a season. He also moved into a tie for ninth in the career record books with 262 hits and became just the fourth person to ever record 100 hits, 20 doubles and 20 steals in a single season. Here is a look at the three other members of the 100 hits, 20 steals and 20 doubles club:
Player Year Hits 2B SB
Ken Landreaux 1976 119 25 24
Kevin Romine 1981 102 20 27
Dan McKinley 1997 113 21 32
Travis Buck 2005 100 22 24
Bordes Dominates Out of Bullpen:
Junior LHP Brett Bordes has been most effective this season out of the bullpen going 5-1 with three saves and a 2.98 ERA in 51.1 innings (28 appearances). As a starter, Bordes has struggled going 0-4 with a 6.75 ERA. The left-hander has been stellar over his last 24 relief appearances, going 5-1 with 2.29 ERA by giving up only nine earned runs in 39.1 innings. He has also allowed only 15 of 38 inherited runners to score this season. Heading into the Super Regionals, Bordes has pitched in eight of ASU's last 10 games and currently ranks seventh in the ASU single-season record books with 32 pitching appearances this season. Here is a look at the statistical comparison for Bordes as a starter and out of the bullpen:
| ERA | W-L | APP | GS | CG | SHO/CBO | SV | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | 2B | 3B | HR | AB | B/Avg | |
| Reliever..... | 2.98 | 5-1 | 28 | 0 | 0 | 0/1 | 3 | 51.1 | 40 | 18 | 17 | 20 | 34 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 183 | .219 |
| Starter...... | 6.75 | 0-4 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0/0 | 0 | 16.0 | 21 | 18 | 12 | 4 | 9 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 67 | .313 |
Curtis and Buck Have Speed To Burn:
Outfielders Colin Curtis and Travis Buck have combined for 41 of ASU's Pac-10 leading 123 stolen bases this season. Buck leads the team with 24, while Curtis is second with 17. The 41 combined stolen bases are the most by a pair of teammates since Jeff Duncan (23) and Jonah Martin (19) combined for 42 steals in 2000. It is also tied for the fourth most over the last 26 years dating back to 1990. Here is a look at some of ASU's deadliest speed combinations in school history:
Year Steals Players
1984 66 Oddibe McDowell (36)/Barry Bonds (30)
1999 65 Willie Bloomquist (32)/Jay Sitzman (33)
1998 60 Willie Bloomquist (33)/Mikel Moreno (27)
1987 53 Mike Benjamin (30)/John Finn (23)
1988 45 John Finn (16)/Pat Listach (29)
2000 42 Jeff Duncan (23)/Jonah Martin (19)
1989 41 John Finn (23)/Mike Kelly (16)
2005 41 Travis Buck (23)/Colin Curtis (17)
1990 40 Fernando Vina (20)/Mike Kelly (20)
Urquidez Finishing Strong:
Senior right-handed pitcher Jason Urquidez is having a strong finish to the season and living up to his preseason billing as one of the top senior pitchers in the nation. Over his last nine starts, Urquidez is 5-1 with a 2.87 ERA, allowing 17 earned runs in 53.1 IP. For the season, Urquidez is 9-4 with a 4.05 ERA with 83 strikeouts in 100.0 IP. As a starter he has combined to go 6-2 with a 4.28 ERA and as a reliever is 3-2 with two saves and a 3.33 ERA (11 appearances). In nine Pac-10 appearances (seven starts), he was 3-2 with one save and a 3.23 ERA. In two seasons as a Sun Devil, the Central Arizona College transfer is 21-7 with a 3.74 ERA. He returned for his senior season after leading the Pac-10 with 12 wins last season and was a 11th round draft pick of the Cincinnati Reds. He was selected in the 17th round by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 2005 MLB Draft.
