PHOENIX -- Sun Devil Baseball will open Pac-12 Conference play at home this weekend with a three-game series against Washington State. Friday's game is scheduled for a 6:30 p.m. PT first pitch, with Saturday getting underway at 6 p.m. and Sunday's finale at 12 p.m. Saturday and Sunday's games will be be broadcast live on the Pac-12 Network. Friday's game will be streamed live online via Pac-12 Network Plus.
Follow the Action
- For the first time this season, the Sun Devils will be on television with the Pac-12 Network schedule to broadcast Saturday and Sunday's games against Washington State. Daron Sutton will be on the call alongside analyst Ben Francisco.
- All three games of the Washington State series will be available on the airwaves on 1060 AM KDUS.
- Friday games 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 two undefeated teams remaining in the country, alongside N.C. State (17-0).
- ASU's 16-0 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. It is the fourth-longest winning streak to start a season in school history behind 2010, 1961 (21-0) and 2008 (19-0).
- The Sun Devil offense has put up monster numbers during the start, scoring 168 runs (second nationally). ASU is second in the country in scoring at 10.5 runs per game.
- The Sun Devils have scored double digit runs in 9 of the team's 16 games this season. For perspective, ASU scored double digit runs just 8 times last season.
- The 168 runs are the second-most in school history through the first 16 games of the season with the 2003 team (169).
- ASU is fourth nationally in home runs (first in the league) with 27, second nationally in batting average (.352), third in on-base percentage (.438) and second in slugging percentage (.572).
- While much ado has been made about the bats, it has been the Sun Devil pitching rotation that has quietly put up a 2.16 ERA that is currently 5th in the nation and second 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 71 career starts (.394).
- Torkelson is batting .379 on the season on 25-of-66 hitting with two home runs and four doubles with 20 RBIs.
- His 25 hits are 4th in the league while his 20 RBIs are also fourth in the conference
- Torkelson has multiple hits 9 of ASU's 16 games this season and at least one RBI in 9 of those (multiple RBIs in 5).
- Torkelson is batting .462 with runners in scoring position on 12-of-26 hitting - two more hits than any Sun Devil.
- He has been an extremely tough out to end the inning, currently 11-of-25 with two outs (.440) with a team-best 16 two-out RBI on his 20 total RBIs - three of which coming on his 11th-inning walk-off home run against Michigan State.
- He is second on the team in advancing runners, doing so 29 times on 48 opportunities (.604).
- 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 135 chances (4th in the Pac-12) while he is second in the league in helping to turn 12 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 now has a Pac-12-leading 10 home runs on the season. He had 10 career home runs entering the season, a mark that he is on pace to destroy this season. He is third nationally in the category.
- Bishop has as many home runs this season as he has strikeouts (10). He has also walked 12 times.
- The junior leads the team with a .452 batting average on the season - second in the Pac-12 and 17th nationally - and is tied for first with 25 RBIs (1st in the Pac-12 and 9th nationally).
- His 1.048 slugging percentage is second in the nation and leads the Pac-12. He is also a perfect 7-for-7 on stolen base attempts - second in the Pac-12.
- Bishop has scored 30 runs on the season, a total that leads the Pac-12 and is third in the country.
- When Bishop has led off an inning this season, he has reached base 10 times on 15 chances – a .667 OBP that easily leads the team.
- Bishop leads the team in successfully advancing baserunners, doing so .698 percent of the time on 30-of-43 chances.
- He is the only player that has reached base in each of ASU's 16 games this season and currently holds the team's longest active hitting streak at eight games.
- He leads the team with seven multi-RBI games and also leads the squad nine multi-hit games.
Marshing to the Beat
- Alec Marsh has allowed three earned runs or fewer in 22 of his last 23 appearances dating back to his freshman season.
- Dating back to last season, Marsh has a posted a quality start in 8 of his last 12 starts since assuming the mantle of Mr. Friday Night midway through the 2018
- Marsh posted three consecutive quality starts to open 2019 and is 4-0 on the season.
- His 0.94 ERA is second in Pac-12 behind teammate Erik Tolman and 39th in the country. His 30 strikeouts are third in the league.
- Marsh is first among Pac-12 pitchers with 28.2 innings pitched this season.
- Marsh has been absolutely dominant when runners reach base against him, holding opponents to just 7-of-42 hitting (.167) with runners on the base path.
