(Photo: Nickolas Montei/WCSN)
PHOENIX – It looked like junior outfielder Kien Vu was going to have a regression year. Vu’s power and stolen base numbers were nonexistent for several weeks after coming back from a high ankle sprain injury that sidelined him for multiple weeks prior.
It took 12 games for Vu to have his first extra-base hit after his high ankle sprain after contributing 12 in the 18 games before the injury. What was more concerning was the stolen base numbers. It took him 14 games to attempt a steal after going 10-for-12 to start the year.
Vu decided he wanted to make up for lost time as he swiped six bags, stealing Arizona State baseball’s (30-16, 14-7 Big 12) single-game stolen base record from multiple players, including his head coach Willie Bloomquist, in a game where ASU run-ruled Long Beach State (16-26, 10-14 Big West) 17-6 completing the two game sweep. The team’s previous record was four. The Sun Devils tied their team record of stolen bases with ten.
“I was very happy for him,” Bloomquist said. “Having his leg just about healthy again makes his game much more dynamic.”
Vu set and then immediately broke his own record in the fifth, stealing second and third, which allowed him to score on a groundout from junior center fielder Isaiah Jackson. The most notable was in the first inning, where Vu stole third and Dirtbag sophomore catcher Dylan Jackson threw it into left field, which allowed Vu to score.
The Sun Devils base-stealing explosion puts them at 98 stolen bases, tied second in the Big 12 with West Virginia. They are a few off of Cincinnati’s conference-leading 102 mark.
This is quite contrary to last season, as they only converted 53 times on 74 attempts. The number of stolen bases in 2025 is by far the most in a season during the Bloomquist era, as this is something that has not been as emphasized compared to this season.
“They took advantage in the running game,” Bloomquist said. “We got some free nineties.”
Sophomore infielder Jax Ryan stole two bases, setting his career high in stolen bases in a game. He has five on the year, setting his career high. Ryan has been an impact player for the Sun Devils when he has played with an over .320 average, making it hard for Bloomquist to keep him out of the lineup.
Junior third baseman Nu’u Contrades and Senior shortstop Matt King each stole a base. Contrades has a career high of 14 stolen bases, beating his freshman season mark of nine. King has seven stolen bases on the year, almost eclipsing his UTSA career total of eight.
“I’m just trying to get in scoring position,” Vu said. “Bloomquist was giving me a hard time about it, and it feels good to get that on him.”
Vu has 19 stolen bases this season, besting his previous career high of 12 that he set last year. Vu’s highest in a game was three, which he set earlier this year against Oral Roberts on Feb 21. Vu’s six successful stolen base attempts put him at nine for ten since his injury, all coming in the last five games. Vu also had a double on the day, his sixth extra-base hit since the injury.
Baseball clubhouses often have random chaos going on, like giving the silent treatment to batters after they hit home runs. One example of this in the ASU clubhouse is Vu and Contrades making a $50 bet in the preseason on which player would steal more bases. Vu’s performance gave him the lead, 19-14, as they entered the game tied at 13.
The team has a stolen base success rate of just over 80 percent, as that was something Bloomquist was successful at in his career. 14 of the 16 ASU position players who have seen playing time have stolen a base. Five ASU players have double-digit steals. Vu’s performance set the team lead, passing redshirt junior second baseman Kyle Walker, who has seventeen. All ASU players have a stolen base success rate over 50 percent.
ASU has traditionally been a power-heavy school, but this group of Sun Devils can get the job done on the bases as they have eclipsed the double-digit mark of stolen bases twice this season, which is something that will be key as they aim to play in bigger parks in the postseason.
“I gave him the red light so he wouldn’t break my record,” Bloomquist jokingly said. “I told him, ‘That’s the only thing I’m good for, that’s the last thing I have left at ASU baseball is my stolen base one-game record.’”
