March 31, 2005
ASU Baseball Links:
Career Summary:
College Baseball Links:
2005 Statistics | ASU Baseball Pride Points | Season Outlook
vs.
Wright State (10-10, 0-0 Horizon League)
Website | News and Releases | Results/Statistics
Friday, April 1, 2005, 6:30 p.m. - Packard Stadium; Tempe, Ariz.
Kyle Kearcher, LHP (2-0, 3.31 ERA) vs. Erik Averill, LHP (5-2, 3.31 ERA)
GameTracker
Saturday, April 2, 2005, 6:30 p.m. - Packard Stadium; Tempe, Ariz.
Chris Snyder, RHP (1-3, 6.35 ERA) vs. Pat Bresnehan, RHP (2-2, 3.76 ERA)
GameTracker
Sunday, April 3, 2005, 1 p.m. - Packard Stadium; Tempe, Ariz.
TBA vs. TBA
GameTracker
Series History vs. Wright State:
All-Time Record vs. Wright State:....1-0 Last Time vs. Wright State:..........7-4 win in 1994 (NCAA)
The National Polls:
After a five-week hiatus from the national polls, Arizona State re-entered the rankings after winning 12 of the last 16 games. ASU is ranked No. 24 by Baseball America, No. 29 by the NCBWA and No. 30 by Collegiate Baseball. ASU is also listed as No. 26 in the receiving votes section of the ESPN/Sports Weekly Coaches Poll. The Sun Devils have played 19 of their 31 games this season against ranked teams.
Media Exposure:
ASU returns to the airwaves this weekend with all three games of the non-conference series against Wright State broadcast locally on KDUS 1060 AM with Tim Healey and Bob Eger calling all the action from the Packard Stadium press box. All 24 Pac-10 games are scheduled to be broadcast on KDUS 1060 AM and also on the internet. Every game this season will be able to be followed via GameTracker on the Internet at www.thesundevils.com.
Fun Facts:
The Sun Devils have won 12 of their last 16 games after staring the season 6-9... in 10 games as a third baseman, junior Travis Buck is hitting .442 (19-for-43) with 10 extra base hits and nine RBI... senior Jeff Larish leads the NCAA with 12 home runs and has hit seven homers in the last nine games... Larish also ranks fifth in ASU history with 40 career home runs... ASU has the No. 17 projected RPI in the country and has played 18 of its 31 games against ranked opponents... ASU head coach Pat Murphy needs eight (8) more wins to reach 800 in his college head coaching career.
What's On Tap:
The Arizona State Sun Devils (18-13, 2-1 Pac-10) return home for only the third time in the last seven weeks for their final non-conference series of the season. ASU hosts the Wright State Raiders (10-10, 0-0 Horizon) to a three-game set starting Friday (April 1) at 6:30 p.m. and continues Saturday (6:30 p.m.) and Sunday (1 p.m.). ASU enters the series having won 12 of its last 16 games and kicked off the start of conference play with a series win over the University of Southern California Trojans last weekend in Los Angeles. The Devils finally get to take a break from playing ranked opponents as 15 of the last 21 games have come against teams listed in the national polls. Following the series with Wright State, the Sun Devils will play 21 of their final 22 games against Pac-10 opponents, including a three-game series against the California Golden Bears in Berkeley, Calif. (Apr. 8-10). ASU will then return to Packard Stadium for back-to-back conference series against nationally ranked Stanford (Apr. 15-17) and UCLA (Apr. 22-24).
Quick Hits:
... ASU set a school record with 35 hits in the 30-13 win over Western Illinois (3/13). Travis Buck went 6-for-8. ... 12 of ASU's 13 losses this season have come against teams that have appeared in the national rankings. ... The Sun Devils have faced eight preseason All-American pitchers this season. ... ASU has played over half of its schedule (17 of 31) against ranked teams this season. ... ASU has been road warriors this season playing 19 of its first 31 games away from Packard Stadium. ... 16 Sun Devils, including 10 true freshman, have made their debuts in the Maroon and Gold this season. ... 12 players have at least one SB this season and ASU leads the Pac-10 with 53 stolen bases (53-for-73). ... After 31 games the Sun Devils have 12 triples, surpassing the season total of seven triples in 59 games in 2004. ... ASU owns a 231-101-1 record for a .695 winning percentage this decade (2000-P). ... Of ASU's 56 games this season, 28 will be played against teams that played in the 2004 NCAA Tournament (50%). ... Senior Jeff Larish leads the NCAA with 12 home runs and is tied for fifth in school history with 40 career homers. ... Sr. RHP Jason Urquidez is 16-5 with a 3.89 ERA in 32 career pitching appearances (22 starts) as a Sun Devil. ... Travis Buck has raised his batting average 116 points (.246-.362) by going 35-for-77 (.455) over his last 16 games. ... In 31 games this season ASU has used 26 different starting batting lineups and 20 different defensive lineups. ... Senior catcher Tuffy Gosewisch has thrown out 13 of 33 attempted base stealers this season (39%). ... Freshman reserve catcher Austin Stockfisch has hits in five straight at-bats and is hitting .833 (5-for-6). ... Pat Bresnehan threw a complete-game four hitter against USC (3/25) to earn Pac-10 Pitcher of the Week honors. ... Travis Buck (#17) and Jeff Larish (#40) are rated among the top 50 college prospects by Baseball America.
