ASU baseball’s lack of pitching depth has been the worst-kept secret on the team.
Thirteen pitchers have thrown in at least five games. Nine of them have an ERA at 3.48 or higher.
The bullpen is weak, and injuries to junior Hever Bueno and sophomore Ryan Hingst left it even more barren going into the weekend against No. 15 Cal. An 11-inning Saturday night game didn't help the depth nor stamina of pitchers.
After much deliberation, head coach Tracy Smith went with freshman Zach Dixon in Sunday's game to attack Cal's weakness of left-handed pitchers, State Press baseball writer Justin Toscano reported.
Dixon came into the game with just one inning of college experience. He left with a complete-game shutout, only giving up three hits in his outing. He also struck out seven in a 115-pitch performance.
It was just the second complete game thrown by an ASU pitcher this season. The only other is Ryan Hingst’s no-hitter.
If Dixon can continue to have success, he could improve the starting rotation and allow junior Eder Erives to get back to the bullpen role he has thrived in. ASU was forced to throw six relievers in in its extra-inning loss to Cal and Erives pitched twice over the weekend. The Sun Devils won its second series of Pac-12 play, and its first since defeating cellar-dwelling Washington State to open April.
ASU is now 22-14 (7-8 Pac-12) and inching closer to the upper half of the conference.
Honorary mention: Keyasia Tibbs
As up-and-down as ASU track and field’s season has been, junior Keyasia Tibbs has stood out as a force to be reckoned with.
In the Sun Angel Classic on April 9, she broke ASU’s triple-jump record by leaping 12.96 meters. The record had lasted 16 years.
This record lasted for a week.
On April 16, Tibbs broke the 13-foot barrier, becoming the first ASU woman to do so.
She finished seventh overall in the tournament.
Related links:
Zach Dixon's complete-game shutout propels ASU baseball to series victory
ASU baseball forces extras, can't pull out the win against Cal
Reach the sports editor at logan.newman@asu.edu or follow @Logan_Newsman on Twitter.
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