Baseball hosts BYU before facing UA

May 10, 2010

Leading off:

Arizona State returns to action after taking the last weekend off for final exams, hosting BYU at Winkles Field-Packard Stadium at Brock Ballpark. Prior to the break, the Sun Devils defeated Arizona 13-1 in a non-conference match-up in Tempe. ASU will play the Cougars in a two-game series, the final non-conference games of the year for the Devils. Following the mid-week meetings with BYU, Arizona State heads to Tucson for a three-game Pac-10 series with Arizona at Kindall Field at Sancet Stadium.

Devils vs. BYU:

Arizona State holds a 43-8 lead in the all-time series with the BYU Cougars. The two teams last met in 2003. The Devils swept the three-game series in Tempe.

Devils vs. Arizona:

Since Arizona State began varsity baseball in 1959, the Devils and Wildcats have met 294 times, with ASU holding a 179-115 edge in the all-time series. The season series is tied at one win apiece, with ASU beating Arizona 13-1 in their previous meeting in Tempe.

Historical start to a season:

The 24 straight wins to open the 2010 campaign is the best start in school history. The previous record was set by the 1961 team, who began the year 21-0. The 24-game winning streak also set the mark for the second longest winning streak in school history. The school record for longest winning streak is 32, set in 1972.

Historical start to a coaching career:

With Arizona State's 24-game winning streak to start the 2010 season, Head Coach Tim Esmay set a new standard for wins to start a career as Arizona State's head baseball coach. Jim Brock held the previous record for best start by a first year coach, going 12-0 to begin his ASU coaching career in 1972. Pat Murphy won the first five games of his first season in 1995. Bobby Winkles began his career 0-1-1 in 1959, the first year of varsity baseball at Arizona State.

Arizona recap:

After allowing a single to leadoff the game, Brady Rodgers retired the next 21 Wildcats he faced on the way to an eight inning, seven strike out shut out performance. Rodgers did not walk a batter in his eight innings, picking up the win. Kole Calhoun provided some offense for Rodgers, blasting his ninth homer of the season. Zack MacPhee and Deven Marrero each had a pair of hits and a pair of RBI in the 13-1 Sun Devil victory.

Pac-10 Pitcher of the Week:

Brady Rodgers was named the Pac-10 Pitcher of the Week thanks to his start against Arizona. It is the first weekly honor for Rodgers and the sixth of 2010 for ASU.

Sun Devil grads:

Seniors Kole Calhoun, Raoul Torrez and Josh Spence will all graduate from Arizona State University this week.

College World Series Legends:

Four former Sun Devil greats were named to the College World Series Legends Team, named to honor the final year of the College World Series at Rosenblatt Stadium. Eddie Bane, Sal Bando, Bob Horner and Barry Bonds all represent Arizona State on the 28-man team. The four ASU greats ties Texas for most players on the team. Bando (1965) and Horner (1977) both won the Most Outstanding Player award at the College World Series. Bane pitched in the CWS in 1972 and 1973, Bando appeared in 1964 and 1965, Bonds in 1983 and 1984 and Horner went to the College World Series in 1976, 1977 and 1978.

Double up:

The Sun Devils were in a twin-killing mood in the series finale against Washington, turning five double plays against the Huskies to tie the school record. ASU had turned five double plays four other times (2008, 1999, 1989 and 1985).

30 Win threshold:

For the 48th straight season and 50th overall, Arizona State baseball has surpassed the 30 win total.

92nd major leaguer:

On Sunday April 11, former Sun Devil pitcher Mike Leake made his Major League Debut for the Cincinnati Reds, becoming the 92nd Arizona State baseball player to play in the Major Leagues. Leake, who was the 8th overall pick in the 2009 MLB Draft, became the 21st player since Major League Baseball began the draft in 1965 to make his big league debut without playing in the Minor Leagues. Leake is the first player to accomplish the feat since Xavier Nady in 2000, and the first pitcher since Darren Dreifort in 1994. He also becomes the third Sun Devil to do it, joining Eddie Bane (1973) and Bob Horner (1978).

