Arizona State’s baseball program is once again stepping onto the national stage, marking its second appearance in the NCAA postseason in the past five years under the direction of coach Willie Bloomquist. The Sun Devils have embraced the challenge, hoping to translate regular‑season momentum into a deeper tournament run.
The team’s first test will come in the Lincoln Regional, where they are slotted against a strong lineup that includes top‑seeded Nebraska, South Dakota State and Ole Miss. Their opening game is scheduled for Friday, May 29, at 6 p.m. MST and will be streamed live on ESPN2.
A fresh postseason challenge
Nebraska enters the regional with a 42‑15 record and has been guided by Coach Will Bolt, who has overseen five postseason appearances in the last seven seasons. The Cornhuskers’ recent Big Ten dominance adds another layer of competition for Arizona State.
Key arms for the Sun Devils include right‑handers Kole Klecker (6‑2, 5.16 ERA) and Cole Carlon (5‑2, 3.51 ERA), while the offense is anchored by Landon Hairston, who leads the team with a .413 batting average and 28 home runs — a single‑season school record. Dominic Smaldino and Nuʻu Contrades add further firepower with .332 and .373 averages, respectively, and double‑digit home runs.
The postseason format sees 16 regional sites produce winners who advance to eight super regionals, each contested as a best‑of‑three series. Those victors then move on to the College World Series, the culmination of the collegiate baseball season.