(Photo: Jessica Carnivale/WCSN)
On their journey to a miraculous College World Series title in 2008, the Fresno State Bulldogs eliminated then No. 4 Arizona State in the NCAA Super Regionals. The Bulldogs dropped the first game of the postseason series before taking the final two contests to punch their ticket to Omaha, where FSU won its only CWS title in program history.
The three-game Super Regional series represents to this point the only three match-ups in history between Fresno State and Arizona State. This weekend that changes, as the Bulldogs return to Tempe for the first time since 2008 for a three-game set that opens Friday night at 6:30 p.m. on the Pac-12 Networks.
Fresh off a two-game road sweep of Cal State Fullerton, the Arizona State Sun Devils (10-4) return to Tempe. The Sun Devils answered the call in their first road trip of the season, with the bats staying hot in the midweek series, scoring 12 runs Tuesday and nine Wednesday in two comfortable wins.
Fresno State enters Tempe winners of six straight following a four-game sweep of Columbia and extra-inning win over Seton Hall Tuesday night. Here’s what you need to know about the Bulldogs and Sun Devils heading into the weekend:
Fresno State: Balanced on the road
With the three-game set at Phoenix Municipal Stadium this weekend representing the first three road games of the Bulldogs’ season, there is no prior road history to learn from this season. But during the 2019 season, the Bulldogs were above average away from Fresno, going 18-6 on the road.
That record includes a 2-3 mark in five games on the road against Pac-12 schools, losing at then No. 2 Stanford in a standalone game while splitting a four-game series against the Oregon Ducks.
Arizona State: Swift, Hauver lead offensive protection of Torkelson
Drew Swift has continued to impress Tracy Smith and company. In his last five games, the junior second baseman is 15-of-23 with a team-best 11 RBIs and an .870 slugging percentage. Swift’s emergence has helped the Sun Devil offense remain in the top 20 in the nation in runs scored despite a slow start to the season from Preseason All-American’s Gage Workman and Alika Williams.
Junior outfielder Trevor Hauver has also assisted Swift in protecting junior first baseman Spencer Torkelson, earning the future first round pick more pitches to hit with the way they’ve been producing as of late. Torkelson has been issued 15 intentional walks in the Sun Devils first 14 games. Following his last nine intentional passes, Hauver has gone 3-for-4 with 10 RBIs, three bases-loaded walks, two sac flies and a two-run homer.
With better protection, Torkelson has gotten more to hit and the Sun Devil junior has taken advantage of it. Sunday against Nebraska he drilled an off-speed pitch in the zone 435 feet to right-center for a three-run home run. Tuesday night against Cal State Fullerton, he deposited the 54th home run of his ASU career over the left-center wall, this one going 426 feet.
“Yeah, that was cool,” joked Torkelson Sunday after getting more pitches to hit.
Fresno State: Home run power littered across Bulldog roster
In their first 12 games this season the Bulldogs have showcased impressive power, averaging more than a home run per game with 20 as a team. That mark is led by Zach Presno’s six home runs, followed by Nate Thimjon’s five long balls.
Presno also has a team-high 14 RBI and an .381 batting average through 42 at-bats. Both Presno and Thimjon have shown a tendency to go down on strikes, with 13 and 14 strikeouts apiece.
Arizona State: Aiming for weekend sweeps
Following Sunday’s 18-10 loss to the Cornhuskers it was clear the disappointment from the Sun Devils in their failure to complete the home sweep. In two of the first three weekends at Phoenix Muni, the Devils have gone home without a sweep, dropping contests to Villanova and the aforementioned Huskers.
While that disappoints the Sun Devils, head coach Tracy Smith said it’s indicative of where this team wants to be.
“If you’re disappointed winning weekends, then we’re in a pretty good spot,” the manager said after Sunday’s loss.
Fresno State: Arias leads pitching staff
With three starts under his belt, junior Jaime Arias has gone 2-1 and leads Fresno State in innings pitched. He and redshirt junior Oscar Carvajal are the Bulldogs leaders in innings pitched and both have respectable ERAs at 3.50 and 3.71, respectively.
Against a Pac-12 opponent in Washington, Arias went five innings allowing 10 hits and six runs.
Arizona State: Sun Devils seek improved performance from Fall
In his last two starts for the Sun Devils, junior left-hander Justin Fall has failed to reach the fifth inning, leaving early against Boston College and Nebraska after being moved to the Sunday starter role following opening weekend.
Each of the other four starters for ASU impressed in their most recent appearances, with Erik Tolman and Boyd Vander Kooi picking up wins in impressive fashion during the mid-week contests.
“You’ve gotta have a short memory. You’ve gotta get out there and compete in the zone,” Smith said of Fall following Sunday’s loss. “I think that he was a victim of his own circumstances today.”
Arizona State and Fresno State will play Friday and Saturday at 6:30 p.m., and finish up the series Sunday at 12:30 p.m. MT. All games can be seen on the Pac-12 Networks.
