(Photo: Nicholas Badders/WCSN)
Baseball is just as much of a mental game as it is a physical game. That seems to be what the Arizona State Sun Devils are struggling with right now.
“A big part of the game is just being mentally into the game,” head coach Tracy Smith said following the team’s loss.
With six of ASU’s everyday starters holding batting averages over .250, four of which are even hitting over .300, this team should be able to put up the runs to win games.
Following the game, Smith said the offense cannot be the only thing the team relies on.
“That stuff is gonna come and go,” Smith said. “Honestly I don’t lose too much sleep when you struggle offensively.”
This ASU squad also boats some of the highest ranked infield prospects, according to Perfect Game rankings, from multiple states. Yet each of the four main infielders are freshman. And with that, they continue to let errors and miscues occur, proving extremely costly in games like today’s.
ASU has had 46 errors this season, and has had several defensive miscues that haven’t been recorded as errors in the scorebook.
ASU’s pitching has been inconsistent all season, with command being an issue for most of the pitching staff, that has combined for 128 walks so far this season and have a team ERA of 4.08.
With a record of 14-18 and a Pac-12 conference record of 6-6, this team has shown the ability to beat good teams and losing to bad teams.
Sunday’s game started off a bit rocky with ASU junior pitcher Sam Romero allowing a a run in the first, third and fifth innings. Carter Aldrete hit a solo homer in the fourth making the score 3-1.
Then USC tacked on two more in the sixth, ASU added one in the seventh from a Gage Workman homer, which USC answered with three of their own runs in the eighth.
Things had gotten out of hand for the Sun Devils, who continued to fight trying to start a comeback in the bottom of the eighth.
They got two runs to bring the score 8-4 and still had runners on base. Then sophomore right fielder Hunter Bishop got caught trying to steal third after the pitcher walked Trevor Hauver.
Smith couldn’t explain the inexcusable base running error.
“I couldn’t tell you,” Smith answered when asked about what happened with Bishop.
To start off the season, this team boasted a great deal of confidence. They were excited and feeding off of each other with every play and cheer. Lately though, the rough losses have been racking up and is taking its toll on an ASU team that has dropped four consecutive series.
“There has to be consistency,” Smith said. “There has to be consistency, not only in your performance, but consistency up top, meaning thinking the game.”
Going into a series with No. 2-ranked Stanford who is 23-5 and 6-3 in Pac-12 play, ASU still has a lot of baseball left to play. To play well though, that is the question.
“They know what to do and we coach them up,” Smith said. “Now you gotta start doing it and you know I still believe in this team.”