| Year | ERA | W-L | App | GS | CG | SHO/CBO | SV | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO |
| 2004.... | 3.41 | 12-3 | 19 | 17 | 1 | 0/1 | 0 | 97.2 | 90 | 40 | 37 | 47 | 94 |
| 2005.... | 4.05 | 9-4 | 24 | 13 | 0 | 0/0 | 2 | 100.0 | 98 | 56 | 45 | 44 | 83 |
| TOTAL... | 3.73 | 21-7 | 43 | 30 | 1 | 0/1 | 2 | 197.2 | 188 | 96 | 82 | 91 | 177 |
Averill Wins No. 21:
Junior right-handed pitcher Erik Averill won his 21st career game with a complete-game gem over No. 1 seed Coastal Carolina in the second game of the NCAA Tempe Regional. Averill is 21-10 with a 4.14 ERA in 67 career appearances (36 starts). The 21 career victories are the most by a Sun Devil since current Tampa Bay Devil Ray Jon Switzer went 23-13 from 1999-2001. In his 17 starts this season, Averill has lasted five or more innings 14 times and has notched four complete games. He is 9-4 with a team-leading 3.77 ERA and has recorded 85 strikeouts in 105.0 innings. As a starter he has posted a 3.42 ERA.
| Year | ERA | W-L | App | GS | CG | SHO/CBO | SV | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO |
| 2003.... | 3.66 | 8-2 | 20 | 15 | 0 | 0/3 | 0 | 86.0 | 87 | 41 | 35 | 19 | 61 |
| 2004.... | 5.19 | 4-4 | 26 | 4 | 0 | 0/0 | 2 | 76.1 | 83 | 50 | 44 | 23 | 56 |
| 2005.... | 3.77 | 9-4 | 21 | 17 | 4 | 1/0 | 0 | 105.0 | 113 | 53 | 44 | 26 | 85 |
| TOTAL... | 4.14 | 21-10 | 67 | 36 | 4 | 1/3 | 2 | 267.1 | 283 | 144 | 123 | 68 | 202 |
Dhaenens Turns Season Upside Down:
Sophomore second baseman Seth Dhaenens started the season on a 1-for-14 (.071) skid, including a streak of 13 straight at-bats without a hit. Dhaenens didn't give up and has turned his season upside down by hitting .376 (44-for-117) with 26 runs, four doubles, two home runs and 29 RBI over his last 35 games. During that stretch he has raised his season batting average 273 points from .071 to .344. Overall, Dhaenens is second on the team hitting .344 (45-for-131) with 26 runs and 29 RBI. The Professor (as known by his teammates) also ranked seventh in the league by hitting .372 (29-for-78) in Pac-10 play. He hit .333 (4-for-12) with two runs in last weekend's NCAA Tempe Regional.
A Classy Gesture:
Prior to ASU's game against East Carolina (3/5), every player and coach of the Sun Devil baseball team made its way from the playing field to the press box to pay honor to former ECU coach Keith LeClair. The team came up to LeClair's special area in the press box to speak to the former ECU coach who is battling Lou Gehrig's Disease. They presented LeClair and his family an Arizona State jersey signed by every member of the program and expressed their gratitude for being one of the first teams to play at the new stadium named in his honor (Clark-LeClair Stadium).
From Batboy To Center Field:
Freshman outfielder J.J. Sferra is no stranger to the batters box at Packard Stadium, only in 2005 he will be hitting there, instead of picking up bats. The son of 10th-year assistant coach Jay Sferra, the younger Sferra spent several seasons in the late 90's as ASU's batboy, including duties at the 1998 College World Series. After a stellar prep career at Mountain Pointe High School, Sferra has become a mainstay in center field for the Sun Devils. He entered the season listed at the No. 33 top incoming freshman in the nation by Baseball America. After his first 20 starts of the season Sferra was hitting just .263 and was benched for a few games. Sferra has responded by going 35-for-89 (.393) since returning to the starting lineup during the USC series. Overall, the freshman All-America candidate is fourth on the team hitting .327 (55-for-168) with 35 runs scored, four doubles, one triple and 17 RBI. Sferra was also among the team leaders hitting .349 (22-for-63) in 21 Pac-10 games. He leads the team with 15 bunt singles and also has seven sacrifice hits. He was named to the Tempe Regional All-Tournament team after hitting .538 (7-for-13) with four runs scored and two stolen bases.
