The Fresno State Bulldogs are headed to Omaha for the first time since 1991. Fresno State stunned the #3 national seed Arizona State Sun Devils 12-9 on Monday night in game three of the Tempe Super Regional. The Bulldogs trailed 2-0 early before a three run home run in the top of the second inning by Fresno State’s Tommy Mendonca gave the Bulldogs a 3-2 lead. The Bulldogs added a run in the top of the third to take a 4-2 lead but Arizona State answered with runs in the bottom of the third, fourth and fifth innings to retake the lead 5-4.

Fresno State came back in the top of the sixth with one run and tied the game at five and the two teams headed into the seventh inning knotted up. The Bulldogs then exploded for six runs in the top of the seventh with two outs to take a commanding 11-5 lead.

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Tags: 2008 NCAA Tourney, 2008 Tempe Super Regional, Arizona State, Fresno State, Pac 10, WAC

FROM CBB NEWS SOURCES

Fresno State 8 Arizona State 6

It was a night of missed opportunities for Arizona State, as the Sun Devils fell 8-6 to Fresno State in Game 2 of the Tempe Super Regional in front of an above-capacity crowd of 4,423 at Winkles Field-Packard Stadium at Brock Ballpark. ASU falls to 49-12 on the season and now faces Game 3 tomorrow against the Bulldogs, with the winner advancing to the College World Series.

Playing as the designated visiting team, the Sun Devils stranded 12 runners, including leaving the bases loaded twice, in losing for the first time this postseason. Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: 2008 NCAA Tourney, 2008 Tempe Super Regional, Arizona State, Fresno State, Pac 10, WAC

The Arizona State Sun Devils dispatched the Fresno State Bulldogs 12-4 in the first game of the Tempe Super Regional at Winkles Filed-Packard Stadium at Brock Ballpark on Saturday night.

The Bulldogs got on the board in the top of the first inning but Arizona State answered that run in the bottom of the inning. Ryan Sontag hit a two run homer in the bottom of the third inning to put the Sun Devils up 3-1.

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Tags: 2008 NCAA Tourney, 2008 Tempe Super Regional, Arizona State, Fresno State, Pac 10, WAC

The College Baseball Blog contributor and bleedCrimson.net editor Sam Wasson spoke with New Mexico State head coach Rocky Ward about the upcoming Super Regional matchup between the WAC’s Fresno State and the #3 national seed in the NCAA Tournament, the Arizona State Sun Devils. Having faced the Bulldogs nine times during the regular season and having coached NMSU at Arizona State in the 2003 Regional, Coach Ward was able to provide some unique insight into the Super Regional matchup this weekend.

Sam Wasson: What are Fresno State’s chances against the #3 national seed Arizona State?

Rocky Ward: I think it’s good for them because they haven’t played them. Arizona State has a lot of tradition but they have as much year to year tradition against Fresno. They won’t know Fresno very well. I think that Fresno will have a pretty decent advantage from that standpoint. Sometimes when the teams don’t know each other very well the lower ranked team on paper has a little bit of an advantage because sometimes they have a little bit more motivation, they’re a little hungrier. It’s going to be the same type of things. When you’ve got a lower ranked opponent playing at a host’s facility game one is absolutely imperative. They have to win game one. If they win game one I think it makes it a 50/50 shot for them.
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Tags: 2008 NCAA Tourney, 2008 Tempe Super Regional, Arizona State, Fresno State, Pac 10, WAC

Arizona State 12 – Oklahoma 0

From CBB News Sources

(Tempe, AZ) - A dominant starting pitching performance by Josh Satow propelled No. 3 Arizona State to a 12-0 win over Oklahoma Sunday night in the championship game of the Tempe Regional in front of a crowd of 2,553 at Winkles Field-Packard Stadium at Brock Ballpark. The win makes the Sun Devils 48-11 on the season, and they advance to the Super Regional round of the NCAA Tournament where they will face either San Diego or Fresno State.

Satow allowed only three hits and one walk with five strikeouts over 7.1 innings to earn the win and improve to 9-3 on the season. Oklahoma had runners on the corners with one out in the first, but Satow got a foul out and a groundout to get out of the jam, and that began a stretch of 15 straight Sooner hitters retired.

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Tags: 2008 Tempe Regional, Arizona State, Big 12, Oklahoma, Pac 10

Preliminary report from Bryan Young at the Tempe Regional FULL REPORT TO BE POSTED LATER

A tired Oklahoma Sooners team looks to be feeling the effects of an earlier 3:30 elimination game in the 100 degree heat. In their second game of the day Arizona State starter Josh Satow has thrown a shutout through seven innings including retiring 15 Sooners in a row after a first and third one out jam in the top of the first inning.

