3 Takeaways From ASU Baseball win over UC Irvine

The Arizona State Sun Devils are now 1-0 and have won the program's first NCAA tournament contest since 2021 after a mild upset over UC Irvine in Los Angeles on Friday night.

The Sun Devils put forth an impressive showing all-around behind head coach Willie Bloomquist - but what were the three major takeaways from a performance that was so impressive?

The three things that stood out from a victory that propelled Arizona State to the winner's bracket against UCLA:

Bloomquist is Right Guy for the Job

If there was any doubt that Bloomquist wasn't the right guy for the role beforehand - there shouldn't be now.

Regardless of how the season finishes, the former Sun Devil star and MLB player managed last night's victory to perfection, making all the right lineup plays and bullpen calls - while also trusting starter Ben Jacobs to get out of multiple ruts.

Bloomquist is set to have more scholarships next season, along with better resources all around - the Sun Devil baseball program is in a good spot moving forward.

ASU Pitching Staff Steps Up

As mentioned above, Jacobs got into trouble on several occassions over the course of his 105 pitches - including five walks.

The left handed pitcher responded by getting out of the jams virtually every single time - as he struck out six batters while only ceding three hits through five full innings of action.

Jonah Giblin and Cole Carlon also stepped up in absolutely massive fashion - closing out the game with five strikeouts and just two hits allowed between the duo.

This was an incredible development for a pitching staff that had previously ceded a 5.27 ERA as a unit heading into the tournament.

Isaiah Jackson is Star Program Needs

The rising junior has been an absolute revelation for the team in 2025 - having already hit more home runs (17) this season than in his previous two seasons (16) - while also posting an OPS of 1.022.

Jackson is accompanied by numerous All-Big 12 talents, but he has been the driving force behind the best offense in the conference and is a major reason why the team has the potential to make a deep run.

The next stop for the talented slugger could be a path to the MLB, but for now he is headlining a dangerous Arizona State squad.

Read more about the current ceiling the Sun Devil baseball team possesses moving forward in the tournament here.

Please let us know your thoughts on the Sun Devils starting the tournament with a victory when you like our Facebook page when you click right here.