After having two consecutive series canceled due to inclement weather, rain in Tempe was the last thing Penn State University had hoped for.
Fortunately, the weekend forecast looks good as the Nittany Lions come to town to face the red-hot Sun Devils. ASU (21-1) is hoping to break the record for the best start in school history with a sweep.
The previous record was set by the 1972 Sun Devils when they opened 23-1.
Penn State (0-0) was supposed to start the year at Charlotte two weeks ago, but was unable to play the two-game series. Last week, three games were canceled as they were rained-out at Virginia.
ASU looks to use the same starting rotation from a week ago as sophomore Jered Liebeck gets the nod tonight and Ben Thurmond will go to the hill Sunday. Saturday's starter is still in limbo.
Last week, it was senior Beau Vaughan who threw 5.2 innings, allowing just one earned run while striking out six to get the victory against Notre Dame. Vaughan leads the team with 33 strikeouts this season and holds a 3-1.
"I like the starting role because we manage to put up a lot of runs while I'm pitching so it makes it real easy," Vaughan said. "It doesn't really matter [if I start] as long as we're putting up runs and getting Ws."
Both of Vaughan's past two appearances have come as a starter, while Thurmond has thrown the first pitch in his last three outings. Thurmond, a senior transfer from Winthrop, is 2-0 with a 1.80 ERA. He's walked just one batter and allowed just three earned runs in 15 innings of work.
"I've always been a believer that it's not how hard you can throw; placement and control is more of a key factor," Thurmond said. "I go out there and try to hit my spots and if they hit it I let my defense do the rest."
Reach the reporter at casey.pritchard@asu.edu.
