SB Nation Arizona: All Posts by Ryan Bafaloukos

The Week That Was In Sun Devil Country: May 12-19

2013-05-20T16:00:06Z

It was an up and down week for Sun Devil athletics. The most surprising news bit of the week came on Wednesday, when former ASU quarterback Andrew Walter announced his intention of running for Congress in 2014. Walter broke every single ASU career passing record while at school from 2001-2004. He also broke John Elway's 22-year old record for career passing touchdowns by a Pac-10 quarterback.

A big congratulations is in order to the ASU softball team, which advanced to its eighth consecutive Super Regional with a 3-0 record in the Tempe Regional. Dallas Escobedo allowed just four hits and zero earned runs in 21 innings pitched over the weekend.

Finally, the ASU baseball team dropped two of three to the rival Arizona Wildcats over the weekend. The Sun Devils had the bases loaded in the eighth and ninth innings on Sunday, but were unable to scratch across the game winning run. The Sun Devils fell to 14-12 in conference play and 34-17-1 overall on the season. Oh yeah, and those Wildcats also walked away with the Territorial Cup Series trophy.

Five stories to read from last week

Former ASU Quarterback Andrew Walter to Run for Congress: Andrew Walter lit up Pac-10 defenses from 2002-2004, and now the former ASU signal caller is trying his hand at politics. Walter will be running as a Republican from Arizona's ninth district.

Arizona State Football on the Move: With the ASU football team leaving Sun Devil stadium soon for renovations, Kerry Crowley makes the case for Chase Field as the home for the Sun Devils. Where would you like to see your Sun Devils play in 2015?

Amber Freeman Named 2013 Pac-12 Softball Player of the Year: Sun Devil catcher Amber Freeman was named the Pac-12 Player of the Year this week. Freeman is a sophomore from Lakewood, California, and hit .383 with 19 home runs and 60 runs batted in on the season.

Dallas Escobedo Throws No-Hitter in Regional Play: The stud ASU right-hander made history Friday night against San Jose State. Escobedo threw the first postseason no-hitter in ASU softball history.

Allen Darby named to LOTT Impact Player Watch List: Senior safety Allen Darby was added to the Lott IMPACT award watch list this week. The Lott IMPACT awards players who excell both inside the classroom and on the field. Darby is one of 42 players added to the list. Story from thesundevils.com

News and Notes

A big congratulations to the three senior Sun Devil baseball players who were honored before Sunday's series finale against Arizona. Alex Blackford, Matthew Dunbar and Max Rossiter all graduated from Arizona State this May.
The ASU men's golf team advanced to their 50th NCAA Finals with the help of a 5-under-65 by freshman Trey Kaahanui out of McClintock High School. The Sun Devils are joined by UCLA, UCF, Georgia and Texas A&M in the finals.
Congratulations to current ASU Graduate Assistant Rudy Burgess and his fiancée for the birth of their son Maddox Tyrice Burgess. Maddox was born very early Friday morning, and ASU football head coach Todd Graham was present to greet the new mother and father.

Tweets of the Week

A notion held by most Sun Devil fans

I hate UofA. With every fiber of my being
— Joey Palomarez (@ASUjoepa) May 19, 2013

Wise words to live by

I don't think anything will break a man down any more than the deep feeling of regret. And you can't fix that with words; only actions.
— Josh Hubner (@JoshHubner) May 19, 2013

#FirstWorldProblems

Space mountain line is sooooooo long
— CBE (@CarlBradford52) May 17, 2013

Best of luck to Carrick Felix on his journey to the NBA

Update on @c_felix0 in Chicago for NBA Combine. Went out on his own last night, found a Lifetime Fitness & got shots up. No days off mindset
— Eric Musselman (@EricPMusselman) May 16, 2013

We all have those days Omar

I've been so lazy this week after work.... Just want dinner to magically appear on my table. #WishfulThinkin
— Omar C. Bolden (@Os_Island) May 16, 2013

Todd Graham Tweet of the Week

"The spirit of brotherhood recognizes of necessity both the need of self-help and also the need of helping others..." #SunDevilBrotherhood
— Todd Graham(@CoachGrahamASU) May 15, 2013

Sun Devil in the White House?

