BERKELEY, Calif -- The No. 25 Sun Devil Baseball caps a seven-game road stretch this weekend as it closes out the 2019 Pac-12 road schedule with a three game series against California, beginning Friday in Berkeley, Calif. The series will get underway at 6 p.m. Arizona time, continuing Saturday at 1 p.m. AZT and concluding Sunday at 12 p.m. AZT. The games will be broadcast by the Pac-12 Network. Due to forecasted inclement weather, game times are all subject to change.
Follow the Action
- Each game this series will be streamed through the Pac-12 Network. Guy Haberman will be on the call alongside analyst Eric Byrnes.
- Each game will also be available over the airwaves this weekend on NBC Sports Radio 1060 AM KDUS with Jeff Munn alongside analyst Max Rossiter.
- Fans are encouraged to follow along in-game content throughout the weekend on the Sun Devil Baseball account (@ASU_Baseball).
- Due to forecasted inclement weather, fans should follow social media accounts for any schedule changes throughout the weekend.
Fear the Tork
- All-American and 2019 Golden Spikes Award semifinalist Spencer Torkelson has multiple hits in 44 of his 104 career starts (.423).
- The sophomore had a career-long 22-game hitting streak ended against Utah. It was the longest hitting streak by any Sun Devil since Riccio Torrez had a 26-game streak back in 2010 and is among the top-five longest streaks by a player in the NCAA this year.
- In only five games this season has Torkelson not registered a hit and in only 19 of his 104 career games has that been the case. Torkelson has at least one hit in 81.7 percent of his appearances as a Sun Devil.
- Torkelson has 19 home runs this season, second in the Pac-12 and ninth in the country. He has at least one home run in each of the last nine weekend series that the Sun Devils have played – including every single series of Pac-12 play.
- Torkelson has 44 long balls in his career at ASU – tied for sixth in program history and just 12 shy of the Sun Devil school record of 56 held by Bob Horner. He is one home run away from joining Horner as the only other player in ASU history to have 20 or more home runs in consecutive seasons.
- With one more home run, Torkelson would also join Missouri State First-Round Draft Pick Jake Burger as the only player in the BBCOR era of batting standards to log multiple seasons with 20 or more home runs.
- Torkelson is batting .351 on the season on 73-of-208 hitting with 19 home runs, 13 doubles and 57 RBIs.
- Torkelson enters this weekend ranked in the Top-10 in nearly every major offensive category, including average (10th/.351), slugging percentage (4th/.688), RBIs (3rd/57), runs (4th/58), doubles (10th/13), total bases (2nd/143), walks (8th/36) and hits (3rd/73) in addition to his spot among the home run leaders. He sits in the Top-30 nationally in home runs, run, RBIs, slugging and total bases.
- Torkelson has multiple hits in a team-best 24 of ASU's games this season - three more than any other player - and at least one RBI in 31 of those (multiple RBIs in 15).
- In Pac-12 ONLY games, Torkelson is currently the league leader with 12 home runs. His .728 slugging percentage in league game is good for second in the conference.
#TorksUp
- Torkelson leads the team with 24 hits with runners in scoring position, recording 23 hits on 60 chances (.400)
- He has been an extremely tough out to end the inning, extending the inning 23-of-58 times with two outs (.397) with a team-best 31 two-out RBI - 12 more than any other player on the roster.
- Hit or not, Torkelson consistently finds a way to successfully advance baserunners, doing so 59 times on 117 opportunities (.504).
- Defensively, Torkelson has made huge strides and helped turn 10 more double plays than any other player in the Pac-12 (52). He has just two errors on the year despite being in the Pac-12 in defensive chances (404) and one of those came while he was playing out of position in right field for one inning in a game earlier this season.
- Among Pac-12 players with 350 or more chances, Torkelson's two errors are third behind Stanford's Andrew Daschbach and Oregon's Gabe Matthews (1).
- Torkelson joins Brett Wallace as the only other player in Sun Devil history to be a two-time semifinalist for the Golden Spikes Award. He will also rejoin the Team USA Collegiate National Team this Summer.
- 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.
- 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.
