(Photo: Sammy Nute/WCSN)
Less than two weeks ago, Arizona State looked helpless after getting swept by Washington State, dropping them to a 10-14 record. Since then, ASU has been riding their longest win streak of the year at five games and has returned to over .500. Now they make the trip to Oregon to face No. 5 Oregon State (23-4) in arguably their toughest matchup of the season.
The Beavers offense is undeniably elite and led by potentially the best player in college baseball in junior INF Travis Bazzana. In 27 games Bazzana has notched 16 home runs, good for third in homers in the NCAA. Bazzana is also top five in walks and runs while also sitting in the top 30 in RBI’s with 39.
Bazzana isn’t the only Beaver the Sun Devils have to worry about this weekend. In left field sophomore Gavin Turley has been hot offensively, with seven home runs and 34 RBI’s. Right behind Bazzana’s team leading .465 batting average is senior CF Micah McDowell at .446.
ASU is going to have their hands full with Bazzana and company over this three game series, especially since despite their winning ways the ASU pitching staff hasn’t been superb. With Friday starter Thomas Burns likely out again with shoulder tendinitis and an ever-rotating question mark about who will start on Sunday, Oregon State has plenty of opportunities to put up big numbers against the Devils.
Luckily for ASU there is good news. The Sun Devils bats have found life once again in their five game win streak, thanks in part to stellar bench play from guys like sophomore OF Kien Vu and senior 3B Mario Demera. Demera was a huge part of the success against Cal over the weekend and has found himself a solid role at third base at least until sophomore Nu’u Contrades returns from a back injury.
ASU is also coming off the heels of a walkoff-win over GCU in a mid-week matchup on Tuesday in which Vu and Demera both played key roles in getting on base leading to redshirt senior OF Harris Williams two RBI walkoff-win.
The Sun Devils however will have to figure out the electric Oregon St pitching staff, headlined by a elite group of starters. On Friday evening, ASU is likely to see Arizona transfer junior RHP Aiden May who has given up just five runs in four starts.
Saturday’s starter for the Beavers is junior RHP Jacob Kmatz. Kmatz has pitched 34 and ⅔ innings with a 3.37 era. Oregon St has won 6/7 of the games he’s started with the one loss coming last weekend to USC in his worst outing of the season. Against USC, Kmatz allowed six earned runs through 4 and ⅓ innings.
To close out the series on Sunday will be freshman RHP Eric Segura. Segura has been arguably the Beavers best arm with a 3.50 era in seven outings. Segura has also gone five or more innings in all but one appearance.
Safe to say ASU will have their work cut out for them if they want to take down the top team in the Pac-12 and the No.5 team in the country that has yet to lose at home (13-0). In the third road trip in the last four weeks for ASU, it will be a true test of whether they can contend for a postseason spot.
