ASU Baseball: February 4th Practice Report

The start of the college baseball season is getting closer and closer and the Arizona State Sun Devils continue to prepare for their season opener on February 15. The Sun Devils had a full practice on Monday afternoon at Packard stadium, culminating with a scrimmage. Here is what stood out to me today while watching ASU.

The first thing that jumped out to me during the scrimmage was the Michael Benjamin was leading off. Last season, Benjamin hit anywhere from 7th-9th in the order. Andrew Aplin was the consistant leadoff hitter for this team in 2012 and ASU will need to find someone that can get on base like Aplin did.

Benjamin did his job, working two walks off of sophomore right hander Darin Gillies. James McDonald hit second and went 1-3 by my count, Trevor Allen hit third and went 0-3.

The MVP of the scrimmage was Tucker Esmay, who went a perfect 2-2 with three RBI's and a sac bunt. Esmay smoked a single to the opposite field in his first at bat, and with the bases loaded, hit a basses clearing double off of freshman Trey Kamachi.

Sophomore shortstop Drew Stankiewicz went 1-2 with a two-RBI single in his second at bat. Stankiewicz flashed some impressive leather on Monday, showing good range to both the left and right and showing a powerful arm, throwing out a runner from the back of the infield dirt.

Darin Gillies threw four innings, giving up only one earned run and four hits. Junior RHP Billy Young threw three innings, allowing two runs on three hits.

Max Rossiter threw out two runners trying to steal second from behind the plate. ASU looks solid defensively up the middle, with Stankiewicz at shortstop and James McDonald at second base.

A reminder that the ASU baseball season kickoffs on February 15 against Bethune Cookman. The annual Alumni game takes place on Saturday February 9 at Packard Stadium, with first pitch scheduled for 12 p.m.