Today I formally announce my candidacy for Congress in AZ-09. Please join us in our quest to take back Washington! andrewwalter2014.com
— Andrew Walter (@AndrewWalterCD9) May 15, 2013

Better get on that Deantre

i havent seen Iron man 3 yet. boii been slackin on movie watchin.
— Deantre lewis(@deantre_lewis) May 15, 2013

The journey to Pasadena begins

Packing up to show up in Tempe tomorrow after noon #ASU the summer Begins of hard work
— Marcus Hardison (@13igDuke) May 18, 2013

How about football players showing support

Hahahaha can't nobody mess with @a_freeman9 !! The coldest softball player
— Steffon Martin (@Steff_Made) May 18, 2013

Videos of the Week

Go inside the decision making process centering around the new Sparky. Well, the "old, new Sparky."

Congressional hopeful Andrew Walter breaks the Pac-10 passing touchdown record back in 2004

Vontaze Burfict destroying another human being

The Week That Was in Sun Devil Country: May 5-12

2013-05-13T16:00:03Z

It was quite a week in Sun Devils country as the university donned a new face on Wednesday with unveiling of the new Sparky. Even though the old Sparky is near and dear to my heart, this new Sparky is beginning to grow on me.

While Sparky took most of the spotlight, there was other news worthy of headlines. The Sun Devils lost a valuable member of their backcourt and gained a high profile recruit for the class of 2014.

Six Stories to read from last week

Arizona State Unveils New Sparky: After weeks of deliberating and fan voting, ASU finally announced the new Sparky on Wednesday. The fan reception was mostly positive (we will get to that below), and lets just say this "new" new Sparky is easier on the eyes than the original "new" Sparky.

Fans React to the New Sparky: We set out a call to you fans on social media and you answered with your thoughts about the new Sparky. Overall the responses were positive from the fans as it seems like the ASU community approved of the changes to Sparky.

Evan Gordon Transferring: The Sun Devil shooting guard has decided to transfer back to Indiana to be closer to home. As a junior, Gordon averaged 10.1 points per game and 2.9 rebounds per game. His departure leaves a hole in the starting lineup next to Jahii Carson.

Sun Devils Snag 2014 Point Guard Recruit: California point guard Tra Holder gave Herb Sendek a verbal commitment on Friday. Holder averaged 22.9 PPG as a junior and is rated as the 137th best player in the nation for the class of 2014 by Rivals.com

ASU Hockey Gets a Big Time Recruit: The Arizona State hockey team got an official commitment from forward Eric Rivard from Michigan. Rivard played last season in the North American Hockey League, scoring 24 goals for the Soo Eagles.

ASU Football Spring Surprises: Kerry Crowley gives his spring football surprises. Find out which players are primed for a breakout 2013.

News and Notes

The ASU softball team took two of three games from the Oregon Ducks last weekend. The Sun Devils finished the regular season at 45-10 and 16-8 in conference. ASU finished second in the Pac-12 and will host a regional this weekend at Farrington Stadium.
A big congratulations to ASU Track and Field athlete Nick Happe for being named the Pac-12 Scholar Athlete of the Year. Happe finished the year with a 4.08 GPA.
Death. Taxes. The ASU Women's Golf Team. The Lady Sun Devils advanced to their 22nd consecutive appearance in the NCAA Championships which take place May 21-24 in Athens, Georgia.

Tweets of the Week

The Tough Choices in life

Ricotta Pancakes or Breakfast Burrito?
— Peggy4ASU (@Peggy4ASU) May 10, 2013

It is actually really addicting

Im hooked on family feud on the ipad lol
— Outland Douglas (@Jamil_Lamarr) May 9, 2013

Todd Graham Tweet of the Week

The will to win, the desire to succeed, the urge to reach your full potential - these are the keys that will unlock the door to excellence.
— Todd Graham(@CoachGrahamASU) May 9, 2013

Happens every time

You can be hard as you want but as soon as that R. Kelly come on in the club you gunna be singing like tweety bird lol
— Keelan Johnson (@K_Johnson10) May 11, 2013

Hopefully you can show them a College World Series ring too

I can't wait to show my kids my Vine videos
— Trevor Williams (@T_WilliamsASU43) May 9, 2013

Best of luck to Evan Gordon

Coach mentioned on fan forum tonight Evan Gordon wants to play closer to home in senior season and we wish him well.
— ASU Men's Basketball (@SunDevilHoops) May 9, 2013

Sounds about right

They just gon give everybody techs huh? #bulls
— Kyle Williams (@KyleWilliams_10) May 8, 2013

We hope all the Sun Devil mothers had a great Mother's Day

Through all the pain & the drama I could always depend on ma mama..
— Rashad Wadood (@Wadu4Thorpe) May 12, 2013

Videos of the Week

Tra Holder Highlights

For those of you that miss football season (A.K.A. all of us)

Some Will Sutton highlights for everyone

Evan Gordon Transferring From Arizona State

2013-05-09T03:00:03Z

Shooting guard Evan Gordon has decided to leave the Arizona State basketball program according to head coach Herb Sendek. Gordon started 25 games last season for the Sun Devils, scoring 10.1 points per game and grabbing 2.9 rebounds per game. Coach Sendek broke the news on a teleconference for season ticket holders Wednesday night.