We (still) like Ike:

On Monday April 19, former Sun Devil infielder/pitcher Ike Davis made his Major League Debut for the New York Mets, becoming the 93rd Arizona State baseball player to play in the Major Leagues. Davis, who was the 18th pick in the 2008 MLB Draft, becomes the second Sun Devil to make his Major League debut in 2010, joining Mike Leake. Davis was a three-time All-Pac-10 First Team selection and a Unanimous First Team All-American in 2008. Davis was 2-4 with an RBI in his debut.

Swipe here:

Sophomore Drew Maggi has been a stolen base machine in 2010. Maggi has swiped 29 bags in 2010, eight more than last season. Maggi stole four in the win over Washington State on April 10 to tie the school record for stolen bases in a game. Maggi becomes only the eighth player in school history to steal 20+ bases in back-to-back seasons.

Sun Devils with 20+ stolen bases in consecutive seasons
John Ruedy- 25 in 1963, 31 in 1964
Ken Landreaux- 24 in 1975, 34 in 1976

Kevin Romine- 27 in 1981, 59 in 1982
Oddibe McDowell- 36 in 1983, 36 in 1984
Mike Kelly- 20 in 1990, 23 in 1991

Willie Bloomquist- 33 in 1998, 32 in 1999
Jason Kipnis- 24 in 2008, 27 in 2009

Drew Maggi- 21 in 2009, 29 in 2010

Rare occurrence:

The 1-0 win over Oregon on April 1 was a rare occurrence indeed. The last time the Sun Devils were involved in a 1-0 ballgame was back in 2000, when they beat the Oregon State Beavers 1-0 on April 7.

Team captains:

The 2010 Sun Devils will be led by three team captains. Senior Raoul Torrez is in his second season as a captain after serving with Mike Leake as co-captain last season. Joining Torrez will be seniors Josh Spence and Kole Calhoun. Torrez is in his fourth year with the program, while Spence and Calhoun are in their second.

Turn his swag on:

On March 21 against Houston, Jordan Swagerty proved his worth to the Sun Devils yet again. The ASU closer had spent the first 8.2 innings behind the plate as the starting catcher, but when the Devils needed the door slammed on the Cougars, Swagerty was ready. He shed his catcher's gear, grabbed his glove and closed the door on the Cougars, picking up his seventh save of the season. It marked the first time since 2006 that an ASU player caught and pitched in the same inning. The last Sun Devil to do it was CJ Retherford, who did it against Prairie View A&M in the 2006 NCAA Tournament in Houston. Just for good measure, Swagerty did it again against USC on April 17, catching the first 8.2 innings before retiring the last batter and earning the save.

Award watch lists:

Sun Devil closer Jordan Swagerty has been named to the Midseason Watch List of the Stopper of the Year Award, given to the top relief pitcher in Division I baseball. Swagerty is one of four players from the Pac-10 on the 45-man list. Swagerty leads the Pac-10 with his 10 saves. Seth Blair has been named to the Pitcher of the Year Watch List, Drew Maggi has been named to the Brooks Wallace Award Watch List (outstanding shortstop) and Zack MacPhee has been named to the Golden Spikes Award Watch List.

Man vs. Food visits Packard:

Hit Travel Channel show Man vs. Food made a stop in Phoenix last week, and one of the spots they visited was Packard Stadium. Host Adam Richman threw out the first pitch Friday night vs. Houston, then filmed a segment for the show on the field on Saturday. Assistant Coach Ken Knutson made a special guest appearance in the episode, which is scheduled to air sometime in June.

Quality time with a Hall of Famer:

Several Sun Devils got a thrill in Surprise, as they got a chance to meet Hall of Famer Nolan Ryan. Ryan, who is President of the Texas Rangers, was signing autographs for fans as the Devils took the field. He was in front of ASU's dugout, and several Sun Devils were able to shake his hand, pose for a photo or get an autograph before going out for pre-game stretching.

