March 7, 2002
PROBABLE PITCHERS:
Mar. 8 vs. UNLV, 7 p.m. MST
UNLV - Giovanni Pupo - LHP (1-0, 4.66)
ASU - Mike Esposito - RHP (3-2, 3.41 ERA)
Mar. 9 vs. St. John's, 7 p.m. MST
SJU - Charlie Bilezikjian - RHP (1-0, 1.17 ERA)
ASU - Robbie McClellan - RHP (3-2, 2.74 ERA)
Mar. 10 vs. Oklahoma State, 1 p.m. MST
OSU - Jimmy Rhodes - RHP (1-0, 4.09)
ASU - Bryce Kartler - LHP (2-0, 3.34 ERA)
What's On Tap:
The 15th-ranked Sun Devil Baseball team continues a streak where they will play five games in eight days this weekend with the inaugural Bob Schaefer Baseball Classic. The Sun Devils host UNLV, St. John's and Oklahoma State in the round-robin tournament that will be played at ASU's Packard Stadium. The Sun Devils have not played at Packard this year, playing all 14 of their home games at Hohokam Stadium in Mesa. ASU will play UNLV Friday at 7 p.m., St. John's on Saturday at 7 p.m. and conclude the tournament with No. 12/21 Oklahoma State on Sunday at 1 p.m. The Devils then return to the road for the second time in 2002, taking a bus trip down 1-10 to Las Cruces, N.M. for a one-game series with New Mexico State next Tuesday.
Quick Hits:
2002 Bob Schaefer Memorial Tournament:
Day Date Opponent Site Time Friday Mar. 8 UNLV vs. St. John's Packard Stadium 11 a.m. MST Friday Mar. 8 St. John's vs. Oklahoma State Packard Stadium 3 p.m. MST Friday Mar. 8 UNLV at ASU Packard Stadium 7 p.m. MST Saturday Mar. 9 Oklahoma State vs. UNLV Packard Stadium 3 p.m. MST Saturday Mar. 9 St. John's at ASU Packard Stadium 7 p.m. MST Sunday Mar. 10 Oklahoma State at ASU Packard Stadium 1 p.m. MSTThe Last Time Out:
The Sun Devils are coming off a 10-5 victory over the New Mexico State Aggies Tuesday evening at Hohokam Stadium. With the score tied 3-3 after five innings, the Devils unloaded for four runs in the sixth and rallied for seven total late-inning runs en route to the win. Sophomore reliever J.J. Jackson improved to 2-0 on the season with three hitless innings out of the bullpen and redshirt freshman Mark Sopko picked up his first career save with two solid innings of relief work. Seniors Jon Sheaffer and Sergio Garcia led the Devils at the plate with two hits apiece. ASU and NMSU will meet two more times this year, with the next meeting coming Tuesday at 5 p.m. in Las Cruces, N.M.
Devils On A Roll:
The Sun Devils are on a roll heading into tournament play, winning five of their last six. After winning the Saturday game against Cal State Fullerton, ASU swept a three-game series from Loyola Marymount and then defeated New Mexico State on Tuesday 10-5. During the six-game stretch, the Sun Devils have outscored their opponents 56-25. During that same stretch of games the pitching staff has caught fire to combine for a 3.00 team ERA.
Home Sweet Home:
Arizona State returns home this weekend for three games at Packard Stadium, the home of ASU Baseball since 1974. Playing 1,014 official games at Packard Stadium, ASU has combined for an impressive 785-228-1 record on its home turf. Planned to undergo a $2 million renovation later this month, the Devils have played all 14 home games so far this season at Hohokam Stadium in Mesa to avoid splitting the non-conference and Pac-10 portion of the schedule between two fields.
Espo and West To Face Hometown UNLV:
Las Vegas natives Jeremy West and Mike Esposito will face the their hometown UNLV Rebels for the first time in their respective careers Friday night at Packard Stadium. Esposito was a prep standout at Cimarron High School, playing with current Rebel catcher James Nepa. West has much stronger ties, having played with five players on the UNLV roster at Sivlerado High School. Both players were named to the USA Today Nevada All-American team during their prep careers.
Sun Devil Baseball Successful in March:
The Sun Devil Baseball program has an all-time 616-241-1 record in the month of March dating back to the 1959 baseball season. Head Coach Pat Murphy, who is only one win short of his 600th career Division I victory, is 68-48-1 in the month of March in his eight years at ASU.
