(Photo: Joey Plishka/WCSN)
Following a 6-4 loss to Missouri last Sunday, Arizona State Baseball will hit the road and open Pac-12 Conference play as it visits No. 5-ranked Oregon State (12-3) for a three-game series starting on Friday.
Through 15 games, the Beavers sit atop the Pac-12, posting a 2-1 conference record.
“[Oregon State] runs a pretty good program and they are on top of their game right now, so we’ll have our work cut out for us,” head coach Willie Bloomquist said on Tuesday.
The Beavers come into the matchup fresh off a 13-7 loss to Grand Canyon, in which their pitching staff allowed a season-high 13 runs in a slugfest.
But, the Oregon State outfield is no joke.
Junior outfielder Jacob Melton leads the charge offensively for Oregon State. Melton has had a superb start to the season, as he leads the Beavers with a .446 batting average, seven home runs and 31 runs batted in.
With seven on the year, Melton is now the Pac-12 leader in home runs.
Sophomore outfielder Justin Boyd has also had a solid start to the season. Boyd is second on the team in batting average, hitting .404 with two home runs and 18 RBI.
Sophomore left-handed pitcher Cooper Hjerpe will likely get the ball for the series opener for the Beavers.
Hjerpe has been dominant to start the season, as he will be pitching with a chance to start the season 5-0.
In 21.2 innings pitched, Hjerpe has a 2.47 ERA and a team-high 32 strikeouts.
As for ASU, recently named Pac-12 Pitcher of the Week and junior right-handed pitcher Adam Tulloch will likely get the nod in the series opener as he looks to continue his monster start to the season.
“I hope [Tulloch] has his A-game again because we will be challenged pretty hard this weekend,” Bloomquist said.
Tulloch will look to carry over his performance from his stellar outing against San Francisco, in which he punched out 13 hitters in 7.0 innings of work.
“[Tulloch] punched out 13 guys, [and] not with his best stuff,” Bloomquist said.
While it has not been officially announced, junior right-handed pitcher Kyle Luckham will likely draw the start in the second game of the three-game series.
In 25.0 innings pitched this year, Luckham has a 2-0 record to go along with a 2.88 earned run average and 24 strikeouts on the season.
From an offensive standpoint for the Sun Devils, they are led by redshirt sophomore Joe Lampe, who has been the Sun Devils’ best and most consistent hitter to start the season.
Lampe has hit for a .361 batting average and six home runs, both of which are team highs.
Lampe’s six home runs are good for second in the entire Pac-12. The sophomore outfielder is also tied for second on the team in RBI with 13.
“I think this is a testament to all that I did in the offseason,” Lampe said. “Me and [freshman catcher] Ryan Campos got after it this winter. It was one of the best sessions I’ve had.”
While Lampe is concerned about his stats, he is addicted to the grind it takes to become an elite hitter at the collegiate level.
“I pride myself on being addicted to results,” Lampe said. “Not from a statistical standpoint but from stuff that I control in the weight room from speed work, lifting weights, mobility.”
Lampe has been the sparkplug the team has been searching for as he plays the game with a unique and fiery spirit.
“Sometimes we have to pull the throttle back on [Lampe] a little bit because he’s a little too wired,” Bloomquist said.
Lampe added: “Everyone thinks I’m kinda crazy when it comes to this game, it is my life and just the passion I have for it. I speak what’s coming from my heart.”
The first of three games will take place on Friday evening at 6:35 p.m. MST in Corvallis, Oregon.
