Home sweet home.
That has to be what Arizona State is thinking right about now. They just completed their first road trip of the new season, splitting a two-game skid against UCLA with their first shutout win of the year, and now come back to the polite confines of Phoenix Municipal Stadium.
Now that they're back in the desert, the Sun Devils are hosting the Golden Gophers of Minnesota for a three-game series that starts tonight. The series marks the start of seven straight home games that will take them right up to the start of conference play.
It's been a rough start for the Golden Gophers, who arrive in Phoenix with a 2-4 record. They started their season with a strong 14-3 win over Houston, but lost the next two games to drop the series to the Cougars. Two more losses to No. 16 Oklahoma and No. 10 Virginia preceded a win over Oregon State on Sunday.
Minnesota has been particularly sluggish on offense. Both their batting average and team OPS rank outside the top 200 teams in the nation, hardly a good mark. Only one batter has an on base percentage above .500 right now, while just two have five or more RBI on the year. Scoring has come at a premium for the Gophers thus far.
Pitching has been better, though not by much. Their team ERA of 4.24 ranks 81st in the nation, while the opposing batting average of .213 is 45th. That makes them the second best pitching staff the Sun Devils will have faced so far this year, though that isn't saying a whole lot.
Arizona State, currently sitting at 7-2, is looking to get their bats going again. After averaging nearly 10 runs a game in the first week and a half, they've managed just eight runs in their last three games combined. If they can get back to their explosive ways at the plate against a team like Minnesota, that would provide a surge of confidence down the stretch of their non-conference schedule.
It all starts tonight, so be sure to catch all the action.
How to watch Arizona State vs Minnesota
The Sun Devils and Golden Gophers will throw out the first pitch at 6:30 PM MST at Phoenix Municipal Stadium in Phoenix, Arizona.
The game will air on ESPN+ (subscription required). Jaden Taylor will be on air for play-by-play with Eric Matsumoto providing color commentary.
Betting information
Arizona State comes into this game as a 1.5-run favorite, according to FanDuel sportsbook.
The Sun Devils are -280 on the moneyline, while the Golden Gophers are +210.
The over/under on total runs is 13.5.