Gordon only played last season as a Sun Devil, as the guard sat out the 2011-2012 season after transferring from Liberty University. Gordon averaged 32.2 minutes per game last season, shooting 35 percent from beyond the arc.

Gordon follows guards Demetrious Walker (New Mexico), Keala King (Long Beach State) and Corey Hawkins (UC Davis) as backcourt players who have transferred away from Arizona State. Hawkins averaged 20.3 ppg and 5.6 rpg for UC Davis last season. Last season, Trent Lockett, Kyle Cain and Chance Creekmur all left the Arizona State basketball program as well.

Sendek did not mention a specific school that Gordon will transfer to, just that he will return home to Indiana for his senior season.

Coach mentioned on fan forum tonight Evan Gordon wants to play closer to home in senior season and we wish him well.
— ASU Men's Basketball (@SunDevilHoops) May 9, 2013

Gordon already finished his degree in interdisciplinary studies, and is eligible to play right away at the school he chooses to attend.

Gordon's departure leaves the backcourt situation at ASU a little messy. Carson is set at the point guard spot but who will start next to him remains a mystery. Guard Calaen Robinson, a former Corona Del Sol standout, will suit up this season after sitting out last season due to an off the court matter.

The Sun Devils will bring in freshman Chance Murray and Egor Koulechov for the 2013-2014 season. Both are rated 2-star prospects by ESPN.com. Murray is listed as a shooting guard and Koulechov a small forward.

Arizona State will also bring in two transfers next season in shooting guard Brandon Kearney (Michigan State) and small forward Sai Tummala (Salt Lake City CC).

Sendek also formally announced Wednesday night that the team will host Big East power Marquette next season on November 25th. The Golden Eagles were an Elite Eight participant next season and figure to be one of Arizona State's most notable non-conference opponents.

Chris Young Embraces Bigger Role In ASU Defense

2013-04-19T18:00:04Z

The Arizona State defense has a big hole to fill.

The Sun Devils must replace their heart and soul, Brandon Magee. The Corona, California, product had 113 tackles and 6.5 sacks last season for the ASU defense, and was the face of Todd Graham's new and improved Sun Devils.

Lucky for Arizona State, linebacker is one of their deepest positions in 2013. Steffon Martin, Anthony Jones, Carl Bradford, and Carlos Mendoza all return from last year's squad, and one player that is taking on a bigger role in 2013 is Chris Young. The senior will now take on a more vocal role in the defense with the loss of Magee.

"Brandon Magee was a big asset to the team," Young said. "Leaders just have to step up and make plays. (I) definitely have some big shoes to fill."

In his first season in Tempe, Young racked up 82 tackles, two sacks, a forced fumble and 14 tackles for loss, playing from the spur linebacker position.

Before dawning the Maroon and Gold, Young played at Arizona Western Community College, alongside Steffon Martin and tight end Darwin Rodgers. Young was a junior college All-American, tallying 30 tackles-for-loss, 8.5 sacks five fumble recoveries and scored six defensive touchdowns his sophomore season.

Even though Young has been at Arizona State for less than a year, his game has grown tremendously.

"I feel like my intelligence for the game has been a key to my success," said Young. "I think that evolved a lot and I expect a lot of big things this year."

Young was one of four defenders this spring that wore the camouflage 42 jersey in remembrance of Pat Tillman. The linebacker was pleased with the progress of the defense this spring.

"(Spring practice) has been a big improvement," said Young. "This spring I felt that as a whole our defense really got a lot done. We made a lot of adjustments and we adapted."

As the Sun Devils close spring practice, summer workouts are on the horizon. Young knows the defense has a chance to improve from an already impressive spring.

"Togetherness," Young said when asked what the defense needs to improve on. "That is one of the main things that is going to help us get far this season."