Devils Better Score Early and Often:
The Sun Devils have had good success this year when scoring before their opponent, going 8-3 in those game. Even more importantly, when ASU scores in the first inning they are 9-2. Five runs or more seem to be the magic number for the Devils, as ASU is 12-1 in games when scoring five or more runs.
Andre Ethier Swinging a Hot Bat:
Andre Ethier came to ASU, left ASU, and is now back at ASU, and boy, ASU is happy. The sweet-swinging Ethier is leading the Sun Devils in hitting through 17 games with a .424 (28x66) batting average. Ethier has been nearly unstoppable at the plate, with nine multi-hit games on the year, five of which have been three-hit affairs. After earning All-State honors at St. Mary's High School as a senior in 2000, Sun Devil right fielder Andre Ethier followed his dreams and came to Arizona State University to play baseball. With playing time not working out, Ethier decided to play his freshman year at Chandler-Gilbert CC. Making a name for himself by hitting .468 at the JC level last year, Ethier spurned an offer from the Oakland Athletics after being drafted in the 37th round and came back to Arizona State. He has started all 17 games for the Sun Devils, with 16 coming in right field and one start coming at first base. He has a hit in 14 of 17 games this year.
On the Road Again:
The Devils will return to the road next week with a single game at Presley Askew Field at New Mexico State in Las Cruces, N.M. ASU is 0-3 so far on the road. The Devils will bus to Las Cruces on Monday afternoon, play Tuesday at 5 p.m., then bus back on Tuesday during the university's annual spring break.
Now That's The Way to Start the Game.... And An Inning:
The Sun Devil leadoff hitter in the game is off to a great start in 2002, and a main reason why the Devils have scored at least one run in the first inning in 11 of their 17 (65%) games this year. The Sun Devil leadoff hitter, 16 times being Steve Garrabrants and one time being Doug Schutt, is 11-for-16 (.688) to lead off the game for ASU. Garrabrants is 10-for-15 (.667) with five singles, four doubles, a walk and a home run to his credit, while Schutt is 1-for-1 with a single. Garrabrants has also had great success when he is the leadoff batter in an inning, not jut the start of the game, going 15-for-28 (.536) with five doubles and both of his home runs.
Murphy is One Short of 600 Division I Victories:
Sun Devil Head Coach Pat Murphy is now just one (1) win2 short of reaching the 600 plateau for Division I victories in his 15 years of coaching at the top level of collegiate baseball. Fashioning a career 654-316-4 record in his 18 seasons as a head coach, with 55 of those wins came at Maryville (Tenn.) College and Claremont-Mudd Scripps, Murphy should reach the milestone this weekend. In his 15 years at the D1 level, Murphy has averaged nearly 40 wins per year and is 281-148-1 in his 8-year ASU career. He will coach in his 1,000th career game on April 27, 2002 when he returns to play his former school, Notre Dame, in South Bend, Ind.
The Record Is In The Books. ASU Has Scored In 392 Straight Games:
The Arizona State baseball program made history on April 7, 2001 when they scored at least one run in its 350th consecutive game. The Devils broke the 12-year-old NCAA 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 UCLA on May 19 last year marked only the 11th time during the streak that ASU has scored only one run. The streak is still intact at 392 consecutive games with ASU scoring in each of the 16 games this year. The Devils have extended the streak early in almost every game, with a run in the first inning 11 times in 2002. ASU was neck-in-neck for the record with Wichita State, which had not been shutout in 332 games, but had its streak ended with a 1-0 loss to Louisiana-Lafayette in the middle of the 2001 season. Coastal Carolina previously held the NCAA 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 shutout in three games dating back to 1990.
Garrabrants Leading Off:
Sophomore Steve Garrabrants is off to a torrid start to the 2002 season. Through 17 games, Garrabrants is third on the team in hitting with a .382 average. He leads the team with 10 multi-hit games and has nine extra base hits. He has started all 17 games this year, with eight coming at designated hitter and nine second base. As ASU's leadoff hitter, Garrabrants is an amazing 10-for-15 to lead off the game for the Devils. Garrabrants is coming off a solid weekend vs. LMU, going 7-for-12 (.583) with five RBI and has recorded a hit in 14 of 17 games this year.
