PHOENIX -- Sun Devil Baseball returns back to Phoenix Municipal Stadium for a three-game home set against Xavier beginning Friday, March 8. Friday and Saturday's games will get underway at 6:30 p.m. with the finale schedule for 12:30 p.m. on Sunday.
Follow the Action
- Every game this weekend is scheduled to be streamed live via the Pac-12 Networks and can be viewed at https://pac-12.com/live/arizona-state-university.
- Fans are encouraged to follow along in-game content throughout the weekend on the Sun Devil Baseball account (@ASU_Baseball).
A Hot Start
- The Sun Devils are one of just four undefeated teams remaining in the country, joining Tennessee, Florida State and N.C. State.
- ASU's 12-0 start is the longest winning streak for the Sun Devils (and longest streak to start the season) since ASU went 24-0 to start the 2010 campaign.
- The Sun Devil offense has put up monster numbers during the start, scoring 130 runs (fourth nationally) through 12 games. ASU is also third in the country in scoring at 10.8 runs per game.
- The Sun Devils have scored double digit runs in 7 of the team's 12 games this season. The 130 runs are the second-most through 12 games since the 2003 team scored 132 in their first 12 games (85 of those coming in a 6-game season opening series against a Non D-I Hawai'i Hilo program).
- ASU is sixth nationally in home runs (first in the league) with 17, second nationally in batting average (.357), 8th nationally in doubles (31), seventh in on-base percentage (.437) and third in slugging percentage (.561).
- While much ado has been made about the bats, it has been the Sun Devil pitching rotation that has quietly put up a 2.21 ERA that is currently 9th in the nation and third in the Pac-12 after several consecutive seasons above a 4.50 team ERA.
Fear the Tork
- All-American Spencer Torkelson now has mutiple hits in 28 of his 67 career starts (.418) and multiple RBIs in 20 of those (.299).
- Torkelson is batting .431 on the season on 22-of-51 hitting with two home runs and four doubles with 19 RBIs.
- The sophomore is third in the Pac-12 in batting average. His 22 hits are second in the league and are 12th in the nation. His 19 RBIs are also second in the Pac-12 and sit 15th in the country.
- Torkelson has multiple hits 9 of ASU's 12 games this season and at least one RBI in 8 of those (multiple RBIs in 5).
- Torkelson is batting .579 with runners in scoring position on 11-of-19 hitting - 3 more hits than any Sun Devil.
- He has been an extremely tough out to end the inning, currently 11-of-20 with two outs (.550) with a team-best 16 two-out RBI on his 19 total RBIs - three of which coming on his 11th-inning walk-off home run against Michigan State.
- He easily leads the team in advancing runners, doing so 26 times on 39 opportunities (.667).
- Spencer Torkelson was named the Pac-12 Player of the Week for the Opening Week of the 2019 season. It was the second time in his career earning the honor.
- Defensively, Torkelson has also made impressive strides. He has yet to post an error on 108 chances (third in the Pac-12) while he leads the league in helping to turn 11 double plays this season.
#TorksUp
- Torkelson led the country in 2018 with 25 home runs – two more than any other player and just one shy of the NCAA freshman record while becoming first freshman in NCAA history to lead the nation in home runs.
- Became just the sixth player to reach 25 home runs since the BBCOR batting technology changes took effect in 2011 and the only freshman in the NCAA to reach the milestone in that time.
- Slugged a gaudy .743 on the season (25 homers, 12 doubles), the third-highest total for any freshman in the NCAA in the past two decades and the highest for a freshman in the BBCOR era (since 2011). Only Rickie Weeks (.849 in 2001) and Jeremy Baltz (.771, 2010) posted higher freshman slugging percentages in the past 20 years.
- Torkelson was a unanimous All-American, as every major baseball media outlet in the nation rewarded the freshman with at least one All-America accolade (Collegiate Baseball Newspaper, Baseball America, NCBWA, and Perfect Game).
- Honored with Perfect Game's National Freshman of the Year award.
- Named a Golden Spikes Award Semifinalist, an award honoring the best player in college baseball.
- National Collegiate Baseball Writers of America named him as a third-team All-America selection; Earned third-team recognition from Perfect Game; Placed on the Perfect Game Freshman All-America First Team; Named by Collegiate Baseball Newspaper as the National Co-Freshman of the Year and the NCBWA as the National Freshman Hitter of the Year.
- Just the seventh Sun Devil in school history to be named an All-American as a freshman, joining Mike Kelly (1989) and Casey Myers (1998) as the only two ASU position players to be named All-Americans as freshman.
- The third Sun Devil to be named Pac-12 Freshman/Newcomer of the Year, joining Ike Davis (2006) and Jason Kipnis (2008).