Drew Stankiewicz: From Bat Boy To Starting Shortstop For ASU Baseball

2013-04-18T18:45:02Z

Sun Devil baseball fans will remember the 2007 College World Series team well. Future Major Leaguers Mike Leake, Brett Wallace, Eric Sogard and Ike Davis led Arizona State a Pac-10 title and to their 19th College World Series appearance. Also a member of that team, current Sun Devil shortstop Drew Stankiewicz, who was a bat boy for Arizona State from 2007-2009.

Stankiewicz's father, Andy, was an assistant coach at Arizona State under Pat Murphy from 2007-2009, meaning Stankiewicz has been around Sun Devil baseball most of his life.

"ASU baseball has been a big part of my life," said Stankiewicz. "My dad was the third base coach here from 2007-2009, I was a bat boy in the College World Series, so I have been around here for a long time."

Andy Stankiewicz played seven seasons in the Major Leagues for the Yankees, Astros, Expos and Diamondbacks. He his currently the head coach of the Grand Canyon University baseball team.

"He has been my biggest influence playing baseball," Stankiewicz said about his father. "He's been the best coach I have ever had, and him playing Major League Baseball just makes me want to follow in his footsteps."

It was his dad that originally kept Stankiewicz away from Arizona State, as he signed his National Letter of Intent to play at Cal State Fullerton his junior year of high school.

"I wanted to make a name for myself somewhere else," Stankiewicz said. "Not just saying I came here because of my dad."

His senior year of high school, Dave Serrano left Cal State Fullerton to coach at Tennessee. Stankiewicz was released from his commitment to the Titans, and with his father no longer at Arizona State, the Sun Devils popped up on Stankiewicz's rader.

"Obviously the main reason for coming here is to play in the College World Series," said Stankiewicz, adding his mother and being close to family as supporting reasons for choosing the Sun Devils.

Stankiewicz was a three sport standout at Gilbert High School. He was the captain of both the football and baseball team his senior year, being named three times to the baseball All-Region team and being named honorable mention All-State his senior year on the gridiron.

Stankiewicz is one of 14 players on the Sun Devil roster from the state of Arizona. At shortstop, he is flanked in the infield by James McDonald (Scottsdale) and Michael Benjamin (Queen Creek). Catcher Max Rosstier attended rival Highland High School in Gilbert.

"I have actually played against all these guys (ASU teammates) when I was in high school and on travel teams," Stankiewicz said. "I think Arizona State is so appealing to in-state players is because it is one of the best programs in the nation and it's right in your backyard."

Stankiewicz appeared in 31 games last season as a freshman. He played 16 games at third base, two games at shortstop and one at second and DH, hitting .265 with seven RBI's his first season in Maroon and Gold. Stankiewicz was able to evolve as a baseball player, learning last season from the upperclassmen Deven Marreo and Joey DiMichele.

"I saw how they led the team," Stankiewicz said. "I want to follow in their footsteps, I learned how to be a leader from Deven and Joey."

In his sophomore campaign, Stankiewicz is hitting .323 with one home run and 18 RBI's. His 37 hits puts him tied for third most on the team.

Despite is offensive success, Stankiewicz says the most important part of his game is in the field, where he has started every game at shortstop and is second on the team with 104 infield assists.

"Defense is one of the biggest things to me about baseball," Stankiewicz said. "That's probably my one individual goal, is to have the least amount (of errors) on the team and lead the team in defense."

Even though he is hitting over .300, has a team leading five steals and is playing solid defense, Stankiewicz says the only achievement he hopes for is a College World Series appearance.

"Right now I'm just trying to contribute to my team and help my team make the postseason and obviously make it to the College World Series."

ASU Football: Hard Working Ozier Stepping Up For The Sun Devils

2013-04-16T16:00:04Z

The journey in Maroon and Gold has been a long one for Kevin Ozier. The redshirt senior wide receiver did not receive any scholarship offers out of high school, and in 2009, he left his home in San Diego to walk-on in Tempe.

Ozier did not see any action in 2010 after redshirting the previous season. After being buried on the depth chart in 2011, he broke out 2012, catching 21 passes for 324 yards and five touchdowns while making 10 starts.

Ozier has always been a hard worker. He earned the Hard Hat player recognition award in 2010 for his work in ASU's offseason conditioning program. In 2012, Ozier's hard work payed off, as he earned a scholarship within two months of Todd Graham being hired.

With Rashad Ross and Jamal Miles gone, Ozier returns as the Sun Devils' leading wide receiver on the field and a veteran voice off of it.

