All Raoul Torrez and his teammates could do was watch the celebration.
Two seasons ago, Torrez, now a senior, was part of a team loaded with talent — first-round draft picks Brett Wallace, Ike Davis and Mike Leake were on the roster — that won its second straight Pac-10 title and was 48-11 heading into a Super Regional series at home against Fresno State.
After winning the first game handily, the Sun Devils appeared poised to make a second straight trip to the College World Series. But two games later, it was Fresno State, the eventual national champions in 2008, rejoicing at Packard Stadium.
The heartbreaking debacle, Torrez said, cemented the idea that nothing comes easy on the journey to Omaha.
“I think we took from [2008] that baseball is baseball,” Torrez said. “Stuff like that happens and I think it's important to remember that the reasons we play the games out is because anybody can win on any given day. It's just a constant reminder to respect every team but not fear everyone.”
This season's Pac-10 Pitcher of the Year, Seth Blair, was a freshman on the 2008 team and still vividly recalls the sting that came along with coming up short in front of the home crowd.
“That year it felt like…the only thing that would make the season appropriate is if we made it to the College World Series,” Blair said. “I don't know if you could say we looked past Fresno, but obviously the first game we won wasn't close and in the second game we were coasting and then all of a sudden they hit a grand slam and we go behind … My message to the team is, can we stay pitch to pitch? We can't let outside distractions influence what's going to happen.”
No. 1 ASU (50-8), which erased some of 2008's demons last season when it took care of Clemson in two games during Super Regionals at Packard Stadium, knows this weekend's opponent, No. 15 Arkansas, isn't going to step aside and clear a path to Nebraska.
The two teams' recent history would suggest as much, as ASU and Arkansas have met four times in the past two seasons with the Sun Devils winning two at home in 2008 and the Razorbacks returning the favor with a pair of wins over ASU in Fayetteville a season ago. Each contest was decided by four runs or less.
Arkansas features a powerful lineup that has totaled 90 home runs this season (14th nationally). The team's top hitter Zack Cox (.427, 9 home runs, 48 RBI) was selected 25th overall in this week's Major League Baseball draft by the St. Louis Cardinals, the same team that selected Blair with the 46th overall pick (The Cardinals also drafted ASU sophomore pitcher Jordan Swagerty 75th overall).
Blair and Cox played together during last summer's Cape Cod League.
“He's a great player,” Blair said of Cox. “A left-hander who can hit the ball to all fields. He's got power, he hits for average and he does everything you'd expect a first-rounder to do. He's going to be a tough out, but we're going to pitch to him and try to make our pitches against him.”
With each team stocked with professional talent — 19 players between the two squads were drafted this week — mental factors may be a deciding factor in what will likely be a tightly contested series.
“This time of year, it's not just being physically talented; there's a lot to be said about the mental makeup of your team,” ASU coach Tim Esmay said. “At some point in the year you are going to have your ups and downs, and the teams that handle that and move forward … that's the biggest key.”
Game 1 is set for Saturday at 7 p.m. with Blair (12-0, 3.06 ERA) taking the mound for ASU.
Hometown kid
Raoul Torrez grew up just a few blocks from Chase Field and can remember the anticipation the city had as it watched the construction of the stadium that would house the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Those memories made Tuesday, when Torrez was drafted in the 21st round by Arizona, even more special for a player who grew up rooting for the hometown team.
“It was pretty much a dream come true,” said Torrez, who elevated his draft status with a productive senior season after being drafted in the 32nd round last year. “Being a local guy, I grew up just a couple blocks from Bank One (the ballpark's former name) and was a season-ticket holder. I watched the stadium be built so it's just awesome. I couldn't have written it out any better.”
The Sun Devils attended the Diamondbacks' game against Atlanta on Wednesday, where Torrez's interview with Fox Sports Arizona's Jody Jackson was broadcast during the game.
“It was exciting and a little preview of what is to come,” Torrez said. “I couldn't even really put it into words — just a great feeling.”
Reach the reporter at nkosmide@asu.edu
