Devils in Detail
Fansided

ASU Baseball: Sun Devils Head to SoCal to Take on USC

By Hunter Robinson

Mar 3, 2015; Scottsdale, AZ, USA; Detailed view of a baseball in the hand of Arizona State Sun Devils outfielder Coltin Gerhart against the Arizona Diamondbacks during a spring training baseball game at Salt River Fields. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 3, 2015; Scottsdale, AZ, USA; Detailed view of a baseball in the hand of Arizona State Sun Devils outfielder Coltin Gerhart against the Arizona Diamondbacks during a spring training baseball game at Salt River Fields. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit

After getting swept to open conference play, the ASU baseball team now travels to Los Angeles to take on the USC Trojans.

The ASU baseball team (9-10, 0-3) will be looking to use their defeat from last weekend as motivation as they go up against USC (12-7, 2-1).

In their series last weekend, USC was able to take the series against Washington State thanks to a high-powered offense. The Trojans drove in a total of 17 runs while only allowing Washington State to accumulate nine. For Arizona State, quality starts from the pitching staff will go a long way into quieting the USC bats.

While the offense was on a role last weekend, the pitching staff of the Trojans hasn’t been a bright spot for the team. The team has a combined ERA of 4.50, an average ERA at best. Their two main starters, Brad Wegman and Marrick Crouse, have a combined ERA of 6.90 compared to ASU’s main starters, Eli Lingos and Spencer Van Scoyoc, who have a combined ERA of 2.42.

More from Devils in Detail

This series is a good opportunity for Arizona State to steady the ship after a rocky beginning to conference play. They are facing a team that is the polar opposite of ASU, the starting pitching isn’t great but their bullpen allows them to hang around in any game. It will be important that the Sun Devils get on the board quickly and early, taking advantage of the poor starting pitching before the Trojan bullpen is called upon.

One issue that both these teams seem to face is that neither one can find a solid and reliable game three starter. Arizona State has used five different starting pitchers on day three hoping that something works out. This past weekend, Tracy Smith used game three as a bullpen day and exchanged pitchers throughout the majority of the game.

The Sun Devils should be able to take this series. It will be a good experience for this freshman class after a disheartening weekend to open up Pac-12 play. The first game can be seen through a Pac-12 Live Stream, while the Saturday and Sunday games can be seen live on Pac-12 Network. First pitch for Friday’s game is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. PST.

Home/ASU Baseball