Stockfisch Almost Perfect:
Freshman reserve catcher Austin Stockfisch hasn't seen a lot of action behind senior starter Tuffy Gosewisch, but he has made the most of his opportunities. The Desert Mountain product is hitting .563 (9-for-16) and at one point recorded a hit in eight consecutive at-bats. The eight straight hits are tied for third in the ASU record books and tied an ASU freshman record, last achieved by Richy Leon in 1995. The school record for consecutive hits is nine set by Mike Pagel in 1982 and Hubie Brooks in 1978. Stockfisch's eight consecutive hits came over a stretch of almost two months, starting with his first career hit against Western Illinois (3/12), and ending with single off Oregon State's Jonah Nickerson (5/1).
Bresnehan Named Pac-10 Pitcher of the Week:
Arizona State University sophomore right-handed pitcher Pat Bresnehan was named Pac-10 Baseball Pitcher of the Week for the week of March 22-28. Bresnehan threw a complete-game four-hitter to help lead the Sun Devils to their first Pac-10 victory of the year with a commanding 17-1 win over USC on Mar. 25. A day after six ASU pitchers combined for nine walks and three hit batters, Bresnehan got ASU back on the winning track and helped save the bullpen with his first career complete game. He did not allow an earned run and scattered four singles to pick up his second victory of the season. For the season, Bresnehan is 4-4 with one save and a 5.38 ERA in 25 appearances (11 starts). The Pitcher of the Week honor was the first for Bresnehan and the 46th selection all-time for Arizona State. Current senior RHP Jason Urquidez also earned Pac-10 Pitcher of the Week honors last season.
Buck and Larish Rated Among Top 50 College Prospects:
Junior 3B/OF Travis Buck and Senior 1B/OF Jeff Larish were both rated in the top 50 in Baseball America's annual midseason report rating the top college prospects for the upcoming MLB June Amateur Draft. Buck was ranked No. 17 and the No. 2 outfielder behind Winthrop's Daniel Carte. Larish was ranked No. 40 and is the top listed senior position player. Nebraska third baseman Alex Gordon, a teammate of Buck's on the 2004 USA Baseball National Team, was selected as the top college prospect.
Welcome To the Show:
A total of 17 players have made their ASU debuts this season. Four newcomers were in the starting lineup on opening night against Long Beach State, including Joey Hooft (DH), Andrew Romine (SS), J.J. Sferra (CF) and Vinny Biancamano (2B). Freshman LHP Drew Bowman made his debut in the Maroon and Gold against Oregon State, becoming the 11th true freshman have made it into a game this season. ASU has now started six true freshman and two redshirt freshman position players this season. The Sun Devil roster consists of 18 of 30 active players that have never seen action before this season.
Romine Showing Big League Bloodlines:
Freshman shortstop Andrew Romine is living up to his preseason label as the No. 2 rated freshman in the country by Baseball America. Romine is batting .300 (51-for-170) with five doubles and 22 RBI. While a midseason slump saw his average dip to .266 and did not start six straight Pac-10 games vs. California and Stanford, Romine has responded by hitting .367 (22-for-60) over his last 17 starts. He finished Pac-10 play hitting .345 (20-for-58) and ranks third on the team with 14 stolen bases. His 14 steals place him fourth in the ASU freshman record books, two behind the 16 of record holders Barry Bonds (1983), Steve Garrabrants (2001) and Mike Kelly (1989). Romine is the son of former ASU All-American and Boston Red Sox Kevin Romine. Kevin is ASU's all-time hitting leader with a career .408 (223-for-547) batting average.
