May 9, 2001
Washington Huskies (28-16, 7-11 Pac-10) Husky Ballpark (2,000) ? Seattle, Washington Saturday, May 12, 1 p.m. (Radio) Mike Esposito (4-2, 3.64) vs. Shawn Kohn (6-1, 1.74) Sunday, May 13, 1 p.m. (Radio) Jon Switzer (4-4, 3.86) vs. Sean White (3-2, 4.78) Monday, May 14, 1 p.m. (Radio) Eric Doble (1-2, 5.96) vs. Zack Daniels (4-1, 3.72) *Probable Pitchers/times are Pacific Standard Time
What's On Tap:
After taking the weekend off to study for final exams, the No. 19 Arizona State Sun Devil baseball team takes to the road to return to Pac-10 action with a three-game series at Washington. ASU and the Huskies will battle in three games on the shores of Lake Washington will all games scheduled to start at 1 p.m. The Sun Devils (31-16-1) have won nine of their last 12 games and are coming off a midweek split vs. then-No. 19 Tennessee in Knoxville. ASU has not played a game since May 2. Leading the Pac-10 in hitting at .332, the Sun Devils face a crucial stretch of games as the 2001 season nears the end and the NCAA Tournament looms large. With an estimated RPI in the top 25 and one of the toughest non-conference schedules in the nation, ASU is very much a contender to receive a regional berth when they are announced May 21 on ESPN. At 9-9 in league play, the Sun Devils are tied for fourth place with Oregon State and have six remaining conference games left. Washington stands at 7-11 in league play after taking two of three from OSU last weekend at home. They are in the midst of a lengthy 10-game homestand. The Sun Devils will start reigning Pac-10 Pitcher of the Week Mike Esposito (4-2, 3.64) on Saturday, LHP Jon Switzer (4-4, 3.86) on Sunday and senior RHP Eric Doble (1-2, 5.96) will start Monday. ASU will travel to Reno, Nev., to play a single contest vs. Nevada on Wednesday, May 16.
The All-Time Series With The Huskies:
Despite being longtime Pac-10 rivals in several other sports, the Sun Devils and Huskies have met only nine prior times to this weekend? series in Seattle. ASU holds a 6-3 advantage in the series, dating back to 1998 when the two teams met in Seattle. ASU lost two, one-run games that week in 1998, but have since taken four of the last six. The Sun Devils swept the only meeting between the two school in Tempe last year. The Devils outscored Washington 55-12, winning the games 25-5, 17-5 and 13-2.
The Record Is In The Books. ASU Has Scored In 365 Straight Games:
The Arizona State baseball program made history on April 7 when they scored at least one run in its 350th consecutive game. The Devils broke the 12-year-old record in a 5-1 loss to USC exactly six years to the day when they were last shut out. ASU was shut out 9-0 on April 7, 1995 at Dedeaux Field. The one run scored in the 3-1 loss to Arizona on April 28 marked only the ninth time during the streak that ASU has scored only one run. The record is still in tact at 365 straight games after scoring in each of ASU? games vs. Tennessee. ASU was neck-in-neck with Wichita State who was not shutout in 332 games, but when the Shockers fell 1-0 vs. Louisiana-Lafayette ASU took over the national lead. Coastal Carolina held the record at 349 games set from 1983-1989. ASU also had a stretch of 278 games without being shut out from 1990 to 1994, meaning the program has only been limited to no runs three times dating back to 1990.
The National Rankings And RPI:
The Sun Devils are ranked 20th by Baseball America, 16th by Collegiate Baseball and 15th in the Baseball Weekly/ESPN Coaches poll. ASU has now been ranked in the top 20 for 27 consecutive weeks in at least one of the three college baseball polls. After going 1-3 last week and being swept at home by SEC rival Georgia, Tennessee fell from eight spots in the Baseball America poll to its current ranking of No. 22. The Volunteers are also ranked 19th in both the Collegiate Baseball poll and the Baseball Weekly/ESPN Coaches poll. ASU is 8-8-1 this year when playing a team that is currently ranked and have faced one of the toughest schedules in the nation having played 13 games against teams that have appeared in Baseball America? top 12 (LSU/USC/CSUF/STAN/TENN). ASU is currently ranked 23rd in the weekly RPI ratings by www.boydsworld.com and have the 14th toughest schedule in the nation.
