(Photo: Gabrielle Mercer/WCSN) The 2016 season finally kicked off Friday night for Arizona State baseball, and while a win was secured in the end, there will be plenty of room for improvement moving forward. The Sun Devils (1-0) defeated the Xavier Musketeers (0-1) 5-2 at Phoenix Municipal Stadium thanks in large part
Tag: tracy smith
ASU Baseball: Sun Devils, Musketeers set for opening series
(Photo: Dominic Cotroneo/WCSN) Arizona State will kick off its season against Xavier in a four-game series at Phoenix Municipal Stadium this weekend. For both teams, this weekend will serve as a means to feel out where they stand. It will be head coach Tracy Smith’s second opening day with ASU. This year, though,
ASU Baseball: Tabling four Cronkite Sports writers for 2016 predictions
Happy Opening Day! Like Presidents Day, today is not considered a public holiday. That’s okay though because our baseball coverage team here at cronkitesports.com has a gift to lift your spirits. Seven free-response questions, 10 end-of-season awards and four contributors to culminate in our 2016 Arizona State baseball roundtable. Let’s have some
ASU Baseball: Martinez looks to take the next step this season
(Photo: Dominic Cotroneo/WCSN) The 2016 season is full of question marks for the Sun Devils. Perhaps there is no bigger uncertainty than how the starting pitching will perform. Only one starter from last season’s weekend rotation, Seth Martinez, returns this year after Brett Lilek and Ryan Kellogg both left after being
ASU Baseball: Hever Bueno’s growth from the bullpen to a Friday night starter
(Photo: Dominic Cotroneo/WCSN) Last season, Hever Bueno failed to build upon an encouraging freshman season. While the infamous "sophomore slump" has seldom made an impact on Arizona State’s roster, Bueno would be considered an outlier after appearing in 14 games, throwing 16 innings and yielding one starting nod. In that limited sample, Bueno
ASU Baseball: Canning turning heads despite inexperience at collegiate level
(Photo: Dominic Cotroneo/WCSN) College baseball coaches rarely want to rely too much on inexperienced freshmen to fill key roles in their lineup, but Tracy Smith does not have much of a choice heading into the 2016 season. Most notably, the open outfield spots, with perhaps the exception of left field, appear
ASU Baseball: Stage is set for a new crop of sophomore standouts
(Photo: Dominic Cotroneo/WCSN) In the words of head coach Tracy Smith, the best thing about freshman is they become sophomores. The freshman on the team might be able to attest to that fact more so than anybody. In the past, players such as Colby Woodmansee, Brian Serven and David Greer all took the
ASU Baseball: Underclassmen pitchers important for team’s hopes of contending
(Photo: Dominic Cotroneo/WCSN) Brett Lilek, Ryan Kellogg and Ryan Burr were three of the best Arizona State pitchers in recent memory. While they aren’t irreplaceable, finding pitchers to take their place will not be easy. Sheer quantity won't be an issue, as head coach Tracy Smith has a bevy of underclassmen pitchers
ASU Baseball: Non-conference schedule preview
(Photo: Dominic Cotroneo/WCSN) One year ago the Sun Devils opened Phoenix Muni in grand fashion with a set of series against Oklahoma State, TCU and Long Beach State. They even added a midweek game against the Oklahoma Sooners to make their non-conference schedule even more robust. This season, ASU will only face
ASU Baseball: Woodmansee looking to continue meteoric rise in 2016
(Photo: Dominic Cotroneo/WCSN) The date was February 13, 2015. Phoenix Municipal Stadium was hosting its first Arizona State baseball game since 1974 and Tracy Smith was coaching in his first ever Sun Devil game. Sophomore shortstop Colby Woodmansee, who was batting eighth in the game, was at the plate in a tie