(Photo: Nicholas Badders/WCSN)
Sun Devil fans can’t ask for much more than what they’ve gotten thus far through six games of Pac-12 play.
Arizona State holds a 4-2 conference record with a weekend sweep over the Oregon Ducks and an afternoon victory over the No. 15-ranked UCLA Bruins.
For series number three, the Sun Devils (12-12, 4-2) are set to make the long trek out to Pullman, Wash. to square off with the Washington State Cougars (5-14, 1-5).
Last season the Maroon and Gold swept the Cougars in Phoenix, standing as the lone series sweep the team corralled in Pac-12 play. Despite the series taking place away from home, Tracy Smith’s ballclub should not be settling for much less than just that.
Since having a scheduled four-game series cancelled against Sacramento State, WSU has gone on to lose eight of their last 11 games, including seven of their last eight. They currently do not have a player in their lineup hitting above .300 that meets the minimal at-bats requirement.
Left-handed senior Scotty Sunitsch has been the Cougars most proficient starter (2-1, 3.96 ERA), along with Ryan Walker handing in a handful of solid relief outings. Outside of the two, the Cougars pitching staff has appeared to be in a frenzy for the majority of the season.
Turning heads to the other side, for the Sun Devils two-thirds of their frequently-effective rotation is in need of bounce back performances after a rocky weekend in LA. Sam Romero and Boyd Vander Kooi each struggled against the Bruins, neither of them surviving three innings.
However the two made their Pac-12 debuts in that series, and have both otherwise shown why they are valiant weekend starters. Vander Kooi had previously allowed just three runs in 25.1 innings of work, and Romero had just come off a quality start with seven punchouts against Oregon.
For ASU senior southpaw Eli Lingos, there isn’t much more to improve on after his most dominant collegiate start against the Bruins (8 IP, 0 ER, 5 H). He looks to continue his cogency into the weekend and beyond.
ASU Player to Watch For: Spencer Torkelson
It’s no secret anymore that the freshman is a home run away from claiming sole possession of the all-time ASU freshman home run record, which would overtake Barry Bonds. Torkelson is coming off a 3-for-10 weekend at UCLA with a home run and two doubles. He is also third on the Devils roster in hits (20) and tied for first in extra-base hits (19).
WSU Player to Watch: Justin Harrer
While offense has come at a premium for the Cougars, Harrer has sparked a fair portion of the amount that has been at hand. The junior is tied for a team-lead in hits (19) and long balls (3) while solely leading in slugging percentage (.478) and RBI’s (11).
The series kicks off a day earlier than the norm, with the three contests taking place Thursday and Friday nights with a matinee Saturday for the finale. First pitch Thursday night is set for 6 p.m.
