Three ASU pitchers on National Pitcher of the Year watch list

April 28, 2009

Arizona State University juniors <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/m-basebl/mtt/leake_mike00.html">Mike Leake</a> and <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/m-basebl/mtt/spence_josh00.html">Jo… Spence</a> and freshman <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/m-basebl/mtt/lambson_mitchell00.htm… Lambson</a> have all been named to the watch list for the inaugural National Pitcher of the Year Award, the College Baseball Foundation announced Tuesday. ASU is one of two schools in the nation to have three pitchers on the list, along with Texas.<separator></separator>The righty Leake is 10-1 with a 1.54 ERA and 90 strikeouts in 81.2 innings pitched, and he has thrown three complete games this season. He leads the Pac-10 in wins, ERA and innings pitched, and he ranks second in strikeouts. Leake is currently fifth all-time at ASU with 34 career wins, and he is just the second pitcher in Sun Devil history to win 10 or more games in three straight seasons, joining Eddie Bane, who accomplished the feat from 1971-1973.<separator></separator>Left handed Spence is 8-1 with a 2.23 ERA and a conference-best 93 strikeouts in his first season at ASU after he spent the previous two years at Central Arizona College.<separator></separator>The southpaw Lambson is 6-2 with three saves and a 3.13 ERA in 21 appearances, all but one coming out of the bullpen. In his only start of the season, he threw a complete game to lead ASU to a victory over Washington on April 5.<separator></separator>The Pitcher of the Year will be honored during the College Baseball Awards Show on July 2 in Lubbock, Texas.<separator></separator>"We are excited to have this new award as part of our presentation in July," said Raymond Richardson, College Baseball Awards Show chair and CBF board member. "To have the chance to specifically recognize the greatest pitching talent in college baseball is an opportunity we couldn't pass up."