May 27, 2002
TEMPE, Ariz. -- For the third year in a row and the 26th overall in school history, the Arizona State Baseball team has advanced to the NCAA Baseball Tournament. With a 35-19 record and a third-place finish in the Pac-10, ASU was one of the 16 schools that were announced as regional site hosts. Hohokam Park, the 2002 home of Arizona State baseball and the Spring Training facility of the Chicago Cubs, will serve as the host for the Arizona State Regional to be played this weekend (May 31-June 2) in Mesa, Ariz.
Winners of eight of their last 10 games, the No. 2 seeded Sun Devils will host West Coast Conference champion San Diego (38-21) at 6 p.m. Friday. No. 1 seed Houston (44-15), the Conference USA regular season champions and currently the No. 7 ranked team in the nation, will take on New Mexico State in the 12 p.m., game Friday. The Aggies, coached by former Oklahoma State coach Gary Ward, are making their first appearance in the NCAA Tournament after winning the Sun Belt Conference Tournament in Mobile, Ala., last weekend.
The Sun Devil baseball program has created a dynasty in college baseball that has been matched by few. With 18 appearances in the College World Series, ASU ranks fifth for the most trips to Omaha. Arizona State has now advanced to the NCAA Tournament in 26 of the program's 43 varsity seasons (dating back to 1959), amassing an incredible 122-49 (.730) record. ASU's five National Championships (1965, 1967, 1969, 1977, 1981) rank as the second most of any NCAA school. In addition to ASU's five national championships, the Sun Devils have also turned in five second-place teams and three third-place finishes.
Tournament Schedule:
Friday, May 30
Game 1 - #1 Houston vs. #4 New Mexico State, 12 p.m.
Game 2 - #2 Arizona State vs. #3 San Diego, 6 p.m.
Saturday, June 1
Game 3 - Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2, 10 a.m.
Game 4 - Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2, 2 p.m.
Game 5 - Loser Game 4 vs. Winner Game 3
Sunday, June 2
Game 6 - Game 4 winner vs. Game 5 winner,
Game 7 - Game 4 winner vs. Game 5 winner (if necessary)