"I'm the senior receiver, I feel like it's my job to have the receivers coming together to watch film so we can produce on the field," Ozier said.

The Sun Devil wide receivers were criticized heavily in 2012. Only one wide receiver tallied over 600 receiving yards. The leading Sun Devil pass catcher in 2012 was tight end Chris Coyle, who finished with 696 receiving yards, and running back Marion Grice led the Sun Devils with eight receiving touchdowns.

The Sun Devils bring back an inexperienced group of wide receivers in 2013. Behind Ozier, Gary Chambers, Alonzo and Richard Smith combined for just 256 receiving yards in 2012. Not yet in the fold are Jaelen Strong and Joseph Morris, two highly recruiting JUCO wide receivers who will join the team this summer along with three other newcomers.

Ozier says he expects the wide receivers to surprise Sun Devil supporters in 2013.

"People thought we lost receivers and we weren't going to be productive," Ozier said. "I thought spring ball went better than a lot of people expected. If you watched the film, the receivers were productive and we made some nice plays."

One thing that is sure to aid Ozier and his companions is the year of experience ASU signal caller Taylor Kelly now has under his belt. The quarterback looked sharp in the ASU spring game, completing 15-of-21 passes for 126 yards and two touchdowns.

"I love him throwing me the ball," Ozier said of Kelly. "I feel like we have good chemistry, we get out here in the offseason and work and I think that it's showing."

Whoever is catching passes, Ozier, like many other Sun Devils, echo the fact that the end goal for this season is Pasadena. To get there, ASU wide receivers need to do a lot more than just catch passes.

"We have to go 100-percent, no plays off," said Ozier. "We have to downfield block, we have to catch balls, we have to come together as a team."

Five Takeaways From The ASU Football Spring Game

2013-04-13T21:52:10Z

On a sunny Saturday afternoon in Tempe, the Arizona State Sun Devils played their second spring game under head coach Todd Graham, with the Maroon team defeating the Gold team 24-22. The starters played most of the contest, with the first-team offense getting the best of the first team defense on the opening drive for a touchdown.

After that, the game slowed down to a defensive standstill. Both offenses had a hard time moving the ball with punter Dom Vizzare collecting six punts on the afternoon.

The scoring picked up in the final five minutes and the overtime period, culminating in touchdown receptions by Chris Coyle and Richard Smith. Now, on to what I took away from today's contest.

Taylor Kelly is One of the Best Quarterbacks in the Pac-12

This time last year, Kelly was the third-string quarterback sitting behind Michael Eubank and Mike Bercovici. Fast forward 12 months and Kelly is the established signal caller in the Arizona State offense. The redshirt junior went 15-21 on the day with 126 yards, two touchdowns and one interception (on a tipped pass).

Kelly controlled the offense, barking out the signals and making great decisions all day. On the Gold team's opening drive, Kelly was 6-7, finding Kevin Ozier, Coyle and Smith along the way to a Marion Grice one-yard touchdown run. He ran the read option effectively, rushing for 33 yards on six carries.

Coming off an impressive bowl game performance (17-19, 257 yards, four touchdowns), Kelly looks to be on his way to being one of the best quarterbacks in the conference.

It Remains the Chris Coyle Show

Coyle had an impressive spring game, catching seven passes for 87 yards and three touchdowns. He showed improvement in his run blocking and was a favorite target of whichever quarterback was taking snaps. The Sun Devil receivers struggled at times with drops, making the tight end Coyle a primed for another big season.

The only other receiver to catch more than four passes was Ozier (seven catches, 75 yards). D.J. Foster and Marion Grice both did not record a reception, with Foster not receiving any touches on the afternoon. Coyle was able to find open spots in the defense all day, making him an easy target for Sun Devil quarterbacks.

The Defensive Line Is Loaded

The Arizona State starting defensive line had a heck of a spring game. They stuffed the run and as a whole the defense recorded nine sacks. The starting defense recorded 10.5 tackles for loss and seven sacks on the day. Devon Coleman and Will Sutton both picked up two sacks for the Gold squad.

Except for the opening drive score, the starting defense held the first team offense at bay most of the game. Forcing two turnovers and only allowing 35 rushing yards.

The Secondary Might Be Better Than Last Year

Despite missing Deveron Carr and Keelan Johnson, the ASU secondary performed well at the spring game. Osahon Irabor and Lloyd Carrington were the starting cornerbacks. However, Robert Nelson, Marlon Pollard and Rashad Wadood all played well in the defensive backfield. The Sun Devils established that they have depth in the back end of their defense, something that troubled the team last season.

