It won’t count in the Pac-12 standings, where Arizona sits atop the conference with two weeks left in the regular season. But in some ways, Tuesday’s visit to ASU may count even more.
“We want to score 100 and give up zero,” sophomore center fielder Brendan Summerhill said on Sunday, after the Wildcats swept Stanford at Hi Corbett Field. “We want to beat them, they will they beat us here this year. So we’re gonna go up there and play our butts off and beat them as bad as we can.”
A couple hours later, after ASU outlasted Washington 21-18 at Phoenix Municipal Stadium, Summerhill’s words got to Sun Devils coach Willie Bloomquist. His response?
“Good luck, kid.”
When Arizona (29-17) faces ASU (26-23) it won’t have its conference lead on the line, but rather pride, bragging rights and momentum. The Wildcats are heading out on their final road trip of the regular season, one that continues this weekend at second-place Utah, games that could go a long way toward determining if they can win the Pac-12 title and possibly host an NCAA regional.
But first, the midweek rivalry tilt. Weekday games have been a mixed bag for Arizona this season, going 5-5 including home losses to New Mexico State and Grand Canyon and a road setback to Loyola Marymount. The Sun Devils are 8-4 in midweek games, including 5-3 at home where they’re 18-11 overall.
Arizona is starting left-hander Bradon Zastrow, who last pitched April 21 against Washington State in relief. ASU is countering with righty Wyatt Halvorson, who is 1-3 with a 7.11 ERA but on April 16 struck out 13 and allowed only one hit over five innings at Cal State-Fullerton.
If past midweek games are any indication, expect a lot of runs. Arizona was bombed 24-8 by GCU last week, the same time ASU swept a pair at home from UC-San Diego 15-5 and 19-8.
Arizona’s ERA in midweek games is 6.82, far worse than its overall 4.14 ERA, while ASU’s (5.74) is actually better than its overall one (6.84).
Keeping ASU in the park will be key. The Sun Devils have hit 80 home runs (65 at home) in 49 games, compared to 42 for Arizona, which has only yielded 27 bombs and only two or more in a game on seven occasions.
The UA lost two of three to ASU in Tucson in mid-March, blowing a 2-1 lead in the ninth of the opener and getting shut out 4-0 the next night before taking the finale 14-3. The Wildcats have dropped five straight at Phoenix Muni, including all three last season, only for them to get revenge via a 20-0 home nonconference win and a run-rule victory in the Pac-12 tourney.