Hunting Party
- Hunter Bishop was named Perfect Game and D1Baseball's Midseason Player of the Year during the first week of April and was also tabbed as the NCBWA National Player of the Month for the Month of March.
- Bishop has also been named the 2019 Midseason Golden Spikes Award Semifinalist.
- Sophomore Hunter Bishop sits fourth nationally in home runs (22) but is just one off the national lead in one of the most prolific offensive campaigns in the BBCOR era. He is five homers shy of ASU's single season record for home runs (27 by Mitch Jones in 2000).
- The junior is ranked in the top-15 nationally in numerous offensive categories, including homers, slugging (3rd/.814), runs (9th/63), RBIs (15th/61) and total bases (5th/158).
- He has reached base in all but two games this season and had a 44-game reach base streak at one point after reaching in the first 39 games of this season and last five. of 2018. The .814 slugging percentage gives Bishop a chance to top Bob Horner's single season school record of .819 in 1978.
- Bishop is ranked in the Pac-12 top-10 in every major offensive category and is Top-Five in average, slugging, on-base percentage, runs, RBIs, hits, homers, triples, total bases and walks. .
- Bishop has 21 multi-hit games this season and leads the team with three games with four or more hits. His 17 multi-RBI games are two more than any other player on ASU's prolific roster and he has 10 games with three or more RBIs.
- The 61 current RBIs are easily the most for a Sun Devil in the BBCOR era of batting, surpassing the previous best of 53 by Torkelson (2018) and Abe Ruiz (2011).
- His 158 total bases are 15 more than any other player in the Pac-12 (teammate Spencer Torkelson has 143).
- He has 10 games this season with three or more RBIs, a team-best.
- He leads the team with 17 multi-RBI games and is second on the squad with 21 multi-hit games.
- Bishop leads the team in advancing teammates 63 times on 112 chances (.563).
Marshing to the Beat
- Alec Marsh was named a Midseason First Team All-American by Perfect Game on April 4 and was also named to USA Baseball's Golden Spikes Award Midseason Watch List.
- Marsh was added to the Collegiate Baseball Hall of Fame's Watch List for the National Pitcher of the Year on April 17.
- Marsh has allowed three earned runs or fewer in 29 of his last 32 appearances dating back to his freshman season.
- Dating back to last season, Marsh has a posted a quality start in 15 of his 21 starts since assuming the mantle of Mr. Friday Night midway through the 2018 campaign.
- Marsh is tied for first in the Pac-12 and sixth in the nation with nine victories this season, currently posting an 9-2 record.
- His 3.05 ERA is currently 10th in the Pac-12 while his 78 strikeouts sit 4th in the league.
- Marsh leads Pac-12 pitchers and is 18th nationally with 85.2 innings pitched this season.
- The junior is not hesistant about pounding the strike zone, throwing a strike on 62.9 percent of his pitches while falling into 2-0 counts just 45 times on 349 batters faced on the year (.129).
- Marsh dominates when getting ahead of the count, holding batters to 2-28 hitting (.071) on 0-2 counts and 10-of-54 hitting (.185) on 1-2 counts with 41 combined strikeouts between the two. 2-2 counts have also been deadly when facing Marsh this season, with opponents going 4-for-43 (.093) with 25 punchouts.
- Marsh is responsible for one ASU's two complete game this season, a masterful three-hit effort as he shut down third-ranked Oregon State to the tune of a 4-1 victory.
- 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.
Alika Like That
- Alika Williams has quietly continued to put up impressive numbers as a sophomore, embracing his role as a cleanup hitter with a .335 batting average with 46 RBIs - easily a career high in the category. He had just 20 total RBIs last season.
- The 46 RBIs are good for 12th in the Pac-12. When he does get RBIs, he tends to get a lot of them. He has 13 multi-RBI games this season and is second on the team with eight games with three or more RBIs.
- Williams has homered four times this year and recorded 10 doubles and three triples. He is slugging .489 on the season - over 150 points higher than his freshman total of .333. With 17 extra-base hits on the year, he has far surpassed his freshman total of nine.