Casey Myers Reached 300, Now Eyes 283 Career RBI:
One of the hottest and best hitters in college baseball and making a name for himself as one of the best Sun Devils to ever wear the Maroon and Gold, Casey Myers recently became only the third Sun Devil in history to pass 300 hits in a career. With 303, he is now just has 19 hits short of the school record of 322 set by Clay Westlake (1973-76). Myers is a career .389 hitter in Tempe (303x779) in 209 career games. Myers recorded his 300th career hit in his 200th career start. The senior All-American catcher is also chasing the Pac-10 and ASU career RBI record of 283 set by former Sun Devil Andrew Beinbrink (1996-99). After tabbing six RBI in the two games at Tennessee, Myers is now just 21 short of the record with 268 in his career and 62 this year. He passed former Stanford Cardinal standout John Gall (263) to move into second place in Pac-10 history. Myers is also ranked sixth with 38 career home run, tied for fourth with a .389 career batting average, fifth with 478 total bases, fourth with 61 doubles and sixth with 779 career at-bats. Myers has recorded 27 multi-hit games in 2001 and has 93 in his career.
Media Exposure:
All three games of the Washington-ASU Pac-10 baseball series can be heard over the airwaves in the Phoenix Metropolitan area on XTRA 910 AM. Interested listeners can also point their internet browser to www.TheSunDevils.com to catch all the play-by-play. The games will not be able for the usual Live Stats feature due to the unavailability of a phone line in the Washington Press Box. Tim Healey, the voice of ASU Athletics, will bring you all the play-by-play, while ASU historian Bob Eger will provide color commentary. Monday? can be picked up via Satellite on Fox Sports Northwest. Tod Pickett and former major league pitcher Bill Krueger will handle the play-by-play duties.
Rod Allen Is ?ANGER?us:
Despite a recent 0-for-9 slump, Freshman left fielder Rod Allen has quickly making a name for himself in his rookie campaign at the collegiate level. A legitimate candidate for Pac-10 Freshman of the Year and Freshman All-American status, is hitting .396 with four home runs, 12 doubles, a triple and 39 RBI. He is currently ranked fifth in the Pac-10 in hitting and has recorded a hit in 31 of 40 games this year. Over his last 10 games he is a .341 hitter (14x41).
Offensive Powerhouse ASU Tops In Scoring in NCAA Last Two Years:
Arizona State has led the NCAA in scoring each of the last two years, averaging 11.32 runs per game in 1999 and 10.97 runs per game last year. ASU also led the nation in batting average with a team total of .356 in 1999. The Sun Devils .346 average in 2000 fell just percentage points shy of matching that feat a second year in a row, trailing Stony Brook by one point. ASU out-hit Stony Brook 738-500. During Pat Murphy? seven seasons in Tempe, the Sun Devils have been a scoring machine with 3,748 runs, averaging 9.30 runs per game. 2001 has been no different for ASU, averaging 8.27 runs per game and leading the Pac-10 in hitting with a .332 team batting average.
Murphy Chasing 100 Pac-10 Victories:
ASU head coach Pat Murphy has posted an impressive 263-139-1 record during his six-plus seasons in Tempe. With two wins vs. Arizona last weekend he now has recorded 99 Pac-10 wins during that time and is within one of reaching the 100-win plateau in conference games. The Sun Devils won their first Pac-10 Championship under Murphy last year with a 17-7 record in league play and are 9-9 in 2001. During his tenure in Tempe, Murphy? teams have dominated Arizona with a 25-14 record, including a stretch being victorious in seven of the last nine games vs. the Cats. Murphy has never lost a Pac-10 series to his rivals from the South.
