"Hairy Bonds" stands alone, claiming the title of ASU's home run king.
The Sun Devils' star sophomore infielder Landon Hairston broke the University's single-season home run record with his 28th homer in the fourth inning of the Big 12 quarterfinal.
"I knew right when it left the bat that it was gone," Hairston said, according to Sun Devil Athletics. "It's no better feeling in the world when you square up a ball like that, and you know it's gone."
For 26 years, Mitch Jones held ASU's top spot with 27 home runs, setting the record back in 2000.
In Hairston's historic 2026 campaign, the Queen Creek, Ariz. native hit 26% of ASU's 107 home runs, being the driving force behind the Sun Devils' 3rd place finish in the regular season Big 12 standings. Through ASU's 55 games this season, Hairston went yard in 23 different matchups, over 40% of the Sun Devil schedule.
READ MORE: Bred for the moment: Landon Hairston's meteoric rise to the top of college baseball
After leading ASU's offense all season long, Hairston earned Big 12 Player of the Year honors and is also a semifinalist for the Golden Spikes Award and the Dick Howser Trophy.
"I'm grateful to have the opportunity to recruit him, get him here, coach him," Head coach Willie Bloomquist said, according to SDA. "And then have him essentially be the cornerstone of a very good offense for us, and do what he's doing. I'm just super proud of the way he's handled the attention, for lack of a better term. He's done a great job with just staying even-keel."
Hairston ranks among the country's top five in three important stats, with a .420 batting average, 28 home runs and 79 RBIs.
In Hairston's record-breaking game, he drove in two of ASU's 10 runs. His home run gave the Sun Devils a 7-1 lead that contributed to the defeat of the Bearcats in the opening of ASU's conference tournament campaign.
The win advances ASU to the semifinals of the 2026 Big 12 Baseball Tournament, where the team will face the West Virginia Mountaineers on Friday, May 22, at 8 p.m.
This story is developing and may be updated.
Edited by Alex Swift, Alan Deutschendorf and Kate Gore
Reach the reporters at eapache3@asu.edu and cjoneil6@asu.edu and follow @EricPachecoasu and @cjojournalism on X.
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Eric Pacheco is a junior studying sports journalism. This is his second semester with The State Press. He previously served as Editor-in-Chief of the Riverside City College student newspaper Viewpoints.
Char O’Neil is a junior studying sports journalism with a minor in special events management. This is her third semester with The State Press. She has also reported for AZPreps365, Blaze Radio and Phoenix College Basketball.