The Kicking Game Remains An Issue

Both Jon Mora and Alex Garoutte had difficulty converting kicks on Saturday. Garoutte missed from 45-yards and Mora missed from 43-yards (the Sun Devils did not keep official kicking stats). The battle for the field goal kicker will go into fall camp, however, the kicking game will most likely keep giving Sun Devil fans headaches.

On a positive note, new punter Dom Vizzare had a solid outing. Vizzare attempted six punts, landing four inside the 20 with an average of 45.3 yards and a long of 54. In an interesting note, Will Sutton and Carl Bradford saw time as the personal protector on the punt team.

Game Attendance: 6,386

Stat Leaders

Passing

Taylor Kelly - 15-21, 126 YDS, 2 TD, 1 INT

Michael Eubank - 8-12, 88 YDS, 2 TD

Mike Bercovici - 8-13, 114 YDS, 1 TD

Taylor Cohan - 3-11, 20 yards

Rushing

Marion Grice - 14 carries, 60 YDS, 1 TD

Marcus Washington - 5 carries 40 YDS

Taylor Kelly - 6 carries, 16 YDS

Dante Alexander - 1 rush, 19 yards

Terrell Davis - 4 carries, 10 yards

Taylor Cohan - 2 carries, 6 yards

Frederick Gammage - 1 carry, -6 yards

Receiving

Chris Coyle - 7 catches, 87 YDS, 3 TD

Kevin Ozier - 7 catches, 75 YDS

Blake Covery - 4 catches, 46 yards, TD

Richard Smith - 3 catches, 56 YDS, 1 TD

Darwin Rogers - 3 catches, 34 YDS

Dan Groebner - 2 catches, 15 yards

Alonzo Agwuenu - 2 catchs, 6 yards

Gary Chambers - 1 catch, 15 yards

Byron Thomas - 1 catch, 9 yards

Frederick Gammage - 1 catch, 9 yards

Billy Davis - 1 catch, 5 yards

Terrell Davis - 1 catch, 1 yard

Marion Grice - 1 catch, -2 yards

Punting

Dom Vizzare - 6 punts, 45.3 avg, 4 inside 20, 1 TB

Defense

Sacks: Davon Coleman 3, Will Sutton 2, Carl Bradford 1, Salamo Fiso 1, Matthew Rowe 1, Gannon Conway 1

INT: Marlon Pollard 1

Fumble Recovery: Kipeli Koniseti 1

Get To Know Your Sun Devils: ASU Baseball Shortstop Drew Stankiewicz

2013-04-09T18:30:07Z

Arizona State shortstop Drew Stankiewicz has been one of the most pleasant surprises in Tim Esmay's lineup. The sophomore currently leads all starters with a .330 batting average. He leads the team with five steals, and he is second in fielding assists.

That is Stankiewicz on the field, now get to know the Gilbert, Arizona, product off the field.

What are your baseball superstitions?

"I actually have a lot of baseball superstitions. Before we eat our pre-game meal, I put on my socks and shoes the same way everyday, I stretch the same way everyday."

If you weren't playing baseball, what career path would you like to get into?

"I played three sports in high school, football, basketball, baseball. I love football so I would probably aspire to be a football player. I was honorable mention All-State in high school, obviously baseball is my one true love, but I would probably say that."

What are some of your favorite sports teams?

"Baseball it is the New York Yankees, because that is the team that drafted my dad. Basketball, the LA Lakers, I know everyone hates a bandwagon, but my whole family is from Los Angeles. For football, the St. Louis Rams.

What is your favorite vacation spot?

"My favorite vacation spot is San Diego, California. I have gone there every summer for the past couple of years."

What would be your dream car?

"My dream car would be a white-out Range Rover."

Who is the funniest member of the ASU baseball team?

"It would have to be between Kasey Coffman and James McDonald."

Where is the hardest place to play in the Pac-12 on the road?

"The hardest place so far that we have had to play at, probably my freshman year at Oregon. When we were playing there, I think it was 33 degrees, pouring rain sideways and we still played. We were freezing up there and the fans were pretty brutal as well."

Who is your dream girl?

"I'd probably say Selena Gomez."

Favorite post-game meal?

"My girlfriend and I usually go in In-N-Out after games. When we win."

What has been the best moment of your baseball career?

"My best moment in my baseball career was probably my first at-bat this year. I was hitting in the nine hole and I hit a home run in my first at-bat of the season."