Hitting Report:
At the plate the Sun Devils lead the Pac-10 in hitting with a .332 batting average... the Sun Devils are averaging 8.27 runs per game to also rank first in the Pac-10... Casey Myers leads the team with a .417 batting average... the Sun Devils have hit 25 home runs, 13 of which have been solo shots and 10 of them are two-run home runs... Mike Lopez and Myers lead the team with 20 extra base hits each... as a team ASU is hitting only .280 in Pac-10 play, but their opponents are being limited to a .275 clip in league action... ASU hit .329 with 20 runs scored in the two games at then-No. 19 Tennessee... over the last five games ASU is hitting .282 with six doubles and three home runs... over the last 10 games ASU is hitting .314... when scoring over 10 runs, ASU is 16-2 on the year... when ASU scores first they are 24-7-1... the squad has combined for 167 multi-hit games, with 48 of those being three-hit affairs and five being four-hit affairs... ASU has torn up non-conference opponents for a .359 batting average.
Pitching Report:
The Sun Devil pitching staff is currently sporting a 4.46 overall ERA... the starters have been very impressive with a 18-12 record and a 4.10 ERA... Mike Esposito has come on strong as of late with a 3.47 ERA in his 10 starts... the bullpen has a 4.86 ERA and a 13-4 record in 47 appearances this year... ASU also has seven saves, led by Bryce Kartler? three... in non-conference action the pitchers?have combined for a 4.15 ERA with opposing batters hitting only .255... in Pac-10 play ASU has a 5.00 ERA with opposing batters hitting .275... senior relief pitcher Drew Friedberg leads the team with an overall 2.08 ERA and has been solid in league play with a 1.53 ERA against Pac-10 opponents... over the last five games ASU has maintained a 3.99 team ERA while holding opposing hitters to a .276 average.
The Best Freshmen Class Ever?:
The freshman class of 2001 was ranked as the No. 1 recruiting class in the nation and have lived up to that billing with a phenomenal coming out party. Dubbed the Packard Pups,?Rod Allen, Jeremy West, Steve Garrabrants, Aaron Klusman, Nick Walsh, Ryan Schroyer, Eric Keefner and Ryan McKenna are the future of this program who are making huge contributions immediately. Allen is fourth in the Pac-10 in hitting at .396 and is bidding to record the best statistical year for a freshman in ASU history. No freshman, not even Barry Bonds, Reggie Jackson, Alvin Davis, Bob Horner or Willie Bloomquist ever hit over .400 in their rookie campaigns in Tempe. Through 48 games Allen ihas been hoovering around and above .400 for most of the year. Garrabrants is hitting a solid .311 and according to ASU records has already tied the freshman record with 16 stolen bases. Jeremy West is tied for the team lead with six home runs, ranking fifth of all ASU freshman behind Bond? 11 back in 1983. Casey Myers was the last freshman to enjoy great numbers in his first year in Tempe, recording a believed freshman batting average record of .386 with eight home runs and 58 RBI in 1998 when ASU advanced to the College World Series. On the mound, true freshman Ryan Schroyer has started seven games and posted a 6.59 ERA. Redshirt Aaron Klusman is second on the team with a 3.23 ERA and has struck out 45 batters in 30.2 innings.
Torres Still Ranks High in NCAA With 11 Wins:
Junior college transfer Andy Torres not only leads ASU with 11 wins, but is also among the national leaders in the NCAA. Tied for eighth in the NCAA, Torres is 11-3 on the year with one save. Posting an impressive 3.97 overall ERA, Torres has really shined for ASU since moving to the bullpen. As a relief pitcher this year the crafty right-hander is 5-0 with a 2.84 ERA in 12 appearances out of the bullpen. He has struck out 35 in 31.2 innings out of the bullpen. Overall Torres has made a team-high 21 appearances, with nine coming as starts, and has struck out 67 batters in 77.0 innings. He picked up wins in both of ASU? extra inning games at Oklahoma and Oral Roberts. Torres came to Arizona State from East Los Angeles Junior College where he was 11-3 with a 2.19 ERA.