Recapping Last Weekend:
The Sun Devils opened Pac-10 play in impressive fashion by winning two of three from the University of Southern California Trojans over the weekend at Dedeaux Field. After walking a season-high nine batters in Thursday's series opening 9-8 loss, the pitching staff bounced back to allow only one run in each of the final two games of the series. Sophomore Pat Bresnehan threw a complete-game four-hitter in Friday's lopsided 17-1 victory and Jason Urquidez, Brett Bordes and Zechry Zinicola combined to limit the Trojans to one run in the series clinching 2-1 victory in 10 innings on Saturday. Overall, the pitching staff recorded a 3.33 ERA and held the Trojans to a .222 batting average in the three-game series. The offense combined to hit .322 (38-for-118) with 27 runs scored, nine doubles, one triple and three home runs. Senior catcher Tuffy Gosewisch led ASU going 8-for-16 (.500) with five runs scored and six RBI. Sophomore second baseman Seth Dhaenens (.400, 4-for-10) and redshirt freshman Rocky Laguna (.333, 4-for-12) also had impressive performances while starting all three games.
A Good Omen:
Through the halfway point of the 2005 season the Sun Devils were 16-12 (currently 18-13). The last time ASU was 16-12 after 28 games was in 1998 when the Sun Devils last advanced to the College World Series and played for the National Championship. In both 1998 and earlier this season, ASU tied a school record by losing six straight games. After enduring the six-game losing streak in 1998, ASU finished up strong winning 18 of its last 27 regular season games that season to earn a spot in the NCAA Tournament. Following ASU's six-game losing streak this season, the Sun Devils have won 12 of their last 16 games.
The Starting Pitchers:
Friday - Erik Averill, LHP (Orange, Calif.)
Will be making his Pac-10 leading ninth start of the season Friday against Wright State... leads the ASU pitching staff going 5-2 with a 3.31 ERA and has recorded 47 strikeouts and only 12 walks in 54.1 IP this season... tied for the league lead with 54.1 innings pitched and ranks sixth with 47 strikeouts... pitched only two innings last weekend out of the bullpen against USC (2.0 IP, 2 H, 4 ER)... in his last start against Oklahoma (3/19) he recorded his third complete game of the year... he limited the Sooners to only five singles and one unearned run, while striking out seven... has lasted five or more innings in seven straight starts... earned National Pitcher of the Week honors after striking out career-high 14 batters in complete-game shutout over New Mexico State (2/4)... is 17-8 with a 4.11 ERA in 55 career pitching appearances (27 starts).
Saturday - Pat Bresnehan, RHP (Sherborn, Mass.)
Coming off his best career start last weekend against USC... limited the Trojans to only four hits and one unearned run in his first career complete game... earned Pac-10 Pitcher of the Week honors... scheduled to make his seventh start of 2005 and eighth in his career on Saturday against Wright State... is 2-2 with a 3.76 ERA with 35 strikeouts in 38.1 innings... ranks eighth in the Pac-10 with 15 strikeouts looking... in six starts this season is 2-2 with a 4.62 ERA... is 5-4 with five saves and a 4.29 ERA in 35 career pitching appearances (7 GS).
ASU in Pac-10 Openers:
The Sun Devils began their 27th season in the Conference of Champions last weekend with a series victory over USC last weekend at Dedeaux Field. The series victory snapped a streak of having lost the last two Pac-10 season opening series. ASU owns an all-time 429-315 (.577) record in Pac-10 play and has won six conference championships (last in 2000). Since the Pac-10 North and Pac-10 South joined in 1999, ASU is 89-58 (.605) in league play and 270-122-1 overall. In 11 seasons under head coach Pat Murphy the Sun Devils have won six of the conference opening series and own an all-time 150-116 (.564) record.
