Sun Devil sophomore infielders Drew Swift and Spencer Torkelson swung hard and far in ASU baseball's fourth straight double-digit win on Wednesday.
Swift went 3-for-4 hitting three doubles and three RBIs. Torkelson went 2-for-5 going yard to left field for his first home run of the season and brought in three RBIs during the Sun Devils big eight-run fifth inning.
"To know that I'm able to produce when they are struggling a little bit is a good feeling," Swift said. "It's good for them to know that the back of the lineup can also pick them up when they are struggling because at the end we're all a team."
But ASU baseball (4-0) got to a slow start in their 12-2 win over the University of San Diego (4-1) posting two runs with only one hit through three complete innings.
The five pitchers the Sun Devils used in tonight's start also came with some baggage for a combined four walks, nine strikeouts in 146 thrown pitches.
Coming in during the top of the second inning to relieve senior starting pitcher Sam Romero, junior left-handed pitcher Chaz Montoya notched his first win.
"I don't think it's realistic to expect you are going to go out and get double-digit runs every game," coach Tracy Smith said. "We think the strength of our team certainly is our offense but you don't win championships because of your offense. You win championships because of the pitching and the defense."
One could blame the frigid temperatures on the hour-long two-inning stretch it took for both teams to make any offensive sounds, but the Sun Devils still managed to score first.
During the bottom of the second inning, an outfield catching error allowed Sun Devil redshirt sophomore catcher Sam Ferri to advance to second. With two outs Swift ripped an RBI double down to left center.
The Sun Devils came knocking again in the bottom of the third inning when junior outfielder Carter Aldrete hit an RBI routine fly ball to right field.
While the Sun Devils held on to a 2-0 lead, the Toreros struggled to make the most of their base runners leaving a total of eight men through four complete innings.
Then during the bottom of the fifth, it came to no shock when the Sun Devils posted eight runs and a pair in the sixth inning.
Power was seen spread throughout the lineup during the fifth inning with a Torkelson single, a double from junior outfielder Hunter Bishop and an RBI single from sophomore infielder Gage Workman.
The bottom of the lineup came in handy when Ferri, Swift and sophomore outfielder Trevor Hauver each earned an RBI.
"Having Swift bat hot in the ninth hole, if I was the other team I'd be scared," Torkelson said.
With four games under the Sun Devils' belts, improvements at the plate are already beginning to be noticed.
Hauver has been walked 11 times compared to his last season high of 12.
"We know we got good players they've just grown up," Smith said. "I think what you're seeing now is a bunch of guys, Swift included, is they're comfortable."
ASU will continue over their home stretch when they welcome the UC Davis Aggies in a three-game series on Friday, Feb. 22 and Saturday, Feb. 23 at 6:30 p.m., and Sunday, Feb. 24 at 12:30 p.m.
Reach the reporter at Edith.Noriega@asu.edu or follow @Noriega_Edith on Twitter.
Like The State Press on Facebook and follow @statepress on Twitter.
