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Smith Stadium Hosts Last ASU Baseball Home Game; First Time Ranked in Top 25 of Baseball America Poll

By Jesse Wood

Photo by Dave Mayo - Courtesy Appalachian Athletics

May 15, 2012. With success comes enthusiasm. The ASU baseball team has set attendance records this season during its run as a top-ranking program in college baseball. ASU’s last home game is tonight, starting at 6:00 p.m. at Smith Stadium against Gardner-Webb.

Tonight is Fan Appreciation Night. ASU Athletics invites you to bring the whole family to experience the ballgame, some food and inflatable rides for the kids. Reserve seating costs $5 and general admission is $3. For more information, click to www.goasu.com.

For the first time in the program’s history, ASU climbed to 24 in the most recent Baseball America’s top-25 poll. If ASU wins two of their next four games, the team will clinch its first Southern Conference title since 1987.

During the year, ASU has a 36-12 overall record with a 20-7 Southern Conference record. Highlights include beating No. 7 LSU, one of the nation’s most prestigious college baseball programs, twice in a three-game series in February and giving South Carolina, which is currently ranked No. 1 overall, a run for its money in the middle of March when the team led for the seven innings.

This weekend, the team travels to Western Carolina for a season ending three-game series. The Southern Conference Tournament takes place in Greenville, S.C. from May 23 to 27. Even if the team doesn’t clinch the title, Mike Flynn with the ASU Athletics Department, said the team is “in pretty good shape to get an at-large bid.”

The College World Series takes place in Omaha, Neb., and is held in June. Two rounds – regional and super regional – take place before the best of the best move on to Nebraska. In the past, ASU has made three regional appearances in 1973, 1984 and 1986, but it has never advanced to the College World Series in Omaha.

View Rankings for Baseball America’s Top 25 

Rk. Team W-L Last Week Prev.
1. Florida State 40-10 1-3 1
2. South Carolina 38-13 2-1 4
3. Florida 38-14 3-1 6
4. Kentucky 41-11 4-0 7
5. Rice 36-14 3-1 5
6. Oregon 37-14 3-0 9
7. Baylor 39-11 1-3 2
8. Cal State Fullerton 32-15 2-1 8
9. Louisiana State 39-13 1-2 3
10. Texas A&M 37-14 3-0 10
11. UCLA 35-13 4-0 11
12. North Carolina 38-13 4-0 12
13. North Carolina State 36-13 3-1 13
14. Arizona 33-15 3-0 14
15. Purdue 39-10 4-1 15
16. Central Florida 40-12 3-1 16
17. Stanford 32-14 3-0 17
18. Arizona State 32-17 3-0 19
19. Virginia 34-15 3-1 21
20. Texas Christian 32-16 3-0 24
21. San Diego 38-13 2-2 18
22. Louisville 35-17 2-2 22
23. Oregon State 32-17 2-2 23
24. Appalachian State 36-12 2-1 NR
25. Mississippi 34-18 3-0 NR