ASU Baseball: Sun Devils Ready To Duel University of Arizona In Tucson
The 18th ranked Sun Devils head home on Friday to start a three-game weekend series against Valparaiso at Packard Stadium.
The Arizona State-Arizona baseball matchup never lacks for drama or heroics. However, the Sun Devils historically have gotten the best of the Wildcats. ASU is 187-120 all-time against Arizona, and 19-10 in the past six seasons, including 9-5 in Tucson and 11-7 in conference games. The Sun Devils went 5-0 against Arizona in 2009, outscoring their rivals 63-19, including a 23-9 win at Packard Stadium and a 20-3 win in Tucson.
Arizona State won two vs. Arizona last season, including a 12-8 comeback in Tempe and a 9-7 road victory in the second-to-last game of the season. The Sun Devils trailed by three heading into the seventh inning and rallied to score seven runs in the frame to take the win at Packard, with right-handed pitcher Trevor Williams picking up his conference-leading 12th win.
Arizona State (22-10-1, 8-7) won three-of-four this past week, picking up a road series win against USC and a non-conference road win at UNLV. The Sun Devils lost the Friday night opener to the Trojans before taking the next two to secure their third consecutive Pac-12 series.
In the USC road wins, Sun Devil outfielders Trever Allen and Kasey Coffman combined for 10 RBI, 11 hits and eight runs and the duo collected six extra-base hits, including three home runs, two doubles and a triple. Allen went 5-for-14 with a .357 batting average and a .857 slugging percentage, and Coffman went 6-for-17 with a .353 batting average and a .706 slugging percentage.
Freshman left-handed pitcher Ryan Kellogg improved to 8-0 in the USC games, and fellow freshman pitcher Ryan Burr collected his seventh save of the season. Burr is in fourth place on ASU’s single-season freshmen saves list and Kellogg is one win away from tying for seventh on the school’s single-season freshmen wins list.
Arizona (23-13, 8-7 Pac-12) has battled its way back into the Pac-12 standings after starting 0-6 in conference play. Since losing their first six games, the Wildcats have won eight of their last nine.
Arizona’s offense has played an important role in its turnaround. Early in the season, the Wildcats counted on the middle of the order to produce runs. After being swept by the Oregon Ducks, Arizona head coach Andy Lopez changed around the team’s lineup—resulting in greater offensive production of late.