ASU Freshman Stolen Base Record:
1. Barry Bonds, 1983 16
Steve Garrabrants, 2001 16
Mike Kelly, 1989 16
4. Andrew Romine, 2005 14
5. Travis Buck, 2003 12
Colin Curtis, 2004 12
Hitting Streaks:
Eight Sun Devils currently have hitting streaks of two or more games heading into the NCAA Super Regional against Cal State Fullerton. Sophomore outfielder Colin Curtis has a career-high 13-game hitting streak in which he is hitting .417 (20-for-48). Junior right fielder Travis Buck recently had his team-high 14-game hitting streak snapped, but has another eight-game streak and has recorded at least one hit in 22 of the last 23 games. Here is a look at ASU players with current hitting streaks:
Player Current Streak Statistics During Streak
Colin Curtis 13 games .417, 20-for-48, 14 R, 2 2B, HR, 11 RBI
Travis Buck 8 games .455, 15-for-33, 13 R, 3 2B, 2 RBI
J.J. Sferra 5 games .500, 9-for-18, 6 R
Seth Dhaenens 4 games .400, 6-for-15, 3 R, 2B, 5 RBI
Tuffy Gosewisch 3 games .500, 6-for-12, 4 2B, 10 RBI
Jeff Larish 3 games .545, 6-for-11, 8 R, 2 HR, 5 RBI
Zechry Zinicola 2 games .333, 2-for-6, R, 2B
Andrew Romine 2 games .333, 3-for-9, R
A Tough Slate For The Sun Devils:
After having the top-rated non-conference schedule in the nation last season, the Sun Devil baseball program has set another challenging slate for the 2005 season. ASU has played 33 of its first 59 games against teams that have been ranked in the national polls at some point this season. ASU ended the regular season with the No. 27 RPI, No. 13 ISR and the No. 4 rated strength of schedule in the nation as computed on BoydsWorld.com. Here is a look at the games ASU has played against ranked opponents this season and their current records (through 5/29):
| Team | Games | Ranking vs. ASU | Current Ranking | Highest Ranking | Current Record |
| Tulane | 3 | #1 (BA/SW/CB) | #1 (CB/SW) | #1 (BA/CB) | 53-9 |
| North Carolina | 1 | #4 (CB) | #21 (CB) | #4 (CB) | 41-19-1 |
| LSU | 2 | #5 (CB/BA/SW) | #18 (SW) | #2 (BA) | 40-22 |
| Arizona | 5 | #7 (CB)/#8 (BA) | #11 (BA) | #6 (BA) | 39-21 |
| Baylor | 3 | #8 (BA) | #6 (CB/BA) | #6 (CB/BA) | 42-21 |
| Long Beach State | 3 | #14 (CB) | #18 (CB) | #9 (CB) | 37-22 |
| Oregon State | 4 | #6 (BA) | #2 (BA) | #2(BA) | 44-9 |
| USC | 3 | #21 (BA) | #15 (NCBWA) | #15 (NCBWA) | 37-19 |
| East Carolina | 2 | NR | NR | #25 (BA) | 35-26 |
| Coastal Carolina | 2 | #24 (NCBWA) | #23 (BA) | #23 (BA) | 50-16 |
Big League Devils:
Six Sun Devils, with two more on the disabled list, are currently on major league rosters. Former Sun Devil outfielder Chris Duffy made his MLB debut with the Pittsburgh Pirates, becoming the 81st Sun Devil to play in the major leagues, but is back in Triple-A. Willie Bloomquist (Seattle Mariners), Paul Lo Duca (Florida Marlins), Jon Switzer (Tampa Bay Devil Rays) and Jacob Cruz (Cincinnati Reds) have also played this season, while seven-time National League MVP Barry Bonds (San Francisco Giants) and Fernando Vina (Detroit Tigers) are both on the disabled list. In addition, two former Sun Devils, Don Wakamatsu (Texas Rangers) and Jeff Pentland (Kansas City Royals), are coaches in the big leagues. Several recent Devils are also climbing within the minor league ranks, including Dustin Pedroia (AA, Portland Sea Dogs), Andre Ethier (AA, Midland Rock Hounds), Mitch Jones (AAA, Columbus Clippers), Brooks Conrad (AAA, Round Rock Express) and Mike Esposito (AAA, Colorado Sky Sox).