Hunting Party
- Hunter Bishop continues to provide Torkelson plenty of protection in the lineup, batting .362 (17-of-47) with a team leading leading .809 slugging percentage with five home runs and four doubles and a triple.
- Bishop's five home runs through 11 games already match his season total from 2018 season and is tied for second in the Pac-12 and 10th in the nation.
- Bishop leads the team with 19 runs scored this season, tied for 9th nationally and second in the Pac-12.
- Bishop is 2nd in the Pac-12 with an .809 slugging percentage, tied for sixth with four doubles and second in total bases (38).
- Bishop is third on the team in successfully advancing runners 21 times on 33 chances (.636).
- Bishop is one of three Sun Devils to reach base in every game this season (Trevor Hauver and Alika Williams)
Marshing to the Beat
- Alec Marsh has allowed three earned runs or fewer in 21 of his last 22 appearances dating back to his freshman season.
- Dating back to last season, Marsh has a posted a quality start in 8 of his last 11 starts since assuming the mantle of Mr. Friday Night midway through the 2018
- Marsh has posted three consecutive quality starts to open 2019 and is 3-0 on the season.
- His 0.76 ERA is 6th in the Pac-12 while his 24 strikeouts currently sit 4th in the league.
- Marsh is second among Pac-12 pitchers with 23.2 innings pitched this season.
- Marsh has been absolutely dominant when runners reach base against him, holding opponents to just 5-of-34 hitting (.147) with runners on the base path.
- Marsh struck out 10 batters on Opening Night, the first time an ASU player had reached double digits in a game since Seth Martinez in March of 2016. Marsh also became the first Sun Devil in at least 20 years to throw 10 strikeouts on Opening Night. Since at least 1998 (as far back as readily accessible records go), no Sun Devil had struck out more than eight batters on Opening Night until Marsh's performance.
#LINSANITY
- Lyle Lin has embraced his new role as the team's designated hitter this season, currently leading the Pac-12 and 11th in the nation with 20 RBIs.
- Lins 20 RBis through the opening month are an incredible tally considering the junior had just 18 RBIs total during the 2018 season, despite starting every game.
- He has multiple RBIs in 5 games this season. tied for the team lead.
- Lin is 8-for-9 this season in bringing runners from third home with less than two outs, a notable area of struggle for the junior was was just 2-for-12 in the category last season.
- Lin is second on the team in advancing baserunners, doing so 22 times on 36 chances (.611).
- Lin recorded the game-winning RBI (the RBI that put ASU ahead for the remainder of the game) in all three of ASU's games against UC Davis.
- Lin became the first Sun Devil since 2014 to hit a grand slam with his round-tripper in the second game of the UC Davis series.
- Lin has started in all 122 games at Arizona State.
Put Me In, Coach
- The consummate team player, fans can expect to find Carter Aldrete all over the diamond this season. Aldrete has seen time in right field, second base and third base to open the season, but can fill holes across the infield and even on the mound as the season progresses.
- Aldrete is currently 5th in the Pac-12 with 16 RBIs this season. Of those 16 RBIs, 10 have come with two outs. The 16 RBIs are good for 24th nationally.
- Is third on the team with three home runs this season - tied for seventh in the Pac-12.
- Aldrete is second on the team in advancing runners home from third with less than two outs, doing so 5 times on 8 chances.
- Had a monster game in Game 2 against Notre Dame, posting his first multi-home run game of his career while adding a career-best six RBIs in the process.
Just Like He Drew It Up
- Drew Swift has made a case for one of ASU's most improved players through the early going on the season.
- The sophomore is batting .409 with four doubles and seven RBIs in the early going of the year.
- Batting out of the nine-hole this season, swift has successful turned the order around over 45 percent of the time with his .469 on-base percentage.
- Swift has struck out just once this season on 25 at-bats, making him the toughest player to strike out in the Pac-12 through the first two weeks of the season.
- Swift has been a part of six double plays this season.
- Prior to missing games with injury, Swift's 24 assists through 8 games were tops in the Pac-12.
- Became the first Sun Devil since Jake Peevyhouse in 2014 to have three doubles in a game, doing so against San Diego.
A Lot to Alika
- Alika Williams has quietly continiued to put up impressive numbers as a sophomore, currently batting .410 - third on the team with 11 RBIs as well as his first career home run against Fullerton.
- Williams leads the team with 5 doubles this season - tied for fourth in the Pac-12. He had 8 doubles in the entirety of his freshman season.
- Williams is one of three Sun Devils to reach base in all 12 games this season.