Coca-Cola Classic Tournament history:

With their 4-0 showing in the 8th Annual Coca-Cola Classic, Arizona State improved their all-time record in the tournament to 17-9. It was the first time since the inaugural year of the tournament that ASU went undefeated in three or more games (ASU was 2-0 in 2008). The 16 runs scored against UC Riverside, as well the 14-run margin of victory and the 22 hits in the 16-2 win, were all Coca-Cola Classic tournament records.

Players of the Week:

Sophomore Zack MacPhee was named the Pac-10 Player of the Week, The NCBWA's National Hitter of the Week and a Louisville Slugger National Player of the Week by Collegiate Baseball following opening weekend against Northern Illinois. It was the third straight season a Sun Devil has been named the Pac-10 Player of the Week following opening weekend. MacPhee also earned the award following the San Diego and Washington State games. Sophomore Jake Borup was named the Pac-10 Pitcher of the Week and a Louisville Slugger National Player of the Week by Collegiate Baseball following the Cal series. It was the first weekly honor of Borup's career. Drew Maggi was named the Pac-10 Player of the Week following the Oregon series, the first conference honor of his career. Riccio Torrez was the Pac-10 Player of the Week after the USF/UCLA week. Brady Rodgers was the Pac-10 Pitcher of the Week after the Arizona game.

Another ASU Hall of Famer:

Alan Bannister will become the sixth Sun Devil in the College Baseball Hall of Fame during Fourth of July weekend in Lubbock, Texas. Bannister was a member of the 8-man 2010 Hall of Fame class that was announced by the College Baseball Foundation. Bannister played three seasons at ASU from 1970 to 1972, earning First Team All-American honors in 1971 and 1972. The shortstop was a career .355 hitter and was the #1 pick in the 1973 January MLB Draft. He played 12 seasons in the Majors.

Triple the fun:

On March 9, 1963, the Sun Devils hit six triples in a 12-0 win over Utah State, setting a school record. That record stood for 47 years, until ASU tied it on February 20 during the second game of the doubleheader with Northern Illinois. In ASU's 26-1 win in seven innings, the Devils collected six three-baggers, tying the school record. The NCAA record is seven, set in 1976 and tied in 1992. ASU had not had more than four triples in a game since 1975. The six triples also tied the Pac-10 record, set in 1945. So far in 2010, ASU has tripled 29 times. The school record is 58, set in 1970. Zack MacPhee has already collected 12 triples so far this season after getting only one all of last year. The school record for triples in a season is 13 by Alan Bannister in 1971.

Exhibition with Meiji University (Japan):

On March 2, the Sun Devils faced Meiji University of Japan in an exhibition game which the Devils won 9-1. It was ASU's first international exhibition since March 11, 1999 when they faced Aomori of Japan.
ASU Baseball International Exhibition Games In Tempe
3/2/10- vs. Meiji University (Japan)
3/11/99- vs. Aomori (Japan)
3/10/92- Keio (Japan)

3/29/82 to 3/31/82- Taiwan National Team
2/21/80- Taiyo (Japan)
2/27/80- Hanshin (Japan)
3/17/78- Waseda (Japan)

Family ties:

Arizona State baseball has become a true family affair in recent years. Junior OF Matt Newman has Maroon and Gold in his blood, as his father, Randy, was a pitcher for the Sun Devils in 1981 and 1982, winning 15 career games and the 1981 National Championship. Last season, Matt and Randy joined a select list as a father-son combo who both played in the College World Series...Sophomore OF Johnny Ruettiger is the nephew of Rudy Ruettiger, the former Notre Dame football player who had a movie about his life made...Senior Danny Duffy is the brother of former Sun Devil and Major Leaguer Chris Duffy, who played for ASU in 2001...Freshman catcher Kyle Arnsberg is the son of former Major Leaguer and current Toronto Blue Jays pitching coach Brad Arnsberg...Freshman shortstop Deven Marrero is the cousin of Chris Marrero, a rising star in the Washington Nationals' system.

