All that's left to play for now is pride. For the second night in a row, Arizona State's bullpen blew a late lead and lost to Minnesota 6-4 on Saturday. The loss marked their first losing streak of the year and clinched their first series loss, but there is still a chance to avoid the sweep.
The Sun Devils were swept in a series just twice all of last season, and neither came until conference play had started. They were swept by Washington State and Oregon State, the latter of which finished the year ranked 10th in the nation.
Minnesota has not been a dominant team to start the season, coming into this series with a losing record. They've since evened that up with two straight wins, but Arizona State has had their number for a bulk of both contests, only faltering right at the end.
Head coach Willie Bloomquist seems to still be figuring out who he can trust in this bullpen, but the Sun Devils do have some reliable options. He'll have to get that right in today's afternoon game to support Jaden Alba, the anticipated starter who's played well in both of his outings thus far this season.
Can Arizona State avoid the sweep and get back in the win column? If not, it could lead to a downward spiral early on in the season.
How to watch Arizona State vs Minnesota
The Sun Devils and Golden Gophers will throw out the first pitch at 1:00 PM MST at Phoenix Municipal Stadium in Phoenix, Arizona.
The game will air on ESPN+ (subscription required). Nate Mill will be on air for play-by-play with Noah Chavez providing color commentary.
Betting information
Arizona State comes into this game as a 2.5-run favorite, according to DraftKings sportsbook.
The Sun Devils are -245 on the moneyline, while the Golden Gophers are +185.
The over/under on total runs is 14.5.