Just a Walk in the Park For Larish:
Senior 1B Jeff Larish leads the Pac-10 with 51 walks, including 39 walks in the last 36 games (9 IBB). He also ranks second in ASU history with 193 career walks (see list on page 4) and has recorded at least one walk in 133 of 215 career games. His 78 walks in 2003 are second most in ASU single-season history and he is only the second player in school history to join the 70/70 (RBI/BB) club in a season. Former major leaguer Alvin Davis recorded 87 walks and 91 RBI in 1982 and holds the school record with 207 career walks. Additionally, the third-team preseason All-American (Collegiate Baseball/Baseball America) has recorded 47 career multi-walk games, 83 multi-hit games, 61 multi-RBI contests and 107 career extra base hits for a .585 slugging percentage. He has recorded a hit in 76% of his games played (164 of 215) and has six career multi-home run games (four this season). Larish jumped into the national spotlight during his sophomore season (2003) in which he was named a first-team All-American after hitting .372 (87-for-234) with 80 runs, 18 doubles, 18 home runs, 95 RBI and 78 walks. Larish was also a first-team Summer All-American in 2003 after leading the USA Baseball National Team to a silver medal in the Pan Am Games in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic and led Team USA with 23 RBI and eight home runs.
Team USA Connections:
Junior right fielder Travis Buck will face another of his Team USA teammates this weekend when Fullerton's Ricky Romero takes the mound Friday night. Buck was named a first-team Summer All-American by Baseball America after hitting .412 (28-for-68) with six multi-hit games, two home runs and 14 RBI. He was a big part of Team USA's impressive end-of-the-summer run that saw the Red, White and Blue win the gold medal at the FISU World University Baseball Championship in Tainan, Taiwan. He became the seventh Sun Devil since 1998 to play on the USA Baseball National Team. Of the 22 players on the 2004 National Team, Buck will play against 10 of his summer teammates this season (Ricky Romero, Troy Tulowitzki, Jed Lowrie, John Mayberry Jr., Trevor Crowe, Mark Romanczuk, Ian Kennedy, Jeff Clement, Daniel Bard, Cesar Ramos). Jeff Larish, a member of the 2003 National Team that won the silver medal at the Pan Am Games in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, also played against several of his former teammates from the 2003 summer, including Romanczuk, Clement and Washington shortstop Brent Lillibridge.
It's All About Family For Romine, Gosewisch, Bordes and Sferra:
Father/son combinations and brothers have played a unique part of the storied history of Arizona State Baseball. In all, four father/son combinations have played at Arizona State including current freshman shortstop Andrew Romine and his father, Kevin. Kevin Romine played at ASU from 1981-82 and later went on to play seven years with the Boston Red Sox. He holds the ASU career batting average record hitting .408 (223-for-547) and helped lead ASU to the 1981 National Championship. Assistant coach Jay J. Sferra will also get the chance to coach his son, freshman outfielder J.J. Sferra. Father Eddie Bane (1971-73) and son Jaymie Bane (1997), Casey Myers (1998-2001) and his father Clint Myers (1971-73) and Brian Berger (2000) and his father Bill Berger (1970-73) round out the four father/son combos to don the Sun Devil uniform. Nine sets of brothers have graced the ASU rosters through the years, including senior catcher Tuffy Gosewisch and his brother Chip (1996-99) and junior pitcher Brett Bordes and his freshman brother Greg. The other brother combinations include Chris (1975-78) and Sal (1964-65) Bando, Kevin (1978-81) and Pat (1980-82) Dukes, Byron (1979), Dale (1976-79) and Larry (1976-78) Eiler, Greg (1968) and Skip (1964) Hancock, Darrell (1974-77) and Dwayne (1979) Jackson, Jeff (1994) and Mike (1993) Rensmeyer, and John (1971-73) and Tom (1973-75) Sain. Of the nine sets of brothers, four sets played at least one year together at Arizona State.