Larish Leads Pac-10 And NCAA in Home Runs:
Senior Jeff Larish hit his Pac-10 and NCAA leading 12th home run of the season in Saturday's 2-1 win over USC. Larish has hit seven home runs in his last nine games, including a pair of multi-home run contests in back-to-back games against Western Illinois and a walk-off solo home run in the bottom of the ninth inning against Oklahoma (3/18). Larish is one of only eight players in the NCAA to have recorded double-digits in home runs so far this season and is tied for the national lead with LSU's Ryan Patterson. Larish has hit his home runs in bunches this season, with eight of his 12 homers spread across only four days this season. He has three multi-homer games and also hit a home run in each half of a doubleheader against Oklahoma and South Alabama (2/12). Overall, Larish is hitting .320 (39-for-122) with 21 extra base hits. Of his nine home runs this season, he has hit five solo homers, three two-run shots and four three-run bombs. Eleven (11) of his 12 homers have also come on the road. Here is a look at the NCAA leaders in home runs as of March 30 (as reported by BoydsWorld.com):
Player School HR Jeff Larish Arizona State 12 Ryan Patterson LSU 12 Antone Daley Prarie View A&M 11 Mark Aranda New Mexico State 11 Alex Gordon Nebraska 10 Brian Pettway Mississippi 10 Nolan Reimold Bowling Green 10 Ryan Bruan Miami (Fla.) 10 Sean McNaughton BYU 10 Derrick Smith Georgia Southern 10 Adam Carr Oklahoma State 10
Larish Climbs ASU Career Charts:
With his seven home runs over the last nine games and an NCAA and Pac-10 leading 12 on the season, senior Jeff Larish now ranks in the top 10 in ASU career history in home runs (40), RBI (201) and walks (165). His 40 home runs are tied for fifth in the record books with Andrew Beinbrink (1996-99) and only four way from fourth place (Dan Rumsey, 1986-89). His 201 RBI currently are sixth most in school history and his 165 walks are ranked second. Larish also ranks 10th in career at-bats (721), 10th in total bases (420) and is nearing the ASU career top 10 in runs scored (188). Through 31 games, Larish is hitting .320 (39-for-122) and has been especially hot with hits in eight of his last 10 games, going 16-for-38 (.421) during that stretch of games to raise his batting average from .273 to .320 (47 points). Here is a look at Larish's career statistics as a Sun Devil:
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 31-31 122 31 39 8 1 12 33 23 29 4-5 TOTAL... .334 187-185 721 188 241 47 6 40 201 165 140 10-18
Gosewisch Named To Johnny Bench Award Watch List:
Arizona State senior starting catcher Tuffy Gosewisch has been named to the watch list for the 2005 Johnny Bench Catcher of the Year Award. ASU's three-year starter behind the plate was also named one of 15 semifinalists for the 2004 Bench Award. Gosewisch is in his third year as ASU's everyday starting catcher and has caught all but nine innings of ASU's 31-game schedule so far in 2005. He is only the second three-year starting catcher in Sun Devil baseball history, joining former major leaguer and current Texas Ranger bench coach Don Wakamatsu. The senior backstop has gotten off to a torrid start in 2005 and is among the team leaders in several offensive categories. He is hitting .347 (42-for-121) with six doubles, five home runs and 33 RBI. He has recorded at least one hit in 24 of 31 games and has tabbed 12 multi-hit and 11 multi-RBI games this season. He is coming off a solid weekend at the plate against USC in which he hit .500 (8-for-16) with five runs scored and six RBI, including a record-breaking 5-for-6 performance in Friday's 17-1 blowout. As stellar as his offensive production has been, Gosewisch has made the most impact behind the plate. He has a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage on 256 total chances. He has also thrown out 13 of 33 attempted base stealers (39%). Arizona State has a long tradition with the Johnny Bench Catcher of the Year Award, with Casey Myers being selected as a finalist in 2000 and 2001.
Buck Continues Hot Hitting:
Junior Travis Buck continued his torrid streak at the plate hitting .286 (4-for-14) with three doubles last weekend against USC. The preseason All-American has raised his batting average 116 points from .246 to .362 over the last 16 games while batting .455 (35-for-77) with nine doubles, three triples, two home runs and 18 RBI. During that stretch of games he has recorded 11 multi-hit games and has recorded 18 of his 22 RBI on the season. The Wallace Award and Baseball America Player of the Year candidate leads the team in hitting at .362 (50-for-138) with 13 doubles, 22 RBI and nine stolen bases. He also leads the team with 15 multi-hit games and paces the Pac-10 with 50 hits. His name also appears among the league leaders in runs (36, 3rd), doubles (13, 2nd), triples (3, 3rd), total bases (75, 4th) and stolen bases (9, 6th). With his outstanding week at the plate against Baylor (.571, 8-for-14, 6 H, 6 RBI, Buck was named the Pac-10 Player of the Week and was also named to the College Baseball Foundation Honor Roll. The Player of the Week honor was the fourth career award for Buck and the 75th such honor for Arizona State University. He also won the award twice last season (Mar. 2, Mar. 9) and once during his freshman season (Apr. 1).
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.... .362 31-31 138 36 50 13 3 2 22 10 21 9-12 TOTAL... .352 156-155 602 159 212 42 7 15 126 86 83 34-42
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