Brotherly love:

Last season, the Sun Devils boasted a set of brothers who started next to each other in the infield, marking the first time in school history that brothers started next to each other on the diamond. In Omaha, when Raoul Torrez manned the hot corner for the Devils and his brother Riccio handled first base, they became the first brother duo since 2004 to start a game in the College World Series. The Torrez brothers are the fifth set of brothers to suit up for the same Sun Devil team. They are joined this season by Drew and Beau Maggi, who become the sixth brother tandem to play for ASU. Drew enters his sophomore season, while his brother Beau begins his freshman year. The other Sun Devil brothers to play on the same teams are Kevin and Pat Dukes (1980-81), Dale and Larry Eiler (1976-78), John and Tom Sain (1973) and Brett and Greg Bordes (2005-06).

The Mayor of Omaha:

Kole Calhoun had a memorable trip to Omaha for the 2009 College World Series, earning All-CWS honors thanks to his .563 average over the four games. Calhoun drove in 11 runs, slugged 1.250 and hit three home runs, including a grand slam. He became only the fourth Sun Devil to ever hit a grand slam at the College World Series, joining Sal Bando (1965), Bob Horner (1978) and Michael Collins (1998). Calhoun quickly became a fan favorite at Rosenblatt Stadium, collecting his own cheering section in left field.

School ties:

Many players on the ASU roster are quite familiar with one another. The Sun Devils have five student-athletes who all attended Brophy Prep in Phoenix. Raoul and Riccio Torrez, Drew and Beau Maggi and Matt Newman all played on the Brophy baseball team. Josh Spence, Jimmy Patterson and Xorge Carrillo all played for Central Arizona in 2008, while Patterson and Carrillo also played together at McClintock High School in Tempe, along with Daniel Milner. Josh Moody and Zack MacPhee both played at Sandra Day O'Connor in Phoenix.

Double duty:

Sophomore OF Brandon Magee is no stranger to ASU athletics, playing linebacker for the Sun Devil football team. Magee joins Mike Jones as recent Sun Devils who played both football and baseball. Jones played football from 2005 to 2008, while splitting time with baseball from 2006 to 2008. Magee recorded 34 tackles in 2009, including seven for loss with two QB sacks. He also intercepted a pass while playing in all 12 games. Magee collected his first career hit against UC Riverside in Surprise.

In the dugout:

Arizona State features a new coaching staff for the 2010 season. Former Sun Devil infielder Tim Esmay takes over head coaching duties after spending the previous five seasons as an assistant coach, including the last three as assistant head coach. Ken Knutson will handle the pitching coach duties in his first season at ASU following 17 years as the head coach at Washington. Travis Jewett begins his first season with the Sun Devils after coaching the past five seasons at Washington State. Former Sun Devil All-American and Major Leaguer Mike Benjamin begins his first season as an assistant coach at his alma mater.

1,000 times yes:

With its 8-0 win over Northern Illinois on February 19, Arizona State recorded its 1,000th victory at Packard Stadium. Winkles Field-Packard Stadium at Brock Ballpark has been the home field of the Sun Devils since 1974, with the exception of the 2002 season when ASU played at Hohokam Park in Mesa during Packard renovations. ASU has compiled a home record of 1,026-271-1 at Packard Stadium.

Pac-10 picks:

The Sun Devils were picked to win the Pac-10 Championship by the Pac-10 coaches for the second straight year. ASU received seven of the nine first place votes. This is the third time in school history Arizona State has been picked to win the conference, joining 2007 and 2009.

Leader of the Pac:

Since the 2000 season, the Arizona State Sun Devils have been the most consistent program in the Pac-10 conference. Since 2000, ASU leads the Pac-10 in wins (472), conference wins (171), NCAA Tournament appearances (10), Top 25 finishes (10), All-Americans (29), draft picks (78) and First Team All-Pac-10 players (47). The Devils have won four Pac-10 titles since 2000, including the last three.

Feeling the draft:

There are 22 members of the 2010 Sun Devils who have had their name called during the annual Major League Baseball draft, including Josh Spence and Raoul Torrez, who both were drafted last season but opted to return to school. Spence, Merrill Kelly and Xorge Carrillo have each been drafted twice.

Up next:
The Sun Devils return to Tempe for their final home games of the regular season, hosting Oregon State in a three-game Pac-10 series beginning Friday at Winkled Field-Packard Stadium at Brock Ballpark.

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