On the flip side the Arizona State offense has continued the onslaught of last night, scoring in just about every inning so far tonight. Case in point: ASU’s Kiel Roling just blasted a solo home run in the bottom of the seventh towards the Tempe Town Lake, as the ball left Packard Stadium over the left field fence in a hurry.

Unfortunately some distressing news to report. ASU Team Capatain Petey Paramore pulled up lame after limping out a RBI double in the bottom of the fourth inning. Early reports indicate a right quad strain. However, I just received a report that Petey was seen walking around the ASU clubhouse area without much of a limp.

Tags: 2008 Tempe Regional, Arizona State, Big 12, CBB Visit, NCAA Tourney, Oklahoma, Pac 10

(Tempe, AZ) – Who Is Mike Jones? The Arizona State version of Mike Jones is now the answer to a trivia question. A three run home run over the right field wall in the sixth inning complimented a couple of great catches in center field on Saturday night. But the question is, name several Arizona State athletes who have hit both a home run and caught a touchdown pass for the Sun Devils? [Thanks for the question TerryLee]

Aaron Baker looked great for Oklahoma with two home runs on the night. However the entire rest of the Sooners roster were only half as effective as Baker, with just the one other run between them all.

Unfortunately Carl Spackler has no “Cinderella story” left here in Tempe. After an inspirational performance on Friday night the Stony Brook Seawolves were eliminated during the day game. Head coach Matt Senk was quoted stating “Arizona State and Vanderbilt are tremendous teams and it was an honor to compete against them.” Well coach Senk, it was an honor to watch your team play. Your players and fans represented the America East conference well. Not Masters champions this year, but maybe you can pull off the miracle next year. [Caddyshack 1980]

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Tags: 2008 Tempe Regional, America East, Arizona State, Big 12, Oklahoma, Pac 10, SEC, Stony Brook, Vanderbilt

Arizona State 15 Oklahoma 3

From CBB News Sources

(Tempe, AZ) - Buoyed by eight strong innings from starting pitcher Mike Leake, No. 3 Arizona State defeated Oklahoma 15-3 in its second game of the NCAA Tournament Saturday night in front of a crowd of 3,744 at Winkles Field-Packard Stadium at Brock Ballpark. The Sun Devils improve to 47-11 with the win, and they will face the winner of tomorrow afternoon’s game between Vanderbilt and Oklahoma tomorrow night.

Leake allowed eight hits and two runs while striking out six to improve to 10-2 on the season. The victory makes Leake the fifth pitcher in school history to have double-digit wins in each of his first two seasons at ASU, joining Jeff Pentland, Eddie Bane, Linty Ingram and Jason Urquidez.

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Tags: 2008 NCAA Tourney, 2008 Tempe Regional, Arizona State, Big 12, Oklahoma, Pac 10

(Tempe, AZ) - Brett Wallace was huge for Arizona State, but Stony Brook would not give up in a thrilling game that bounced back and forth all night Friday.

3,425 baseball fans enjoyed a great game on a marvelous night that featured five lead changes before a thrilling end to a Stony Brook rally wrapped up the game for Arizona State in the ninth.

Freshman Matt Newman started the game and looked good for ASU, but after putting down the first five Stony Brook batters in order, the Seawolves put together a two out rally in the second to tie the game.   In the third Stony Brook kept at it took the lead and made ASU go to the bullpen first. 

However 12 walks by Stony Brook pitchers gave ASU too many opportunities.  Combine that with 11 hits including a blast off the bat of Brett Wallace that cleared not only the fence in right field but also likely the median on Rural Road on its trajectory out of the park.  ASU looked good offensively but Stony Brook hung all night and never looked out of the game.

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Tags: 2008 Tempe Regional, 2008 Top Players, America East, Arizona State, Pac 10, Stony Brook, Stopper of the Year

ASU 9 - Stony Brook 7

From CBB News Sources

(Tempe, AZ) - With four hits from two-time Pac-10 Player of the Year Brett Wallace leading the way, No. 3 Arizona State defeated Stony Brook 9-7 in its opening game of the NCAA Tournament Friday night in front of a crowd of 3,425 at Winkles Field-Packard Stadium at Brock Ballpark. The win improves the Sun Devils to 46-11 and means they will face fellow first-day winner Oklahoma tomorrow night.

Wallace was 4-for-5 with three RBI and three runs scored, and he hit his team-leading 21st home run in the victory.

Tommy Rafferty earned the win to improve to 12-0 on the year, as he pitched the final five innings out of the bullpen, allowing four hits and two runs while striking out four. The win ties Rafferty for the school record for pitching victories out of the bullpen, equaling Dave Alexander, who went 12-2 in 1989.

