A collection of upperclassmen on the ASU baseball team told a handful of reporters this week that the impending Major League Baseball draft, which takes place on Monday, wasn't weighing too heavily on their minds. The allure of potential postseason riches was a more pressing concern.
While junior pitcher Seth Blair, projected by some as a first-round pick, may not have treated his start in ASU's NCAA Regional game against Hawaii on Saturday night as a pro audition, those making the front office decisions were likely taking notice.
Blair gave them a show, hurling seven innings of three-hit, one-run ball that was aided by four ASU home runs and a four-run first inning that sparked a 12-1 win at sold-out Packard Stadium.
The No. 1 Sun Devils (49-8) will play the winner of an elimination contest between Hawaii and San Diego in the Regional title game on Sunday at 6 p.m.
The only run Blair (12-0) surrendered was a solo shot by junior Jeffrey Van Doornum in the seventh with ASU leading 9-0.
“We're far from over,” Blair said after the game. “Hopefully I'll keep pitching like that and the team will keep hitting like they've been hitting.”
ASU, playing as the designated visiting team Saturday per NCAA rules, wasted no time in tagging Hawaii starter Josh Slaats (5-4), scratching across four runs in the top of the first.
Sophomore Drew Maggi reached on an error and sophomore Zack MacPhee followed with a single that set the stage for an RBI groundout from senior Kole Calhoun. Two batters later, sophomore Johnny Ruettiger rocketed a two-run double to the right-field gap and freshman Deven Marrero, starting in the designated hitter spot, hit a single at the end of a seven-pitch at bat to plate Ruettiger.
“[Having a big lead] gives you the chance to go out and challenge guys,” Blair said. “You can give up a home run here and home run there, a couple hits, and it really doesn't matter.”
MacPhee, who led a balanced offensive charge with four hits and three RBI, crushed a homer to right field, his ninth, in the second inning and was matched by senior Raoul Torrez's blast, his third, to straightaway center that gave the Sun Devils a 7-0 advantage.
“We're just trying to have everybody do their job and tonight it came full circle for us,” MacPhee said.
Added coach Tim Esmay: “I thought the energy was great. When you're the visiting team, it gives you the opportunity to come out and get someone on their heels. Our [at-bats] that first inning were incredible.”
Calhoun added to the damage with a towering solo dinger to right in the seventh, his 15th, a ball that looked like it was attempting to schedule a tee time at Karsten Golf Course across the street.
The home run was Calhoun's second in as many games, and the powerful slugger appears to be approaching the same form that earned him the moniker Mayor of Omaha during the team's College World Series run a year ago.
Marrero concluded the home run barrage in the ninth with a moonshot that found traffic on Rio Salado Parkway.
Freshman Jake Barrett pitched a scoreless eighth and junior Jimmy Patterson worked around two base hits to keep Hawaii off the board in the ninth.
Sophomore Jake Borup (10-1, 3.93 ERA) will start the Regional title game for ASU on Sunday.
Reach the reporter at nkosmide@asu.edu