Lopez Still Hot After Being Named Pac-10 Player of the Week:
One week after being named the Pac-10 Player of the Week, Sun Devil senior third baseman Mike Lopez remains one of the hottest hitters in the ASU lineup. Lopez, from Phoenix, Ariz., hit .500 over five games last week vs. Gonzaga and Arizona to help earn his first Pac-10 POW award. Lopez is currently hitting .349 on the season and is currently riding a seven-game hitting streak. During the seven-game streak, Lopez is hitting .480 while going 12-for-25. He has also been one of ASU? best hitters this season with a .379 average with runners in scoring position. His 17 doubles rank second in the Pac-10.
Esposito Named Pac-10 Pitcher of the Week:
Arizona State freshman starting pitcher Mike Esposito has been named the Pac-10 Baseball Pitcher of the Week for April 30-May 7, Commissioner Tom Hansen announced today from Walnut Creek, Calif. Esposito, a redshirt freshman from Las Vegas, earned the win in ASU? 15-1 route of then No. 19 Tennessee. The hard-throwing right-hander threw six shutout innings at the Volunteers, striking out six and allowing only two infield singles. The start for Esposito vs. Tennessee, who is coming off Tommy John surgery last March, was his 10th in 2001, but it was ironically scheduled to be his initial return from the arm injury. The fifth round draft choice of the Cincinnati Reds in 1999 is now 4-2 on the year with a 3.64 ERA. In his 10 starts this year Esposito has a 3.47 ERA with opposing hitters batting only .257 off of him. He has struck out six batters in six of his last eight starts. He is scheduled to start Saturday? series opener vs. the University of Washington Huskies.
42 Years of Sun Devil Baseball Tradition:
While the history of baseball at Arizona State University goes back all the way to the early 1900?, the school officially began sponsoring varsity baseball in 1959. In 42-plus years of varsity baseball at Arizona State, the program has built a legacy matched by few in the college baseball world. With a 1,888-752-1 all-time record, Arizona State has recorded winning seasons in all but one year, advanced to the College World Series 18 times, won five national championships, won six Pac-10 titles, produced 13 Players of the Year and three Golden Spikes Award winners, and has gone to the NCAA Tournament 24 times. Under current head coach Pat Murphy, the Sun Devils have finished in the top 12 in three of the last four years and finished second in the nation in 1998. They have been ranked in the top 20 since the start of the 2000 season.
Casey Myers An All-American On The Field And In The Classroom:
One of the best hitters in college baseball, Casey Myers, has not disappointed in living up to that title this year. Recording hits in 38 of his 48 games this year, plus 27 multi-hit games, Myers is leading the team and second in the Pac-10 with a .417 batting average. He also ranks 24th in the NCAA in batting and is 15th with 1.29 RBI per game. He has 16 doubles, six home runs and 62 RBI. Myers is hitting .369 in Pac-10 play and is a .412 hitter over the last 15 games. Myers already has 62 RBI on the year to place second in the Pac-10 and is quickly approaching the school and Pac-10 career record. With 268 in his four-year career, he is just 16 short of breaking both records set by former Sun Devil Andrew Beinbrink. He moved into second place in the Pac-10 record books last week vs. Tennessee, passing former Stanford standout John Gall who had 263 RBI from 1997-2000. Dating back to the start of 2000, Myers is hitting .414 (176x425) with 158 RBI and 24 home runs in 107 combined games. Myers is quickly reminding players why he is one of the best players in all of college baseball. A legitimate candidate for Player of the Year