- Williams has been a part of six double plays this season, playing a key role in ASU currently sitting second in the Pac-12 with 12 double plays turned on the year.
- Last season, his 13 strikeouts were the lowest among players with at least 22 starts.
- As a freshman, Williams teamed up with fellow freshman infielder Drew Swift to execute 30 double plays.
Putting in the Work
- On the year, Gage Workman is batting .360 with 12 runs scored, a triple and a double.
- The sophomore is 5th in the Pac-12 with 30 defensive assists this season.
- Workman has helped turn five double plays on the season, helping ASu to currently being second in the Pac-12 with 12 double plays turned.
- Collegiate Baseball News Freshman All-American in 2018
- Collected seven triples as a freshman, tied for the fifth highest total in the country and second on the team behind the national leader in the category, teammate Gage Canning.
- Did not ground into a double play all season, the only ASU regular that can make that claim.
- Posted an OPS of .805, slugging .466 (3rd on team) and reaching base at a .339 clip.
Filling the Boyd
- Boyd Vander Kooi is current 1-0 on the season and second on the team with 17 strikeouts in 13.2 innings pitched.
- Vander Kooi has eight strikeouts looking on the season, good for fourth in the Pac-12 Conference while his 17 strikeouts are tied for 12th.
- Made 10 appearances as a freshman last season, including five starts, finishing the campaign with a 3-3 record.
- His 3.00 ERA tied him for the lowest on the team among those with at least 36 innings pitched.
- Stuck out 35 batters, allowing just 12 earned runs in 36.0 innings pitched.
- Made his final five appearances (8.1 innings) out of the bullpen, preventing an earned run from scoring in four of the five outings.
- Did not allow an earned run in six of his ten outings.
Trev Lightly and Carry a Big Stick
- Perhaps no player on the Sun Devil roster has shown as much improvement this season as sophomore Trevor Hauver.
- The leadoff man leads the team with a .532 on-base percentage through 12 games this season - a total good for 8th in the Pac-12 and 59th among all players nationally.
- Hauver has drawn 14 walks on the season - currently third in the Pac-12 and 14th nationally - while he has also second with 18 runs, which has him tied for third in the Pac-12 and 15th nationally with teammate Hunter Bishop.
- Hauver has also showed plenty of pop in the bat, second on the team with four home runs this season - fourth in the Pac-12 and 30th nationally.
- Hauver's 16 RBIs are good for 5th in the Pac-12 and 41st nationally.
- As a leadoff batter in an inning, Hauver has reached base 10 times this season on 21 chances (.476).
- Hauver has been very productive for his teammates as well, leading the team with the fewest runners stranded on base this season (3) while successfully advancing runners 17 times on 29 chances (.586).
Miracle Myles
- Junior Myles Denson has been perhaps the most pleasant surprise of the 2019 season and played a pivotal role in the opening month of action.
- Denson leads the team with a .444 average on 12-of-27 hiting with two doubles and a team-best two triples - the latter good for second in the league and 105h nationally.
- Denson arguably had the play of the early season with his incredible extra-inning outfield assist against Michigan State, gunning down a runner at home after catching a flyout after MSU had loaded the bases with only one out and setting ASU up for a 8-5 walkoff victory.
Pay the Tolman
- Erik Tolman has been thrust into several crucial spots as a true freshman this season and responded best when the lights were on.
- Tolman is 1-0 with a save this season and is second on the team with a 0.79 ERA in 11.1 innings pitched while striking out seven.
- The ERA is good for 7th in the Pac-12 while he has held opponents to just a .158 average - the 5th best total in the league.
- Tolman has yet to allow an extra base hit this season - one of just three pitchers in the Pac-12 to lay such a claim.
Blaze Burzell
- Another Sun Devil freshman has been absolutely key to ASU's cause this season in Blake Burzell.
- Burzell has earned one win and one save and has eight strikeouts.
- He hasn't allowed a single hit with the bases empty this season (opponents 0-for-15) while he is holding opposite to 2-for-11 hitting with runners on base.
- He has retired the first batter he has faced in each of his 6 appearances this season.
On The Ground
- The Sun Devil pitching staff has been exceptional at inducing soft contact this season, recording 111 groundouts to 94 flyouts.
- The frequent groundouts have put the pressure on a Sun Devil defensive infield that had struggled with errors in recent seasons but the group has responded admirably to the extra chances this season.
- ASU has record 133 defensive assists this season, nearly 20 more than any other team in the Pac-12.
- The roster has turnd 12 double plays on the year, second in the Pac-12 and 15th in the nation.
- ASU is 57th in fielding percentage (.977) which, while not where the team would like to be, is a far cry from the team that was 230th last season and 184th the season before.