Making the Most of his Senior Year, Jon Sheaffer:
Senior center fielder Jon Sheaffer is making the most of his final year as a college student-athlete. Sheaffer, who played football and baseball for ASU last year after transferring from South Mountain CC, played in only 30 games last year, making three starts. This year is a different story though, as Sheaffer has started 15 of ASU's 17 games in center field and is currently second on the team with a .400 (28x66) batting average. Sheaffer is currently in the midst of a career-high 11-game hitting streak, going 15-for-36 (.417) during the streak.
These Former Devils Are In Big League Camps:
Eleven (11) former Sun Devils are currently in the big league camps for Major League Baseball's annual Spring Training. Former Sun Devil (1983-85) San Francisco Giants slugger Barry Bonds is coming off his record-breaking 2001 season in which he set the MLB record with 73 home runs. Of the 11 Devils in big league camps, only three (Bloomquist, Bonds and McKay) are playing in the local Cactus League in Arizona.
Benjamin, Mike Pittsburgh Pirates 3B Bloomquist, Willie Seattle Mariners 2B Bonds, Barry San Francisco Giants LF Cruz, Jacob Detroit Tigers CF Henry, Doug Kansas City Royals RP Lo Duca, Paul Los Angeles Dodgers C Lowe, Sean Pittsburgh Pirates RP McKay, Cody Oakland Athletics C Mills, Ryan Minnesota Twins P Molina, Gabe St. Louis Cardinals RP Vina, Fernando St. Louis Cardinals 2BThe Wild, Wild West:
Sophomore first baseman Jeremy West has been swinging a hot bat as of late, hitting three of his team-leading four home runs in the last seven games. West is fourth on the team with a .357 batting average and leads the team with 21 RBI (1.24 avg. per game) and 12 extra base hits. He tied a career high with four RBI vs. LMU (3/2) and has recorded a hit in 11 of his 16 games played this year. West leads all Sun Devils with 10 career home runs.
A Cubs/Sun Devil Doubleheader?:
With ASU sharing Hohokam Stadium with the Chicago Cubs this spring for their spring training, baseball fans will have the unique opportunity on three occasions to enjoy a Major League-College baseball doubleheader. Tuesday night was the second of three, with the Cubs falling to cross-town rival Chicago White Sox 20-6 and ASU defeating New Mexico State 10-5 later that night. ASU and the Cubs have one more doubleheader on March 17 when the Devils face Oklahoma at Hohokam Stadium.
Allen and Esposito Earn Preseason All-America Awards:
Sun Devil players Rod Allen and Mike Esposito both earned preseason All-America honors. Allen, who hit .389 and set an ASU freshman record in 2001, was named a first-team preseason All-American by Collegiate Baseball. Esposito, who recorded a 5-2 record in 2001 and is coming off an impressive summer with Team USA, was named to a third-team preseason All-American by Baseball America. Allen has been struggling at the plate as of late and is hitting .266 on the year with three home runs, 14 RBI and has played spectacular defense in left field. Esposito is 3-2 with a 3.41 ERA in his five starts, including a complete-game victory over Tennessee (2/9).
Murphy's Teams Know How To Score:
A true icon of the Pat Murphy system is scoring runs. The Sun Devils have done plenty of that since he arrived in 1995. ASU has led the NCAA in scoring in two of the last three years, averaging 11.32 runs per game in 1999 and 10.97 runs per game in 2000. The Devils paced the Pac-10 in 2001, hitting at a .327 clip and averaging 8.26 runs per game to rank 17th in the nation. ASU also led the nation in batting average with a team total of .356 in 1999 and fell just percentage points shy of matching that feat a second year in a row in 2000 with a .346 mark, trailing Stony Brook by one point. During Pat Murphy's eight seasons in Tempe, the Sun Devils have been a scoring machine with 3,974 runs, averaging 9.24 runs per game and hitting at an overall .331 clip.
The Catching Situation:
One of the biggest questions for the Sun Devil baseball team this year has been the catching situation. Junior Dennis Wyrick, who was ASU's starting shortstop this year and started eight games at third base this year, has become the Devils' every day starting catcher. Wyrick, who debuted at catcher in the Arizona Summer Collegiate League, has started the last seven games behind the plate and has thrown out three base runners. Before that, ASU had only had one caught stealing in 16 attempts. Freshman Tuffy Gosewisch has overcome a season-starting slump (1-for-18) to go 4-for-his-last-7.