honors. Myers, who hit .412 last year and was a finalist for the National Player of the Year award, is now within one of second place in the ASU record books for career RBI. Behind the plate Myers has been instrumental in the success of the ASU pitching staff, calling all the pitches. Myers needs 33 more RBI to rank among the top seven run-producers in college baseball history, a list that includes Robin Ventura, Joe Carter and Pete Incaviglia. Defensively, the 2000 Collegiate Baseball Defensive Player of the Year has also been solid, carrying a .991 fielding percentage into this weekend? action. In addition to his 27 multi-hit games this year, he has 93 in his career, including 38, three-hit games. He hit 18 home runs (second on the team) behind teammate Mitch Jones last year and now has 38 in his career to tie for sixth in school history. The school record is 56 set by Bob Horner. Myers has also done an excellent job behind the plate as well, calling the pitches himself and making the pitching staff step up to the next level. For the second year in a row is on the Johnny Bench Cather of the Year Watch List. He has been named conference player of the week three times during his career at ASU. He reached base safely (hit, walk, HBP) in 54 of 59 games in ?0. Myers led the squad in multiple-hit games (31) and multi-RBI games (29). His multi-hit games included three, four-hit affairs. He hit safely in 50 of 59 games. Myers was clutch with 26 two-out RBI and hit .417 with the bases loaded. He hit .466 (48x103) with runners in scoring position and .459 with runners on base. Myers finished his junior campaign ranked 30th in the nation in batting average (.412), third in RBI (97), and 35th in home runs (.31 per game). Myers recently became only the third Sun Devil in history to surpass 300 hits in a career and is now just 19 off the school record of 322.
Casey Myers in the Record Books.......
Pac-10 Career RBI 1. Andrew Beinbrink, ASU (1996-99) 283 2. Casey Myers, ASU (1998-P) 268 3. John Gall, Stanford (1997-2000) 263 4. Paul Carey, Stanford (1987-90) 220 5. Eric Valent, UCLA (1996-98) 219Around the Horn With ASU Baseball:ASU Career RBI 1. Andrew Beinbrink (1996-99) 283 2. Casey Myers (1998-P) 268 3. Clay Westlake (1973-76) 250 4. Bob Horner (1976-78) 229
ASU Career Batting Average 1. Kevin Romine (1981-82) .408 2. Hubie Brooks (1977-78) .396 3. Willie Bloomquist (1997-99) .394 t4. Casey Myers (1998-P) .389
Sun Devils Looking For Big Finish To Secure NCAA Tournament Seed: ASU has won nine of its last 12 games overall... Senior All-American catcher Casey Myers was 4-for-6 with six RBI in the Tennessee series to continue his assault on the Pac-10 and ASU record books.... Myers now has 62 RBI on the season and now has 268 in his career... he is just 15 short of the Pac-10 and ASU record for career RBI (283) set by former Sun Devil third baseman Andrew Beinbrink (1996-99)... Myers also became only the third Sun Devil in history to reach 300 hits in a career, joining Beinbrink and Clay Westlake... with 303 in his career is now 19 away from the school record of 322 set by Westlake (1973-76)... ASU head coach Pat Murphy will be looking for his 100th career Pac-10 win when the Devils take to the field vs. the Washington Huskies Saturday... junior center fielder Chris Duffy continues to be one of ASU? most consistent hitters in 2001, with a current nine-game hitting streak currently intact... Duffy is batting .425 over those nine games with seven multi-hit games... the junior also had a team-high 19-game streak earlier in the year in which he hit .378 (28x74)... on the year Duffy is third on the team with a .365 batting average... freshman left fielder Rod Allen has saw his hot bat cool off a little as of late with a current 0-for-9 