The players know it. The coaches and the fans know it.
When the ASU baseball team faces its bitter rival UA, it’s not just another series within the long, arduous season.
This one means a little more.
The No. 8 Sun Devils (16-5) host the No. 16 Wildcats (16-5) in both schools’ Pac-10 opener this weekend.
ASU will battle for a Territorial Cup point in hopes that come Sunday the team will hear “just like football” chants echoing from the Packard Stadium stands.
But just like the epic gridiron tilt in Tucson this past December, this weekend’s game figures to be a fierce battle.
Both teams are well equipped to make a run at both the conference title and a potential championship starting Friday.
ASU won three of five meetings last season and is 181-116 all-time against UA.
The Wildcats come in hot after sweeping San Francisco, while the Sun Devils split their midweek series with No. 18 Cal State Fullerton.
“This is the series we’ve tried to set things up for,” ASU coach Tim Esmay said. “[Pitchers] Kramer Champlin and Brady Rodgers will be good to go and we’ll see on Sunday with (Jake) Barrett. The plan is to use those guys.”
Combined, the probable weekend rotation for ASU has struck out 69 batters in 72 and 2/3 innings.
That’s a ratio of over nine strikeouts per nine innings.
Likely on the mound for the Wildcats will be Kurt Heyer (3-1, 1.12 ERA), Kyle Simon (5-0, 1.77) and Tyler Hale (3-0, 2.37).
The starters typically shoulder much of the focus, but if the early portion of this season is any indication, the Sun Devils should feel comfortable with any games being decided this weekend by their bullpen.
Freshman Trevor Williams (1.23 ERA) and junior transfer Joseph Lopez (2.63) haven’t disappointed in the first 21 games of their ASU careers.
“Lopez stays pretty even-keeled,” Esmay said. “Things don’t bother him, and that’s a good quality for him.”
There are also the Lambson brothers at the back end of the bullpen.
Mark, a freshman, has been good in long relief, while junior Mitchell anchors the unit as the closer. Opposing teams are batting just .213 off him.
Offensively, ASU hit its stride Wednesday, scoring 10 runs against Cal State Fullerton.
Before that the team struggled to come up with clutch hits, especially in its losses.
In a 5-2 loss to Oral Roberts on Sunday, the Sun Devils stranded 12 runners on base. Then the team left eight on base Tuesday against CSF, including three in the ninth inning.
Struggling the most is reigning Pac-10 Player of the Year Zack MacPhee. The junior is batting a team-low .282.
Third baseman Riccio Torrez hasn’t performed up to his standards recently, either. After a red-hot start, the 2010 Pac-10 batting champion went through a streak of over 20 plate appearances without a hit before finally bouncing back.
The fact that the team is still finding a way to win games is a credit to the depth of the team.
Sophomore designated hitter Joey DeMichele is batting .414 and is starting to become a regular in the Sun Devil lineup.
The point Esmay harps on the most is finding a combination of both consistent pitching and offense to become a complete team.
ASU will need to be complete this weekend if it wants to take down its rival.
Reach the reporter at tyler.emerick@asu.edu