Hitting For The Cycle... in the First Inning:
In what may be one of the rarest feats of Arizona State baseball history, the Devils led off the Feb. 9 game vs. Tennessee in grand fashion with the first four hitters combining to hit for the cycle in the first inning. Leadoff hitter Steve Garrabrants led off the game with a first-pitch home run, then Dustin Pedroia followed with a double, then Rod Allen singled and to cap off the amazing event, Jeremy West tripled to give ASU the early 2-0 lead.
The Solo Story Gives Way to the Three-Run Story:
The Sun Devils have hit nine home runs in 2002, with Steve Garrabrants hitting two, Rod Allen connecting on three and first baseman Jeremy West leading the team with four round-trippers. The first seven of ASU's home runs were all solo home runs, until West and Allen both connected on three-run home runs for ASU's last two home runs.
The Bullpen is Still Pretty Solid:
The Sun Devil bullpen did not give up an earned run until the seventh game of the season, hit a little road-bump with some shaky outings, and has since fell back into a grove. Led by sophomore J.J. Jackson (2-0, 1.93), the ASU relievers have combined to go 4-2 with three saves and a 3.36 ERA in 59.0 combined innings. Redshirt freshman Mark Sopko leads the team with seven relief appearances and picked up his first career save Tuesday vs. New Mexico State. Reliever turned starter Robbie McClellan was 2-2 with one save before moving into the starting rotation last weekend.
How 'Bout Those Starters:
While the Sun Devil bullpen has drawn rave review for its stellar 3.36, the starters are even more impressive with a 8-3 record and 3.16 ERA. Sophomore preseason All-American Mike Esposito is 3-2 with a 3.41 ERA. Bryce Kartler is 2-0 with a 3.34 ERA and has a 3.09 ERA in games he has started in. In his only start of the year, Robbie McClellan has a 1.00 ERA, allowing one earned run in his complete-game effort last weekend vs. Loyola Marymount. Freshman Miguel Sanchez has made two starts, combining for 2.89 ERA in 9.1 innings pitched.
A Tough Schedule in 2002 For ASU:
The Sun Devils face a tough schedule in 2002, with 12 combined games against teams that participated in the 2001 College World Series (3 - Tennessee, 3 - USC, 3 - Stanford, 3 - Cal State Fullerton). ASU will play 22 of its 55 (40%) scheduled games against teams that advanced to the NCAA Tournament last year. The Devils schedule includes road contests against Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Florida State, Stanford and UCLA. Arizona State is listed as having the ninth toughest schedule in the nation on www.Boydsworld.com. So far this year the Devils are 4-5 against teams ranked in at least one of the national polls at the time they played.
Pedroia At The Plate:
True freshman infielder Dustin Pedroia may be in the midst of a 7-for-36 (.194) slump over his last 10 games, but what #2 does for the Sun Devils is invaluable on a daily basis. With his average well above .350 before the Florida State series, Pedroia has hit the ball hard, but just hasn't found the holes. Hitting .270 on the year, the slick-fielder has made only one error in 64 total chances for a .984 fielding percentage. At the plate he has recorded hits in 11 of ASU's 17 games and has five extra base hits (4 2B/1 3B). Pedroia has started nine games at third base and eight games at second base this year.
You're The Best, Mike Esposito:
While not claiming to be the best, sophomore Mike Esposito comes out to the song from the Karate Kid soundtrack labeled, "You're the best," before each of his starts. A song held special to his heart because the man singing the song is his father, Joe Esposito, who is a lounge singer in Las Vegas and has numerous songs to his credit. Espo, a fifth-round pick by the Cincinnati Reds out of high school, is off to a 3-2, 3.41 ERA start in 29.0 innings pitched this year.
Kartler Knows How To Be Effectively Wild:
Junior LHP Bryce Kartler is off to a 2-0 start, earning the first two wins of his collegiate career. Kartler is third on the team with a 3.34 ERA, striking out a team-leading 29 batters in 29.2 innings. The Phoenix native has also battled control problems though, with 17 walks, 10 hit-by-pitches and five wild pitches. As the senior member of the pitching staff, Kartler has 36 career appearances under his belt heading into tournament play this weekend.