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Tags: 2008 Tempe Regional, America East, Arizona State, Pac 10, Stony Brook

#1 Arizona State (45-11)

#2 Vanderbilt (40-20)

#3 Oklahoma (34-24-1)

#4 Stony Brook (34-24)

Arizona State is the host for the Tempe Regional for the second year in a row and third time in four years. Winkles Field – Packard Stadium at Brock Ballpark will be the site of all the action. The Sun Devils are also the #3 National Seed.

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Tags: 2008 NCAA Tourney, 2008 Tempe Regional, America East, Arizona State, Big 12, Oklahoma, Pac 10, SEC, Stony Brook, Vanderbilt

The Pac-10 Conference concluded the 24 game conference season this Memorial Day Weekend and after defeating Arizona on Thursday night, the Arizona State Sun Devils clinched their second straight conference title. Stanford finished second, UCLA finished third. Arizona, CAL, Washington, Oregon State, USC and Washington State wrap up the standings.

Five Pac-10 schools were selected by the NCAA Division I Baseball Committee to participate in the postseason, and given a chance to head to Omaha. Arizona, Arizona State, California, Stanford and UCLA were invited, while two time defending National Champion Oregon State was left out despite a three game sweep of Pacific to conclude its season. Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: 2008 NCAA Tourney, Arizona State, Cal, Oregon State, Pac 10, Stanford, UCLA

ASU’s Kipnis Named Pac-10 Baseball Player of the Week and UCLA’s Murphy Named Pitcher of the Week

This is the first weekly honor for Kipnis and Murphy’s third.

Media Release

(Walnut Creek, CA) - Arizona State redshirt sophomore outfielder Jason Kipnis has been named the Pacific-10 Conference Baseball Player of the Week and UCLA junior left-handed pitcher Tim Murphy has been named Pitcher of the Week for May 19 - 25, Commissioner Tom Hansen announced today.

Kipnis, from Northbrook, Ill., helped Arizona State clinch their second straight Pac-10 title, going 8-for-13 (.615) with a double, a triple, a homer and six runs batted in during the final week of the regular season. He also stole a base, drew four walks and played perfect defense in the outfield.

Murphy, from Vista, Calif., pitched his second complete game shutout of the season, helping the Bruins blank No. 15 California, 8-0, in Friday’s series opener at Evans Diamond. Murphy scattered five hits in nine innings, totaling 10 strikeouts while walking four hitters. Murphy’s complete-game effort helped pave the way for UCLA’s series victory at California over the weekend. UCLA blanked the Golden Bears, 7-0, on Saturday to become the first Bruin baseball team to post back-to-back shutouts since 1978. With the win, Murphy improved to 5-6 on the season with a 3.52 ERA and team-highs of 107 strikeouts and 94.2 innings.

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Tags: 2008 Top Players, Arizona State, Pac 10, UCLA

FROM CBB NEWS SOURCE
INDIANAPOLIS - The NCAA Division I Baseball Committee announced the 16 regional sites for the 62nd annual NCAA Division I Baseball Championship. Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: 2008 NCAA Tourney, ACC, Arizona State, Big 12, Big South, Big Ten, Big West, Cal State Fullerton, Coastal Carolina, Conference USA, FSU, Georgia, Long Beach State, LSU, Miami (FL), Michigan, NC State, Nebraska, Oklahoma State, Pac 10, Rice, SEC, Stanford, Texas AM, UNC

Former MLB Third Baseman Scott Brosius has led Linfield College (34-11) to the Division III National Championship Tournament. (The Oregonian)

How does Brett Wallace’s season rank in ASU history? (Pitchfork Nation)

Are conference tournaments really necessary in college baseball? (The Nickel Block)

Ohio State’s season ends in disappointment (The Buckeye Nine)

Recruiting in Southern California is a balancing act for USC and UCLA (Los Angeles Times)

South Carolina will try and keep it rolling against LSU today (Gamecock Anthem)

Seminole freshmen are getting big game experience in the ACC tournament to prepare them for the College World Series (Nole Sports)

Examining the economics of Summer League Ball (CodBall)

Miami beat Georgia Tech in a 15-12 ACC Tournament battle that looked an awful lot like a College World Series game. (Miami Herald)

Chapman has already beat their first round opponent twice this season (Orange County Register)

Tags: ACC, Arizona State, Big Ten, Cape Cod League, Chapman University, Division 3, FSU, GT, Linfield College, Miami (FL), Ohio State, Pac 10, SEC, South Carolina, UCLA, USC