Jason Urquidez took care of business on Friday night. Erik Averill did likewise on Saturday. And when a group of "Bs" - Tony Barnette, Pat Bresnehan and Brett Bordes - delivered on Sunday, it was on to the Super Regional for the No. 2 seed ASU baseball team.
Buoyed by the pitching performances of its staff, ASU romped through the Tempe Regional with three straight wins to become one of the remaining 16 tournament teams. It will face off against the winner of the Cal State Fullerton Regional - either UA or Fullerton - next weekend.
The Sun Devils began the trek on Friday night, downing East Carolina 9-6. They followed that up with consecutive wins against No. 1 seed Coastal Carolina, 11-3 on Saturday and 9-5 on Sunday, to capture the regional.
ASU made a statement on Saturday, putting up nine runs in the first six innings in its first action against the higher-seeded Chanticleers.
"We set the tone so early that I don't think they thought they could beat us," ASU coach Pat Murphy said.
In the first two games, not much was needed from Murphy concerning personnel moves. Urquidez started Friday, allowing two runs in six innings to give the Sun Devils plenty of cushion by the time he exited.
Averill went the distance on Saturday, giving up three runs in his fourth complete game of the season.
On Sunday Murphy started Barnette, a junior transfer who entered the game with a 7.24 ERA. Barnette lasted just three innings, giving up four runs, two of which were earned, before being pulled. All the right moves were made after that, as Bresnehan and Bordes combined to allow just one unearned run between them the rest of the way.
"The pitching staff was outstanding," Murphy said. "Bordes was consistent and Bresnehan was great. We kept it together."
ASU found itself behind 4-2 in the fifth inning, but put two runners on for sophomore Colin Curtis. Curtis then took a 1-0 offering from Coastal Carolina starter Kevin Marrie and sent it off the right field fair pole to put ASU ahead 5-4.
"It was kind of like the Carlton Fisk 'Stay fair, stay fair' (home run)," Curtis said.
The homer was just the second for Curtis this season.
"I've been due for awhile," he said.
ASU would continue to pile it on from there, scoring four runs in the next three innings to cruise to the 9-5 win. Bresnehan (4-4) picked up the victory and Bordes earned the save.
Bordes ended the game by striking out Coastal Carolina standout Mike Costanzo with runners on second and third. Costanzo wrapped up a frustrating weekend with an 0-for-5 performance against ASU.
"I struggled, obviously," Costanzo said. "They kept me off-balance, and I just wasn't seeing the ball as well as I usually do."
A variety of ASU batters took their turn in the spotlight during the regional. Senior first baseman Jeff Larish hit two home runs on Friday night against East Carolina. He jumpstarted the aggressive tone that the Sun Devil offense showed throughout the weekend by homering on the very first pitch he saw.
Senior catcher Tuffy Gosewisch one-upped Larish on Saturday, going 3-for-5 with a career-high seven RBIs. His previous high was four.
ASU batted .380 as a team in the regional, with Curtis, Gosewisch, Larish and freshman center fielder J.J. Sferra all hitting .500 or better.
Hosting the regional turned out to be a distinct advantage for ASU, as Coastal Carolina admitted to being worn out after having to play two games in the intense heat Sunday afternoon.
"We were running on fumes today," Costanzo said. "The games and the heat just take a toll on you."
Reach the reporter at kyle.odegard@asu.edu.
