Devils Headed To Houston Regional
ASU is #2 seed, will face Baylor Friday
May 29, 2006
TEMPE, Ariz. - The Arizona State Sun Devils found out Monday morning that they are headed to Houston, Texas as the #2 seed in the Houston Regional, hosted by Rice, for the 2006 NCAA Baseball Tournament. ASU will be making their seventh straight NCAA Tournament appearance and 30th overall. The Devils face third seeded Baylor in the opening game on Friday at Reckling Park.
Arizona State finished up the 2006 regular season with a 36-19 overall record, 14-10 in Pac-10 Conference play, good for second place.
The young Sun Devils had some big wins over the course of the regular season, winning eight games against Top 30 RPI teams (Rice, Oklahoma, Houston, UCLA, Oregon State). They played eight 2006 NCAA Tournament teams this year, including four #1 seeds. They also faced two of the National Top Eight seeds this season (#2 Rice, #3 Texas).
ASU played 30 of their 55 games against teams that were ranked in one of the major polls at some point during the season, finishing 18-12 in those games. The Devils played 16 three-game series, finishing 12-4, including sweeps of Northern Illinois, Houston, Auburn, Penn State, Cal and the Whataburger College Classic.
In addition to playing one of the toughest schedules in the nation, Arizona State also faced some of the top pitching prospects in the country. ASU faced five pitchers projected by Baseball America to go in the first round of the Major League Baseball Draft, and seven rated among the Top 50 prospects.
The Devils have a 12-8 record against teams in the 2006 field of 64, despite weathering injuries to several key members. Starting pitchers Jeff Urlaub and Pat Bresnehan both missed significant time due to injuries, as did Andrew Romine, the starting short stop on last year's College World Series team. Romine played in only 19 games this season while rehabbing from a blood clot and rib removal surgery in the off-season. In addition to injuries, ASU also withstood a suspension of their closer, Zechry Zinicola, during a key stretch of Pac-10 play, as well as losing their centerfielder J.J. Sferra to a personal issue during the last few weeks of the regular season. Colin Curtis was the only everyday position player from the 2005 CWS team to play the majority of the 2006 season for Arizona State. Curtis started all 55 regular season games this year. Of the eight 2005 College World Series participants, only Florida and Tennessee did not make the 2006 field.
First pitch time for the Devils opening game with Baylor on Friday night at Reckling Park in Houston will be announced later this afternoon.
ASU is #2 seed, will face Baylor Friday
May 29, 2006
TEMPE, Ariz. - The Arizona State Sun Devils found out Monday morning that they are headed to Houston, Texas as the #2 seed in the Houston Regional, hosted by Rice, for the 2006 NCAA Baseball Tournament. ASU will be making their seventh straight NCAA Tournament appearance and 30th overall. The Devils face third seeded Baylor in the opening game on Friday at Reckling Park.
Arizona State finished up the 2006 regular season with a 36-19 overall record, 14-10 in Pac-10 Conference play, good for second place.
The young Sun Devils had some big wins over the course of the regular season, winning eight games against Top 30 RPI teams (Rice, Oklahoma, Houston, UCLA, Oregon State). They played eight 2006 NCAA Tournament teams this year, including four #1 seeds. They also faced two of the National Top Eight seeds this season (#2 Rice, #3 Texas).
ASU played 30 of their 55 games against teams that were ranked in one of the major polls at some point during the season, finishing 18-12 in those games. The Devils played 16 three-game series, finishing 12-4, including sweeps of Northern Illinois, Houston, Auburn, Penn State, Cal and the Whataburger College Classic.
In addition to playing one of the toughest schedules in the nation, Arizona State also faced some of the top pitching prospects in the country. ASU faced five pitchers projected by Baseball America to go in the first round of the Major League Baseball Draft, and seven rated among the Top 50 prospects.
The Devils have a 12-8 record against teams in the 2006 field of 64, despite weathering injuries to several key members. Starting pitchers Jeff Urlaub and Pat Bresnehan both missed significant time due to injuries, as did Andrew Romine, the starting short stop on last year's College World Series team. Romine played in only 19 games this season while rehabbing from a blood clot and rib removal surgery in the off-season. In addition to injuries, ASU also withstood a suspension of their closer, Zechry Zinicola, during a key stretch of Pac-10 play, as well as losing their centerfielder J.J. Sferra to a personal issue during the last few weeks of the regular season. Colin Curtis was the only everyday position player from the 2005 CWS team to play the majority of the 2006 season for Arizona State. Curtis started all 55 regular season games this year. Of the eight 2005 College World Series participants, only Florida and Tennessee did not make the 2006 field.
First pitch time for the Devils opening game with Baylor on Friday night at Reckling Park in Houston will be announced later this afternoon.