- The sophomore been incredible when falling behind in counts this season, posting a .390 average (16-of-41) when facing 1-2 counts. Of his 61 hits on the year, 34 have come when falling behind in the count.
- He is 31-of-87 (.356) on two-strike hitting on the year - striking out a team-low 25 times while walking 29 times, making him the only player on the team with more walks than strikeouts.
- 17 of his 46 RBIs (.370) have come when falling behind in counts.
- The sophomore has been incredible at advancing baserunners this season, leading the team with a .596 average with 62 advancements on 104 opportunities.
- Williams is ASU's most productive hitter with the bases loaded, going 7-for-12 this season (.583).
- Defensively, Williams is currently second in the Pac-12 with 124 defensive assists this season.
- He has helped turn 33 double plays this season, which is good for third in the Pac-12 and first among non-first basemen.
Putting in the Work
- Gage Workman has been one of the hottest players in the Sun Devil lineup of late, batting .328 with 37 runs scored, 37 RBIs and seven home runs. He has hits in 13 of his last 18 games and multiple hits in nine of those.
- After not having a home run in the first four weeks of the year, Workman erupted for three in the Washington State series.
- In Pac-12 only games, Workman has a .345 average - the best total on the squad and the 11th-best average among all Pac-12 players in league-only games.
- In Pac-12 only games, Workman is tied for ninth in the league with 17 walks.
- His .443 on-base percentage is 11th in Pac-12 games and the best among all Sun Devils in the category. His .609 slugging percentage in Pac-12 games is 10th in the league and second on the team.
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 is batting .351 with a .436 on-base percentage this season and a team-best 74 hits - good for second in the Pac-12.
- Hauver has an active 14-game hitting streak heading into the weekend, the longest on the team. Additionally, he has reached base in 20 consecutive games, also the longest active streak on the team.
- Hauver has also showed plenty of pop in the bat, third on the team with 13 home runs this season - good for 7th in the Pac-12.
- Hauver's .351 average is 10th in the Pac-12 and he is second on the team with six games with three or more hits while tied for second with 21 multi-hit games.
- He has been the top ASU player in games in several categories, posting a seven-RBI game, a five-hit game, a four-walk game and a two-home run game.
- Hauver has scored 56 runs this season, 5th in the league and 36th nationally.
- As a leadoff batter in an inning, Hauver has reached base 33 times this season on 91 chances (.363).
- Hauver has been very productive for his teammates as well, successfully advancing runners 59 times on 107 chances (.541). Of ASU's day-to-day starters, Hauver's 26 runners left stranded this season are the fewest on the team.
- Hauver has been light's out with runners in scoring position, leading the team with a .434 average on 23-of-53 hitting while also making it tough for pitchers to get out of innings with a team-best .413 average on 19-of-46 hitting with two outs.
- Hauver has a case for being ASU's most clutch batter late in games this season. In innings 7-9, Hauver is batting .449 on 22-of-49 hitting with 16 RBIs and 16 runs, easily leading ASU in each of those categories in the late stages of games. Six of his 13 home runs have come in these latter stages of games.
#LINSANITY
- Lyle Lin has embraced his new role as the team's designated hitter this season, just outside the Top-10 in the Pac-12 with 45 RBIs despite not quite being an every-day starter
- Lin's 45 RBIs 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 9 games.
- Lin has had a monstrous last 10 games for the Sun Devils, batting .474 in that span with four doubles and four home runs with 10 RBIs. That .474 average is 140 points higher than any Sun Devil on the roster.
- Lin is 14-for-19 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 despite starting every game in the middle of the lineup. The 14 RBIs in that spot this year are three more than any other Sun Devil.
- Lin has advanced baserunners 63 times on 106 chances (.594) - the second-highest total on the team by average and just shy of the team lead.
- His knack for getting the ball into play has paid its due, as he's reached base a team-best 10 times on opponent errors this season - five more than any other Sun Devil. He has advanced a runner with an out 22 times - also good for the team lead.
- 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 leads the team with nine games this season with three or more hits.
Just Like He Drew It Up
- Despite missing three weeks to injury, Drew Swift returned to the lineup and continued to show he is one of ASU's most improved hitters.
