Sun Devil Baseball to Take on Gaels This Weekend

Saint Mary's (2-2) | Arizona State (2-2, 0-0 Pac-12)
--------------
BASEBALL MOVIE NIGHT - Friday, Feb. 23
"I believe in the Church of Baseball..." Come on out and enjoy a night of famous baseball movies, featuring movie clips from the classic movies and trivia throughout the evening. 
--------------
Wednesday, February 21, 1 p.m. | Arizona State vs. Arizona Diamondbacks | TICKETS | NO RADIO OR BROADCAST
Friday, February 23, 6:30 p.m. | Arizona State vs. Saint Mary's | WATCH LIVE: Pac-12 Live Stream | NO RADIO
Saturday, February 24, 1 p.m. | Arizona State vs. Saint Mary's | WATCH LIVE: Pac-12 Live Stream | NO RADIO
Sunday, February 25, 12:30 p.m. | Arizona State vs. Saint Mary's | WATCH LIVE: Pac-12 Live Stream | NO RADIO
 

PHOENIX -- Sun Devil Baseball will continue the 2018 non-conference schedule at home this weekend, hosting Saint Mary's in a three-game set scheduled to begin Friday, Feb. 23 at Phoenix Municipal Stadium in Phoenix, Ariz. The weekend opener is scheduled for a 6:30 p.m. AZT first pitch while Saturday's tilt will get underway at 1 p.m. The series finale is scheduled for a 12:30 first pitch on Sunday.  Each game this weekend will be streamed live online through the Pac-12 Networks.

Follow the Action

• Each game in the three-game set against the Gaels will be streamed live through the Pac-12 Network. The stream will be available here: https://pac-12.com/live/arizona-state-university
• Fans are encouraged to follow the Devils on Twitter @ASU_Baseball for updates throughout the week. 

Streaking in February

• The Devils are 19-4-1 in series' played in the month of February over the past 12 years.
• ASU had won 16 consecutive February series until dropping a three-game series against top-ranked TCU Feb. 20-22, 2015. Prior to that, the last time was Feb. 18-20, 2005 when they were swept by No. 1 Tulane on the road.

Scouting the Gaels

• Saint Mary's took two out of three games from 2017 NCAA Super Regional contender Long Beach State on the road to open up the 2018 season before dropping a midweek tilt against CSU Bakersfield to enter the weekend at 2-2. 
• The Gaels finished the four games with a 2.12 team ERA, an area expected to be a strength for the mid-major all season. Ty Madrigal made two appearances in relief and allowed no runs to anchor the bullpen.
• At the plate, Joe Vranesh led the way with a .308 average for the four games with a team-leading three RBIs.
• Saint Mary's in led by two-way standout Kevin Milam, a unanimous preseason All-American this season. Milam batted .313 with 12 home runs (three grand slams), 14 doubles and 55 RBIs in 2017. He slugged a team-high .547 and added 45 runs scored, 23 walks and a .397 on-base percentage. On the mound, Milam led SMC with 22 appearances -- all in relief. He posted a 3-1 record and 2.27 ERA with 31 strikeouts in 39 2/3 innings pitched. He limited opponents to a .191 batting average while only allowing 10 earned runs

Mr. Friday Night

• Sophomore LHP Spencer Van Scoyoc made his Opening Day debut against Miami (OH), taking the loss though he allowed just one earned run in the contest. 
• Van Scoyoc joins a long and illustrious line of Mr. Friday Night's at ASU that includes nine Major Leaguers and numerous ASU Hall of Famers, including Eddie Bane, Floyd Bannister, Kendall Carter, Mike Esposito, Larry Gura, Gary Gentry, Mike Leake, Trevor Williams and Brady Rodgers.

Eli's Coming

• Eli Lingos led the Sun Devils with six quality starts last season. No other Sun Devil had more than one quality start this season.
• Already, Lingos has started 2018 where he left off as he picked up the win in a quality start during opening weekend. 
• Lingos leads the team with 6 strikeouts thus far this season.

