The game won’t count in the conference standings, but ASU baseball coach Tim Esmay knows that won’t change the atmosphere.
“It’s U of A,” the coach said simply.
The top-ranked Sun Devils (31-3, 9-3 Pac-10) host the Wildcats on Tuesday night at Packard Stadium, the first meeting of the in state rivals this season.
Though the game won’t be credited toward the teams’ Pac-10 marks (they will play a three-game conference series in Tucson beginning May 15), Esmay doesn’t expect the game to be short on intensity.
“I’m looking forward to Tuesday, because it’s not going to take much to get our guys ready to play,” Esmay said. “It’s not going to take much to get the crowd to sit on a Tuesday evening game, so that part of it will be fun.”
Esmay has seen plenty of rivalry games firsthand as a longtime assistant at ASU and said he has grown a deep respect for the head coach in the opposing dugout.
“Being around the program as long as I have, and playing U of A, I’ve come to respect [UA coach] Andy Lopez and the job he does,” Esmay said. “He’s been great as a guy I’ve talked to in my baseball career. I know it will be very fundamentally sound, solid baseball. It’ll be a lot of fun to go out there and compete against the Wildcats.”
UA (26-9, 7-5) is coming off a three-game sweep of Washington State and is the top-hitting team in the conference with a .328 average.
“U of A is a very dangerous offensive team,” Esmay said. “If you look at their box scores, they put up some runs.”
The Wildcats’ lineup features four of the conference’s top 10 hitters. Sophomore outfielder Steve Selsky ranks third in the conference with a .449 average, while freshman infielder Seth Mejias-Brean is seventh (.391), sophomore catcher Jett Bandy is eighth (.378) and freshman infielder Alex Mejia is ninth (.372).
ASU sophomore second baseman Zack MacPhee boasts a .431 average, and sophomore Drew Maggi ranks 10th in the Pac-10, batting .389.
Facing the Wildcats, players said, can bring some added excitement into a crowded portion of the schedule that is seeing the Sun Devils play nine games in 12 days.
“It’s going to be a lot of fun and we’re definitely looking forward to it,” sophomore Johnny Ruettiger said.
ASU will likely start freshman Brady Rodgers, though junior Jimmy Patterson could also get the call, Esmay said.
Good problem to have
The improvement of players not typically in the everyday lineup has forced Esmay to move players around the diamond. Freshman Deven Marrero, who normally plays shortstop, filled in for Zack MacPhee (flu) at second base during Saturday’s game against USC. After a two-hit performance in that game, Esmay started Marrero at third base on Sunday, giving senior Raoul Torrez a day off.
“Marrero is proving … I can throw him anywhere in the infield and feel good about it,” Esmay said. “By him being able to play second or third or whatever, it gives me ways to find him [at-bats].”
Esmay is also likely look for more time for freshman Andrew Aplin, who is improving his play at the plate and in the outfield.
An example of Aplin’s on-field education came in Sunday’s game against USC. Trojan sophomore Matt Foat belted a deep fly ball to center field and, knowing the ball was over his head, Aplin sprinted ahead to the warning track and then turned around, leaving himself plenty of time to get under the ball.
It was a play that caused Esmay to say of Aplin: “Yeah, he’s getting it.”
Reach the reporter at nkosmide@asu.edu