- The junior is not hesistant about pounding the strike zone, recording a first-pitch strike a team-best 67.2 percent of the time this season and has fallen into 2-0 counts just 10 times on 115 batters faced on the year.
- Marsh dominates when getting ahead of the count, holding batters to 1-13 hitting (.077) with balls in play on 0-2 counts and 1-of-16 hitting (.062) on 1-2 counts.
- 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 9th in the nation with 25 RBIs.
- Lins 25 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 6 games this season. tied for the team lead.
- Lin is 9-for-10 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 28 times on 45 chances (.622).
- 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 126 games he has appeared in 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 4th in the Pac-12 with 20 RBIs this season. Of those 20 RBIs, 13 have come with two outs.
- He has nine hits with two outs this season, third on the team and has a .375 average in the scenario on 9-of-24 hitting.
- Has four home runs on the season, already a career-high and tied for fifth 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 was batting .409 with four doubles and seven RBIs in the early going of the year before being sidelined with injury for two weeks.
- Batting out of the nine-hole this season, Swift successfully 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 before going down to injury
- 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 is currently batting .377 with 15 RBIs as well as his first career home run against Fullerton.
- Williams is currently 10th in the Pac-12 with a .492 on-base percentage
- Williams leads the team with 5 doubles this season - tied for 5th in the Pac-12. He had 8 doubles in the entirety of his freshman season.
- Williams has been a part of 7 double plays this season, playing a key role in ASU currently sitting second in the Pac-12 with 13 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 .328 with 13 runs scored, a triple and two doubles.
- The sophomore is 11th in the Pac-12 with 33 defensive assists this season.
- Workman has helped turn four double plays on the season, helping ASU to currently being second in the Pac-12 with 13 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 2-0 on the season and second on the team with 23 strikeouts in 20.2 innings pitched.
- Vander Kooi has 10 strikeouts looking on the season, good for 7th in the Pac-12 Conference while his 23 strikeouts are tied for 10th.
- 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 as a freshman last season
- 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 has a .500 on-base percentage this season - a total good for 8th the Pac-12.
- Hauver has drawn 16 walks on the season - currently third in the Pac-12 and 27th nationally.
- Hauver has scored 23 runs this season, second in the league and 9th nationally
- Hauver has also showed plenty of pop in the bat, second on the team with six home runs this season - third in the Pac-12 and 15th nationally.
- Hauver's 20 RBIs are good for 4th in the Pac-12 as well.
- As a leadoff batter in an inning, Hauver has reached base 11 times this season on 26 chances (.423).
- Hauver has been very productive for his teammates as well, leading the team with the fewest runners stranded on base this season (7) while successfully advancing runners 22 times on 39 chances (.564).
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 2-0 with a save this season and leads the team with a team-low 0.53 ERA with just one earned run allowed in 17.0 innings pitched. That one earned run also came after Tolman had left the game on a hit given up by another pitcher.
- Tolman has struck out 15 batters and walked just 5.
- The ERA is the lowest in the Pac-12 and currently good for 18th in the nation.
- Opponents .125 batting average against this season is the second-lowest total in the Pac-12.
- Tolman has yet to allow an extra base hit this season - one of just two pitchers in the Pac-12 to lay such a claim.
- Tolman has not allowed an earned run in his last five appearances on the mound - 14.2 consecutive innings.
Dab On 'Em
- RJ Dabovich has proven to be one of the top offseason additions for the Sun Devils, currently posting a 4-0 record while dominating Sundays for the Sun Devils.
- Dabovich has a 2.22 ERA on the season, currently eighth among Pac-12 pitchers.
- His .193 batting average against is good for fifth in the league and his four wins are tied for the league lead.
All That Chaz
- Chaz Montoya has quickly developed a role as the team's stopper in several crucial scenatios this season.
- Montoya leads the saud with 9 appearances in 16 games, posting a 0.96 ERA in 9.1 innings pitched with 12 strikeouts to 3 walks.
- Montoya has inherited 8 runners this season, not allowing a single one of them to score.
- In his 9 appearances, Montoya has retired the first batter he has seen on 8 occasions.
On The Ground
- The Sun Devil pitching staff has been exceptional at inducing soft contact this season and allowing balls to go into play for the defense to handle, currently leading the Pac-12 with 610 defensive chances this season.
- The frequent groundouts (134) 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 158 defensive assists this season, a total is second in Pac-12
- The roster has turnd 13 double plays on the year, second in the Pac-12.
- ASU is 44th 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.