12-Gage

• Gage Canning picked up exactly where he left off during ASU's opening weekend, currently tied for the Pac-12 lead with nine base hits through four games with two triples.
• With his two triples during opening week, Canning now has 16 in his career. He needs just four more to climb into ASU's all-time top-5 in the category.
• Canning already has two games with 3+ hits. Last season, he came the first player to reach double digits in the category since Jason Kipnis had 13 in 2009. 
• Canning was the only player in the Pac-12 last season to finish with a double-digit number doubles while also posting at least six home runs and six triples.
• On top of dominating the leader boards at ASU, Canning's eight triples last season were the most by a player in the conference and second-most in the NCAA, behind only Brent Sakurai of New Mexico State who knocked nine.

#LINSANITY2018

• Another season and another Opening Weekend full of Lyle Lin doing big things as the 2017 Pac-12 All-Conference player had hits in each of ASU's four games while notching his first home run of the season as well.
• In two Opening Weekends in his career (7 total games), Lyle Lin is now 14-for-29 (.483) with seven RBIs and five runs scored.
• Lin led ASU with three hits on opening weekend runners in scoring position and notched two two-out RBIs on the weekend.

A Swift Start

• Perhaps no freshman in the country got off to quite as exceptional of a start as shortstop Drew Swift.
• The local freshman is first in the nation with an .813 on-base percentage with six hits (at least one in each game this season), five walks and two hit by pitches. 
• His .667 average this season is tied for third nationally through the first week of games. 
• The youngster also flashed the leather several times as he turned three double plays on the weekend and is 10th in the Pac-12 with 10 defensive assists so far this season.

Tork Bomb

• Spencer Torkelson was another freshman that wasted no time introducing himself in a big way as the youngster launched three home runs over opening weekend.
• Torkelson leads the team with 5 RBIs and is tied for the Pac-12 lead with his three home runs. 
• Torkelson had a solid two-strike approach, picking up two of his seven Opening Weekend hits while he was down 1-2 in the count. 

Not Playing Kooi

• Boyd Vander Kooi had a debut to remember during Opening Weekend, allowing no earned runs in a complete-game, seven-inning mercy rule victory over Miami (OH)
• The freshman struck out five and went seven innings for his first career win and quality start in his first outing, posting a 0.00 ERA on just 83 total pitches.

Keeping It Interesting

• The Devils have a knack for success in close games in recent years.
• Since 2016, the Devils are 7-2 in extra-inning games (1-1 in 2017), with six walk-off wins (two this season) and are 21-7 (9-6 last year year) in one-run games -including 7-6 in Pac-12 play. 
• ASU has driven in the game-winning run in the eighth inning or later 14 times (four times this year).
• Arizona State has notched 10 wins since 2016 when trailing after six innings (four times last season).

#OccupyPHXMuni 

• ASU drew more than 83,000 fans last season, more than it posted in 2016 and finished 27th nationally in total attendance and average attendance per game (2,622).
• The Sun Devils have had a pair of big attendance games this season, including 6,010 against Oregon State in the series opener - the second largest crowd since moving back to Phoenix Muni - as well as 4,107 fans against UNLV in the largest mid-week attendance since returning to Muni and fifth-largest overall since returning.
• ASU ranked 13th in total attendance and was the only school west of Texas to draw more than 100,000 fans in 2015, and ranked 18th in average attendance with 3,082 fans per game. ASU's 107,010 fans were the program's most since 2010 and ranked as the fourth-highest regular-season attendance since 1988. 
• ASU moved back to Phoenix Municipal Stadium in 2015 after playing 40 seasons at Packard Stadium from 1974-2014, winning their first contest in the team's on a walk-off home run in extra inning against No. 5 Oklahoma State on Feb. 13, 2015.
•  The Devils played 137 games at Muni from 1964-74, and went 111-26 at the stadium, including 17-6 against Arizona. ASU's first game at Muni was April 10, 1964, and was a 5-3 win over Arizona. ASU's last game at Muni was March 18, 1974, and was 9-6 win over Colorado. ASU won District 7 titles in 1965 and 1967 at Muni before going on to win National Championships in Omaha. 
• Former Sun Devil and eventual Major League Baseball Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson was the first college player to hit a home run at Muni.