The Child From Liberal, Kansas:
Junior right-handed relief pitcher Robbie McClellan has been nicknamed "The Child" for his boyish looks. While the nickname has stuck, he is anything but boyish, and rather bullish, when it comes to his pitching. McClellan started the year with a bang, going 2-0 with one save is his first three innings as a Sun Devil. After two tough games vs. Florida State and Cal State Fullerton in which he record a loss in tough situations in each game, McClellan moved from the bullpen to the starting rotation... and what a move it was. The Child made his first career start last Saturday vs. LMU, throwing a complete-game three-hitter. For the season McClellan is now 3-2 with a 2.74 ERA. He is scheduled to start Saturday against St. John's.
This Sergio Garcia Doesn't Golf:
Senior infielder Sergio Garcia has a familiar name, but this Sergio Garcia is not a golfer. Garcia will fill in the role as ASU's valued utility man, able to play third, second and his most familiar position, shortstop. Garcia transferred from Oklahoma where he hit .311 for the Sooners last year and was an honorable mention All-Big 12 selection. Garcia is one of the hottest hitters as of late, starting the last two games at shortstop and is 4-for-8 (.500) in his last seven games played.
A Very Young Team Indeed:
The Sun Devils feature a very young team in 2002, with 22 of the 33 players on the roster listed as underclassman. Losing seven of its top position players from the 2001 team and several top pitchers, a very young team Sun Devil team will take the field this year. The normal starting lineup has five sophomores, two true freshman and at least one senior on the field. When the Devils made the cross country trek to Tallahassee for the FSU series, 13 of the 27 on the travel roster were making their first road trip as a Sun Devil.
2002 Newcomers Highly Touted By National Publications:
The group of 17 players that make up the newcomers for the 2002 season have been highly touted as the No. 8 recruiting class in the nation by Collegiate Baseball and the No. 11 class by Baseball America. The group includes starting shortstop Ian Kinsler (Central Arizona CC), starting right fielder Andre Ethier (Chandler-Gilbert CC), starting second baseman Dustin Pedroia (Woodland, Calif.), starting catcher Tuffy Gosewisch (Horizon HS) and ace relief pitcher Robbie McClellan (Seward County CC) to name just a few.
Gosewisch A Common Name At ASU:
If the last name and number you see behind the plate for ASU this year looks familiar, don't worry, you aren't having flashback to the late '90s. Tuffy Gosewisch, the brother of former Sun Devil Chip Gosewisch, wears the same No. 39 as his brother and carries the same tough mentality on the field. The older Gosewisch played for Pat Murphy from 1996-99 as a catcher and infielder, hitting at a career .338 clip and playing in 160 career games. Tuffy Gosewisch was an all-state catcher at Horizon High School in Scottsdale last year. After starting the year with only one hit in his first 18 at-bats, Tuffy has come around as of late and is one of the team's hottest hitters with four hits and two RBI in his last seven at-bats. He is now hitting .200 (5x25) on the year and has been invaluable behind the plate as a solid defensive catcher.
Why Not #9 Murphy:
Most who are close to the ASU Baseball program know what the No. 9 means to head coach Pat Murphy. Often his slogan to "Play all 9 Innings", Murphy and No. 9 are synonymous with each other... until this year. In a preseason meeting with team, Murphy gave a speech on how you have to be able to give up anything for the team. In this case, he even offered up his prize No. 9, knowing no one would take it. That is, until ASU's sophomore Steve Garrabrants raised his hand and said, I'll take it, and with that, the leader of the Devils is willing to give up anything for the team and will wear No. 7 this year.
The Apollo Connection:
Arizona State and Apollo High School in Glendale has formed quiet a relationship. Former Sun Devil All-American and Major Leaguer Bob Horner started the tradition back in the late 1970's and still holds the ASU career record for home runs with 56. Current Los Angeles Dodger Paul Lo Duca, who was the Sporting News College Player of the Year in 1993 and holds the ASU single-season batting average record at .446 was also a prep standout at Apollo High School. The latest in the line of ASU players to come from Apollo High School is freshman infielder Nick Cadena. Cadena broke the school and state home run records for a career set by Horner and also bettered several of Lo Duca's long-standing records. To add to the connection, ASU Baseball beat writer Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic is also an Apollo graduate.