Zinicola Moves Into Seventh in Record Books For Career Saves:
Sophomore RHP Zechry Zinicola was named to the preseason NCBWA Stopper of the Year Watch List and leads the Sun Devils with four saves this season. Zinicola notched his fourth save of the year against Arizona (5/14) and 12th of his career to rank seventh place in the ASU record books. He is now just one save away from sixth place (Dave Graybill, 1982-84). Zinicola tied the ASU freshman record with eight saves last season and owns a career 6-3 record with a 4.18 ERA in 36 career relief appearances. Overall, he has pitched in 47 games in two years at ASU and is 7-5 with a 4.55 ERA. Here is a look at ASU's career saves leaders:
ASU Career Saves Leaders:
1. Doug Nurnberg (1965-67) 25
2. Kevin Dukes (1978-81) 20
3. Noah Peery (1993-94) 17
Ryan Schroyer (2001-03) 17
5. Ryan Bradley (1995-97) 16
6. Dave Graybill (1982-84) 13
7. Zechry Zinicola (2004-P) 12
8. Mitch Dean (1976-80) 11
9. Eric Doble (1999-2001) 10
Curtis Coming of Age:
Sophomore center fielder Colin Curtis has started all 59 games this season and is third on the team batting .342 (79-for-231). He has at least one hit in 47 of 59 games, including a current 13-game hitting streak. Curtis is also among the team leaders with 42 RBI, 39 walks and 17 stolen bases. In addition, Curtis has recorded 25 multi-hit games and has 11 games with two or more RBI. He set a career-high with four hits in ASU's 7-6 loss in 14 innings to Arizona (2/15) and also came up with the game-winning single with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning in a 11-10 win over New Mexico State (2/7). He was named to the Tempe Regional All-Tournament team after hitting .545 (6-for-11) with six runs scored and three RBI. His three-run home run in the Regional Final against Coastal Carolina (6/5) gave ASU the lead for good. Curtis is a two-time All-Pac-10 honorable mention selection.
| Year | Avg | GP-GS | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | SB-ATT |
| 2004.... | .300 | 57-57 | 190 | 37 | 57 | 11 | 0 | 5 | 36 | 38 | 39 | 12-14 |
| 2005.... | .342 | 59-59 | 231 | 50 | 79 | 12 | 1 | 2 | 42 | 39 | 32 | 17-23 |
| TOTAL... | .323 | 116-116 | 421 | 87 | 136 | 23 | 1 | 7 | 78 | 77 | 71 | 29-37 |
A Record Breaking Ninth Inning:
The Sun Devils set or tied three school records during the amazing 15-run ninth inning in the 30-13 win over Western Illinois. ASU set a record by recording 16 hits in the inning and sent 21 batters to the plate in the frame. The 15 runs tied a school record, last achieved against Stanford in 1980, and the 16 hits bettered the old record of 12 set against California in 1997. ASU also tied a school record by recording eight consecutive hits in the inning. Travis Buck (single), Colin Curtis (double), Austin Stockfisch (single), Jeff Larish (home run), Willy Fox (double), Joe Persichina (double), Seth Dhaenens (home run) and Greg Bordes (double) to put their names aside a piece of Sun Devil Baseball history. Fox alone went 3-for-3 in the inning falling just a triple short of hitting for the cycle.
Paul Lo Duca Added To ASU Wall of Distinction:
Former Arizona State catcher Paul Lo Duca became the 14th player to have his jersey honored on the outfield fence at Packard Stadium during a special pregame ceremony before ASU's season opener against nationally ranked Long Beach State. Lo Duca's #16 jersey was added to the outfield wall at Packard, recognizing him as one of the elite players to ever play in the program.