SUN DEVIL BASEBALL TAKES ON DIAMONDBACKS
The Sun Devils gave a spirited effort against the Arizona Diamondbacks Spring Training roster, taking a 2-2 tie until late in the game. One of the highlights came Arizona State's Gage Canning  turned an incredibly outfield double play. The #Statcast Catch probability was only 44 percent on a deep fly ball to right center. Canning had a distance needed of 107 feet and an opportunity time of 5.5 seconds. He had a sprint speed of 29.9 ft/sec to make the lunging grab.  30 ft/sec is considered elite for a major leaguer. Canning then turned the double play to get the force at first after the running was unable to make it back in time. 

--------------
Next Week
Wednesday, February 21, 1 p.m. | Arizona State vs. Arizona Diamondbacks | TICKETS
Friday, February 23, 6:30 p.m. | Arizona State vs. Saint Mary's | WATCH LIVE: Pac-12 Live Stream 
Saturday, February 24, 1 p.m. | Arizona State vs. Saint Mary's | WATCH LIVE: Pac-12 Live Stream 
Sunday, February 25, 12:30 p.m. | Arizona State vs. Saint Mary's | WATCH LIVE: Pac-12 Live Stream
--------------
Last Week
Saturday, February 17 | Miami (OH) 4, ASU 2
Saturday, February 17 | ASU 7, Miami OH (3) 
Sunday, February 18 | ASU 11, Miami OH (1) (7 innings)
Sunday, February 18 | Miami (OH) 16, ASU 8

Join the conversation all season
Twitter: @ASU_Baseball | Facebook: Sun Devil Baseball | Instagram: ASU_Baseball

SEASON TICKETS
2018 Sun Devil Baseball season tickets are now available starting at $115. To purchase season tickets, click here or call our VIP tickets line at (480) 965-5812.

If you are a current season ticket holder and have questions, call the VIP service line at 480-965-5333.
 
Season Ticket Holder Benefits
As a season ticket holder, you get several exclusive benefits:

• Personal Service Representative
• Guaranteed the same seat for all home games
• Option to purchase season parking
• Priority on postseason tickets
• Access to exclusive Season Ticket Holder events and behind-the-scenes tours
• Ability to manage and renew your tickets online

MINI/FLEX PLANS
Can't make it to the full 34-game slate? Come see your Sun Devils with a mini plan, and choose the option that best fits your needs! Grab the traditional six-game plan where you pick the games you want to attend, or enjoy the ultimate flexibility with a nine-game flex plan which offers nine vouchers to use however you would like. Use them for nine separate games or use them all at one game, the choice is yours! Plans start at just $30!

PREMIUM SEATING
Phoenix Muni party suites provide amenities unlike any other area designed to enhance your game day experience. A private suite is a great way to entertain family and friends, and business associates while experiencing Sun Devil Baseball from the best seats in the house.  Escape the Arizona heat and enjoy mingling inside while watching Sun Devil Baseball outside.  Limited availability!

VIEW more information on single game suites, or if you would like to tour one of the suites, please contact Joe Jerde, Manager of Premium Seating at 480-727-3511 or via email at Joseph.Jerde@asu.edu.

GROUP TICKETS
You are ASU and that's why we invite you to come out and enjoy a Sun Devil Athletics event with your group. Groups can take advantage of discounts, benefits, tailgates, and fundraising opportunities. Group packages provide you possibilities to help plan the perfect outing. Bring your family, friends, co-workers, or organization to cheer on the Sun Devils. CLICK HERE for more information!

SINGLE GAME TICKETS 
Tickets for all non-conference games of the 2018 season are now on sale. Come enjoy the atmosphere of Phoenix Muni as the Sun Devils take on some of the best teams in the country, highlighted by series against Oklahoma State and Cal State Fullerton. Get your tickets today! 

Be sure to check back Feb. 15 for conference game tickets, featuring some of the heavy hitters of the Pac-12.