Arizona State On The Tube:
Fox Sports Net will televise four Pac-10 Baseball games this year, including the March 23 game between Arizona State and Arizona in Tucson. The game, originally scheduled for 1 p.m. at Frank Sancet Field, has been pushed back to a 2 p.m. start to accommodate the TV start time. Arizona State will also play Florida State on Feb. 16 on Fox Sports Arizona at 12 p.m. MST. Listed below is a complete schedule of Pac-10 Baseball games scheduled to air on Fox Sports Net in 2002. Please check your local listings for exact start times and channel:
-- Saturday, March 23, 2002-Arizona State at Arizona, 1 p.m. PT/2 p.m. MT -- Saturday, April 13, 2002-USC at Stanford, 1 p.m. PT -- Saturday, May 4, 2002-UCLA at Washington, 1 p.m. PT -- Saturday, May 11, 2002-Oregon State at California, 1 p.m. PTMonday's With Murphy at Boston's:
New for the 2002 baseball season is a weekly coaches radio show for ASU head coach Pat Murphy. Held every Monday from 6-6:30 p.m. on XTRA 910 AM, Murphy and the voice of ASU Baseball, Tim Healey, will preview upcoming ASU Baseball games and talk Sun Devil baseball. A roundtable discussion on ASU and College Baseball is held from 5:30-6 p.m. and is open to the public and all media. Selected players and ASU assistant coach Mike Rooney will also be present at the weekly event.
ASU And Team USA Connections:
Arizona State baseball has had a long-standing tradition of sending players to play for the USA National team during the summers. ASU has had six players don the Red, White and Blue for Team USA since 1984, with the first being Oddibe McDowell in the 1984 Olympics played at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. Jim Austin played for Team USA in 1990 and ASU has had four players play with Team USA in the last four years. 1999 Pac-10 Player of the Year Willie Bloomquist played in the summer of 1998, 2000-2001 Pac-10 Player of the Year Casey Myers played in the summer of 2000 and was also a member of the Team USA Junior National Team before arriving at ASU in 1998. Current Tampa Bay Devil Ray prospect Jon Switzer was also a member of the 2000 National Team and current pitcher Mike Esposito was 3-1 with a 1.56 ERA last summer. Current Sun Devils Dustin Pedroia, Dennis Wyrick and Ryan Schroyer all played for one of the Team USA Junior teams during their respective prep careers.
The Bishop Amat Connection:
Arizona State and Bishop Amat High School in La Puente, Calif., has also formed a good pipeline of players. Junior third baseman Dennis Wyrick played for head coach Kenny Kendrena, as did freshman LHP Miguel Sanchez. Sanchez helped lead his Bishop Amat to the Collegiate Baseball High School National Championship last year with an 11-1 record.
Allen and Esposito Named Summer All-Americans:
Sun Devil sophomores Rod Allen and Mike Esposito were named to Baseball America's second-team Summer All-America team. Allen was ranked as the No. 8 prospect out of the Alaskan League after hitting .314 with 24 stolen bases to help lead the Anchorage Glacier Pilots to the National Baseball Congress (NBC) World Series Championship in Wichita, Kan. Esposito was 3-1 with a 1.56 ERA for Team USA. Junior pitcher Robbie McClellan also had great summer success, helping lead the Liberal BeeJays (Kansas) to the NBC World Series. McClellan was named an NBC All-American after going 2-0 with a 0.52 ERA in the 2001 World Series.
Homegrown Devils:
A total of 20 of ASU's 33 players hail from the state of Arizona. Rod Allen (Phoenix), Joel Bocchi (Phoenix), Nick Cadena (Glendale), Cesar Castillo (Yuma), Andre Ethier (Phoenix), Steve Garrabrants (Phoenix), Tuffy Gosewisch (Scottsdale), Mike Guerrero (Mesa), J.J. Jackson (Chandler), Bryce Kartler (Phoenix), Ian Kinsler (Tucson), Aaron Klusman (Phoenix), Jeff Larish (Tempe), Matt Leaf (Peoria), Jered Liebeck (Glendale), Josh Perrault (Mesa), Ryan Schroyer (Casa Grande), Doug Schutt (Gilbert) and Josh Smith (Lake Havasu) are all native Arizonans. The team is also represented by players from Alaska (1), California (5), Colorado (1), Illinois (2), Kansas (1), Nevada (2) and New Mexico (1).