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ASU Baseball: Sun Devils host Miami of Ohio to open season

By Killian Mcclatchey

OMAHA, NE - JUNE 23: Members of the Arizona State Sun Devils wait on the mound for their manager to arrive during Game 13 of the 59th College World Series against the Florida Gators at Rosenblatt Stadium on June 23, 2005 in Omaha, Nebraska. The Gators defeated the Sun Devils 6-3. (Photo by Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images)
OMAHA, NE - JUNE 23: Members of the Arizona State Sun Devils wait on the mound for their manager to arrive during Game 13 of the 59th College World Series against the Florida Gators at Rosenblatt Stadium on June 23, 2005 in Omaha, Nebraska. The Gators defeated the Sun Devils 6-3. (Photo by Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images) /
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ASU baseball begins its 2018 season Saturday with a four-game series against Miami (OH). The Sun Devils look to improve after one of its worst seasons ever.

The Arizona State Sun Devils open up the 2018 season with a familiar face to head coach Tracy Smith, the Miami of Ohio RedHawks, the school that Smith started his college coaching career at.

“It’s fun, I have a lot of memories there… But it’s still an opponent and a dugout that we respect but we’re going try everything we can to beat them.” Smith said when asked if facing off against his former school meant anything special to him.

While Smith has the deeper history with the Redhawks, the young Sun Devils are ready to get the season underway and starting pitcher Spencer Van Scoyoc who was named Opening Night starter was excited himself for the opportunity to be the Sun Devils starter on opening night.

“I’m very excited to go out there. Just the opportunity to be the opening night starter is something you dream about and you want to be in that spot.”

Van Scoyoc along with the rest of the Sun Devils will face off against a RedHawks team that struggled last season on the road going 6-21.

The RedHawks and Sun Devils have only seen each other twice before this weekend, the last time the two played was in 2008 when ASU won 7-0.

Due to travel complications for Miami (OH) the first game of the series was postponed to Saturday afternoon so the teams will play two doubleheaders, one Saturday afternoon with first pitch being at 2 p.m. MT and the second game following game one. Sunday’s games will begin at 10 a.m. MT and the second following.

Spencer Van Scoyoc will likely face Nick Ernst for the RedHawks who was used primarily as a relief pitcher last season. He went 3-2 with a 2.63 ERA in 20 appearances. One of those was a start.

Next: ASU Baseball: Five series to watch this season

Senior Eli Lingos and Freshman Boyd Vander Kooi are likely to start at some point over the weekend although Smith didn’t specify what games they would pitch.

All quotes in this article were obtained firsthand by Devils in Detail unless otherwise noted.

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