Baseball

ASU Baseball: Sun Devils team up with Texas Rangers in charitable fall scrimmage

(Photo: Zachary Lucy/FourSeamsImages)

With fall ball just getting started, the Sun Devil baseball team got into the swing of things by participating in a scrimmage against members of the Texas Rangers organization.

The game was the first of two exhibition games allowed to be played this fall— a new legislation the NCAA adopted this year.

The game had a little more meaning to it as ASU and the Rangers teamed up to raise awareness toward Alzheimer’s disease and Dementia. The two teams partnered with the 4MOM charity, a charitable fund dedicated to helping people and families with Alzheimer’s and Dementia.

This organization is especially meaningful to current Sun Devil, Hunter Bishop, who started the charitable foundation with his brother, Braden Bishop after their mother was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s just a few years ago.

The scrimmage against the Rangers featured a combination of players from Texas’ Instructional and Fall League programs.

“We’re always looking to play new teams under the lights and really get a chance to see our guys against some of the better college guys in the country,” said Paul Kruger, Assistant Director of Player Development for the Rangers Organization. “When we reached out to Sean [Cashman] and Arizona State, it just seemed like a perfect match.”

For ASU, it was a chance for the freshmen and new transfers to get on the field for the first time in a Sun Devil uniform.

Dusty Garcia was the only freshman position player to see any action, getting the start in center field for the second game of the night. Freshmen pitchers Erik Tolman and Blake Burzell took the mound in relief for ASU as well.

A couple transfers took the field with West Virginia transfer Cole Austin making a start at first base and coming in as a defensive replacement in right field.

Right-handed pitcher RJ Dabovich toed the rubber for ASU in game two. The Central Arizona College transfer got the start, allowing four runs off of three hits.

A few returners had stellar nights with game one starter, junior, Alec Marsh throwing three perfect innings while striking out eight.

In what was already a special night for Hunter Bishop, the junior blasted two homeruns, including a three-run shot over the bullpens in right field to put ASU ahead even more in game one.

“[Hunter] puts a lot of time and effort into this charity with his brother, and we just had this opportunity with the charity and with the Rangers,” said Sean Cashman of ASU baseball. “The Rangers wanted to be a part of this as well, and we’re very thankful that they had this game for us to raise awareness for the charity.”

ASU will face California State University, Northridge in its second fall scrimmage on Saturday, October 27. The game will also be an event to help raise awareness and funds for those with spinal cord injuries, in partnership with the Project 34 charity which was founded by Sun Devil baseball alumni Cory Hahn and Trevor Williams.

Use Facebook to Comment on this Post

Karli Matthias

Recent Posts

Skinner’s career night propels ASU to narrow victory in season opener

(Photo credit: Aishling Cavanaugh/WCSN) TEMPE — With Desert Financial Arena buzzing, Arizona State found itself…

7 hours ago

Sun Devils prepare for Big 12 debut in Adair’s third year

(Photo credit: Marina Willams/WCSN) Excitement is brewing for Arizona State women’s basketball as the Sun…

20 hours ago

Sun Devils put up complete performance in fall exhibition against GCU

(Photo: Maya Diaz/WCSN) As warmup music echoed throughout GCU ballpark, baseball bats pinged and cleats…

2 days ago

Takeaways: Sun Devils Clinch Bowl Eligibility With Win Over Oklahoma State

With 22 seconds remaining in the first half Arizona State football found itself a single…

2 days ago

No. 13 Sun Devils Extend Win Streak to 10, Earn Season Sweep Over No. 22 Utah

(Photo: Katherine Gore/WCSN) In a match one month ago, No. 13 Arizona State Volleyball won…

3 days ago

Sun Devil arms against pros in exhibition against USA Baseball

(Photo: Austin Hurst/WCSN) PHOENIX - Senior right-handed pitcher Jack Martinez walked off the mound in…

3 days ago