- He has nine doubles this season - already a career-best - and a triple for 10 extra-base hits on the season despite missing several weeks to injury. He had just two extra-base hits on the season.
- Swift has been a part of 32 double plays this season, despite the time missed, good for fifth in the Pac-12 in the category and second among non-first basemen.
- His 110 defensive assists are good for 10th 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.
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 3-1 with two saves this season and a team-best 2.85 ERA.
- Tolman has struck out 48 batters and in 47.1 innings pitched.
- Opponent's .194 batting average against Tolman this season is easily the lowest on the team.
- With a handful more innings pitched, Tolman would qualify as the only pitcher in the Pac-12 this season to not allow a home run.
- Tolman is dominant when he has two strikes to his credit, holding opponents to 4-35 (.114) in 1-2 counts and 4-of-29 (.138) in 2-2 counts with 33 of his 48 strikeouts.
- With runners on the basepath, opponents are batting just 16-of-84 (.190) against Tolman on the season and he has been shutdown with two outs, limiting the opposition to 5-of-49 (.102) while stranding 50 baserunners.
- With runners in scoring position, opponents are just 8-of-52 (.154) with just 11 RBIs.
A Look at the Pen
- Brady Corrigan has quickly asserted himself as one of ASU's go-to players out of the pen, appearing in 24 of ASU's 49 games this season.
- Corrigan has inherited a team-high 36 runners this season, allowing just seven of them to score (.194).
- Corrigan has 54 strikeouts in 43.1 innings pitched - easily the best strikeout-to-inning ratio on the team.
- Blake Burzell has allowed just one earned run in his last seven appearances (15.1 IP) with 12 strikeouts.
- Burzell has earned the win in three of those games (now 5-0 on the season) while lowering his ERA over three points in the process.
Chicks Dig The Long Ball
- ASU's power numbers this season have been at another level with ASU posting 84 home runs - a total that is tied for first in the nation.
- The Devils have three players with over 10 home runs in Hunter Bishop (22), Spencer Torkelson (19) and Trevor Hauver (13). It is the first time a Sun Devil roster has laid that claim since 2009 (Carlos Ramirez/19, Jason Kipnis/16, Kole Calhoun/12).
- With Hunter Bishop eclipsing 20 home runs this season after Spencer Torkelson his 25 last year, it is the first time ASU has had a player hit 20 or more home runs in consecutive seasons since 1987 (Tony Mattia/21) and 1988 (Tim Spehr/20)
- Hunter Bishop is ranked fourth nationally with 23 homers, just out out of the Pac-12 lead. Spencer Torkelson (19) needs one home run to mark ASU as one of just three teams in the BBCOR era to have multiple players hit 20+ home runs in the same season (Missouri State/Wake Forest in 2017). It would also mark Arizona State as the only Power Five program in the BBCOR era to have two separate players reach 20+ home runs in consecutive seasons.
- ASU's 84 home runs are the most since the 2008 team recorded 88 homers.
- ASU's 84 home runs have already set the Pac-12 record during the BBCOR era of bats (since 2011), surpassing Oregon State's 2018 mark of 67.
- ASU is hitting 1.71 home runs per game this season, a mark that would be the third-best of any team in the past nine years since the BBCOR batting standards were introduced.
- Ten different Sun Devils have gone yard this season, with eight of those doing so 3 or more times.
- ASU's 84 home runs are 9 more than any other team in the Pac-12 (Cal is second with 75).
- ASU had 50 home runs last season in 55 games last season, a mark that the current roster surpassed by the midway point of 2019.
Pitching For Contact
- The Sun Devil pitching staff has done its part to put trust in the defense behind it, a trait of pithching to contact that has led to 55 double plays being turned on the season - a total that leads the Pac-12 and is second nationally.
- ASU's defense as done it's part with a solid .975 fielding percentage that is fourth in the league and 58th nationally after consecutive seasons ranked 184th or worst in the cateogry.
- That trusting relationship has played a huge role in ASU escaping numerous jams this season. In total, ASU has stranded 434 opponents on the basepath this year - just a tick under nine stranded runners per game at 8.9 per game.