March 12, 2002
LAS CRUCES, N.M. -- The 11th-Ranked (Baseball Weekly) Arizona State baseball team will play a non-conference game tonight against New Mexico State at 5 p.m. at Presley Askew Field in Las Cruces, N.M. Junior RHP Jered Liebeck (0-0, 2.08) will make his first start of the year as ASU looks to extend its winning streak to a season-high eight games.
The Sun Devils are fresh off a weekend sweep in the inaugural Bob Schaefer Memorial Classic, gaining wins over UNLV (10-0), St. John's (11-1) and nationally ranked Oklahoma State (7-2). The contest with NMSU is the second of three scheduled between the two schools this year, with ASU winning the first game last Tuesday 10-5 at Hohokam Stadium in Mesa, Ariz. The Sun Devils own a convincing 24-1 record in the all-time series.
With the 4-0 week and having won eight of their last nine games, the Sun Devils moved up in all three national polls. ASU is now ranked 11th by Baseball Weekly/ESPN, 15th by Collegiate Baseball and 18th by Baseball America. The Devils have been a mainstay in the national polls for 45 consecutive weeks.
Arizona State will return home this weekend with a three-game series against Oklhoma at Hohokam Stadium. Game times are scheduled for 6 p.m., 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. Friday through Sunday.