D-backs to Face ASU, UA + GCU in Collegiate Baseball Series, beginning next spring

The Diamondbacks will host Arizona State University baseball team on March 3 at 3:10PM at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick to kick off  the series. "We are proud to have three very decorated Division I college baseball programs in our state," said Derrick Hall, D-backs President & CEO. "The collegiate series will be a wonderful opportunity to welcome these talented student-athletes at the award-winning Salt River Fields for a unique baseball experience. The D-backs already have several great ties to each program and we hope these games will further enhance our relationship with each university."

This season the D-backs versus ASU game will kick off Spring Training at Salt River Fields and the two teams will face off again in 2018. The D-backs are scheduled to play UA in 2016 and 2019, and GCU in 2017 and 2020. All three schools have a decorated history which includes five NCAA Division I national titles at ASU, four national championships at UA, and four NAIA Baseball World Series championships for GCU, which is currently transitioning back to Division I membership. Each college baseball program has a rich history of producing a significant amount of Major Leaguers and MLB executives.

The D-backs have ties at each of the universities with several players and coaches that have played at ASU, including current D-backs catcher Tuffy Gosewisch, D-backs prospect Jake Barrett, Minor League instructors Mike Benjamin and Jacob Cruz, and former D-backs infielders Willie Bloomquist and Jake Elmore. D-backs Manager Chip Hale played at University of Arizona, as did D-backs alumni Daniel Schlereth, Ed Vosberg and Alan Zinter. D-backs alum Cody Ransom attended GCU and former D-backs player Andy Stankiewicz is currently the head coach at GCU.

Tickets for the D-backs vs. ASU game at Salt River Fields are priced from $9-28 and will go on sale to the public at 10 a.m. on Jan. 10.