Former Angelo State Pitcher starring for another ASU

Rafferty gives ASU pitching boost

by Jeff Metcalfe
The Arizona Republic

Tommy Rafferty might not have pitched at all for Arizona State.
The odds were much greater of that than of Rafferty being 8-0 for ASU, one win shy of the most victories in the country. When the Sun Devils went to the College World Series last year, Rafferty was a guy with a broken right ankle and no place on the roster because of academic issues.

"I was tough on him," ASU coach Pat Murphy said. "I didn't want him around until he acted like an Arizona State baseball player. He wasn't a kid I was even serious about having back until we had a few long sessions. He said, 'Coach, I'm ready to do it.' He's made a chance and realized he can contribute, and he's been a great kid all year."

The entire story can be found at The Arizona Republic.

Of interest to LSC fans in general and Angelo State fans in particular is the following.

Coach Kevin Brooks was steamed when Rafferty opted to transfer from one ASU - Angelo State, a Division II school in Texas - to another.
Rafferty was 8-1 with a 1.73 ERA and four saves at Angelo State in 2006. Before that, he was an outfielder at Temple College (Texas), where he turned to pitching after breaking his left hand.

Brooks did not release Rafferty from his letter of intent to transfer, forcing him to sit out last season. "He thought I was making a mistake and that I wasn't going to get to play very much," Rafferty said. "He made his decision, and I couldn't do anything about it. I've had to take it and move on."