(Photo: Dominic Cotroneo/WCSN)
The Arizona State Sun Devils (25-11) will face rival Arizona (24-13) in a single non-conference game Wednesday at 7 p.m. in Tucson.
The Sun Devils will go into Hi Corbett Field with something to prove after the six-run ninth-inning collapse handed them a 7-2 series finale loss to Arizona–a series that was clinched by ASU after wins in the first two games.
If the recent, demoralizing loss to UA isn’t enough of a motivator, ASU is just one win away from attaining the Territorial Cup Series point in baseball. The Sun Devils need just two more points to win the cup for this school year.
ASU will send right-handed pitcher David Graybill to the mound in Wednesday’s matchup. The 6-foot-5, 244-pound pitcher has only seen five innings this season and comes into this game with a 1.59 ERA. In those five innings, he has struck out seven, walked three and relinquished three hits and two runs.
Offensively, the Sun Devil lineup currently boasts seven players hitting at .300 or above. David Greer and Brian Serven are atop that list, with 35 and 41 hits, respectively. In the series against Arizona, Greer tied his career-high with three RBI and increased his hitting streak to 12 games. Serven collected an RBI double, two singles and a walk to reach base four times.
Another player with an extensive hitting streak is Arizona’s Bobby Dalbec. The sophomore is leading the Pac-12 in home runs with 12, has knocked one out in the last five consecutive games and has a 14-game hitting streak. Even more significant, is the fact that Dalbec’s last three home runs have been in the eighth inning or later, including a ninth-inning blast off Ryan Burr in the team’s last meeting.
Junior infielder Scott Kingery has been red hot all season, hitting at .440 (second in the country), with 43 runs, four home runs, 31 RBI and a .660 slugging percentage. Like ASU, Arizona boasts eight players hitting above .300.
ASU will look to combat the power in Arizona’s lineup with consistent hitting from players like Colby Woodmansee, David Greer, Trever Allen and Brian Serven in a quest to clinch the Territorial Cup baseball point and help its school to victory over Arizona for the second straight year.
You can reach the author on Twitter @KristinaV_18 or by email at kvicario@asu.edu