slump, but has still put up impressive numbers in his rookie campaign in Tempe (.396-4-39) and is a strong candidate for Pac-10 and National Freshman of the Year... freshman outfielder Ryan McKenna (Elgin, Ill.) made only his fourth start of the year in the 15-1 win over Tennessee, and contributed his second-career multi-hit game in the effort... senior third baseman Mike Lopez is hot after earning his first Pac-10 Player of the Week award, going 12-for-25 (.480) during his current seven-game hitting streak... Myers leads ASU with 27 multi-hit games and has 93 in his illustrious career... the Sun Devils have seven remaining regular season games, six of which are Pac-10 contests against Washington and UCLA... ASU is currently tied for fourth in the Pac-10 with Oregon State at 9-9 in league play... Cal is the only conference school to finish their its league slate, sweeping UCLA this past weekend to finish at 14-10 (3rd)... senior first baseman Jeff Phelps inched his way onto the career doubles list at ASU, moving into eighth place with 52 career two-baggers... junior infielder Brooks Conrad can officially be labeled a utility man for the Sun Devils, now having started every infield position (1B-2B-SS-3B) this year... Myers has been named a semifinalist for the Dick Howser Trophy... junior Andy Torres contributed 5.1 solid innings vs. Tennessee and is an All-American candidate with his 11-3, 3.97 record... out of the bullpen Torres has been stellar with a perfect 5-0, 2.84 record... senior All-America candidate Drew Friedberg continues to lead ASU out of the bullpen with a 4-1 record and 2.08 ERA... after the Washington series (played Saturday through Monday to accommodate ASU? final exams), the Sun Devils will travel to Nevada-Reno to play a single game with the Wolfpack on May 16... ASU has played four extra-inning contests in the last nine games, going 3-1 during that stretch... the last time ASU played four extra-inning affairs in a season was in 1998 when they went 2-2.
Pat Murphy at ASU:
Arizona? State has had only three coaches in its illustrious history. The latest to join the legacy is Pat Murphy who has enjoyed great success since arriving in Tempe six years ago in 1995. Murphy has guided ASU to a 263-139-1 (.654) and posted an impressive 99-86 record in the tough Pac-10. ASU has advanced to postseason play in three of the six years under Murphy, including a 2nd place finish at the College World Series in 1998. With his 262 wins at ASU, Murphy has the third best winning percentage of Pac-10 coaches. Murphy is three wins shy of 100 career Pac-10 victories . Of all active Division I coaches, Murphy entered 2001 ranked 14th with a career .675 winning percentage.
Baseball America Top 25 Poll:
| School | Overall | Week | Prev. | |
| 1. | Nebraska | 38-12 | 3-0 | 4 |
| 2. | Cal State Fullerton | 38-11 | 5-0 | 6 |
| 3. | Miami | 37-12 | 3-1 | 3 |
| 4. | Notre Dame | 43-8 | 3-2 | 1 |
| 5. | Southern California | 33-16 | 1-0 | 5 |
| 6. | Tulane | 42-8 | 3-0 | 8 |
| 7. | Stanford | 35-13 | 1-1 | 7 |
| 8. | Central Florida | 42-11 | 3-0 | 12 |
| 9. | Louisiana State | 36-16 | 1-3 | 2 |
| 10. | East Carolina | 42-10 | 1-0 | 10 |
| 11. | Rice | 38-15 | 0-0 | 9 |
| 12. | Georgia | 36-15 | 5-0 | 19 |
| 13. | Georgia Tech | 36-14 | 3-0 | 11 |
| 14. | Pepperdine | 35-15 | 3-1 | 14 |
| 15. | Florida State | 38-14 | 3-0 | 16 |
| 16. | Tennessee | 38-14 | 4-1 | 22 |
| 17. | Clemson | 33-18 | 2-1 | 17 |
| 18. | Baylor | 33-18 | 0-1 | 18 |
| 19. | Arizona State | 31-16 | 1-1 | 20 |
| 20. | Stetson | 41-10 | 1-4 | 13 |
| 21. | South Alabama | 38-13 | 2-1 | 21 |
| 22. | Mississippi | 35-17 | 1-3 | 15 |
| 23. | Wake Forest | 36-15 | 2-0 | 23 |
| 24. | South Carolina | 39-14 | 5-0 | 24 |
| 25. | UC Santa Barbara | 35-12 | 3-1 | 25 |