The ASU Sun Devils (3-0) defeated the Northwestern Wildcats (0-3) by a score of 6-2 to sweep the series, in a game that featured frequent pitching moves, scattered showers and postponement that lasted just over 24 hours.
The third game began on Saturday at 1 p.m. but was postponed to Sunday because of rain.
ASU head coach Tracy Smith said his team successfully handled the unique task of playing one game in the span of two days.
"The challenge on that is you get yourself all ramped up, and then you've got to stay and hold it on there because you have to go out and finish the weekend," head coach Tracy Smith said. "I think our guys did a good job of that."
But even with the odd schedule, someone still had to win, and Jeremy McCuin made sure the Sun Devils were victorious.
With the game deadlocked at two runs apiece in the bottom of the eighth inning, McCuin stepped into the batters box with two runners on base and one out.
He then smacked a double to left center field, which brought home baserunners Ryan Lillard and Taylor Lane, giving ASU a 4-2 lead.
"I was sitting on the slider honestly," McCuin said. "Because Taylor was before me and they threw him four sliders and they were all balls. So I knew that they were going to be coming off speed. He gave me it right inside and I crushed it."
McCuin also had a triple that led to him scoring on Saturday's portion of the game, and Smith thinks his good hitting was developed in the offseason.
"The improvements didn't really come a lot until this spring in the practices," Smith said. "He's really put time in on his body, he's a lot stronger. It was our spring intersquad (when we noticed) 'boy that ball is coming off the bat a bit differently,' and that's a credit to him."
It wasn't just McCuin who played well, as plenty of Sun Devils contributed to the series sweep.
First baseman Lyle Lin continued his scorching start to the season. In game three, Lin went 3-4 with an RBI single that opened Sunday's segment of the game.
2-2 this game and 6-11 overall. Were you surprised?@lin_lyle singles to LF to plate Canning.#Devils lead 2-1.https://t.co/IWbaX0IYY2
— Sun Devil Baseball (@ASU_Baseball) February 19, 2017
Lin has started the season 7-13 from the plate with three runs batted in. Others chipped in as well, including Myles Denson with an RBI single and Sam Ferri with a pinch hit double that put six runs on the scoreboard for ASU.
The pitching staff also played well.
When an elbow issue forced Zane Strand to leave after throwing just ten pitches on Sunday, relief pitcher Reagan Todd stepped in to shut down Northwestern.
Todd threw three innings without giving up a run and managed to throw five strikeouts.
"I was able to get my curveball over for a strike. That's one thing we realized was that Northwestern was taking a lot of off speed pitches, so if you're able to throw that for a strike it gets you ahead in the count," Todd said. "I was always ahead in the count and I was able to get outs."
Freshman Spencer Van Scoyoc opened the game on Saturday and was followed by Strand, Todd and winning pitcher James Ryan, who pitched for three innings without giving up a run as well.
The Sun Devils' next game will be against the Oklahoma State Cowboys at Phoenix Municipal Stadium on Tuesday at 1 p.m.
Reach the reporter at mpharri7@asu.edu or follow @Harris_Mark7 on Twitter.
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