'Obviously we don't like ASU': Sun Devils have new look, but rivalry remains same for Wildcats

It’s rivalry week as Arizona (13-6, 3-3 Pac-12) gears up to head down I-10 to take on Arizona State (13-8, 2-1) this weekend at Phoenix Municipal Stadium. The two rivals have gotten off to solid starts this season, setting up a challenge for both teams on the field alongside the emotion of the rivalry.

“They’re playing well,” Arizona coach Chip Hale said. “They had a good series up in Utah in the cold weather. They’ve had some good wins. They’re a different team than they were last year. They went into the transfer portal pretty heavily in pitching, so we’re trying to figure that out.”

Heading into fall practice, Baseball America ranked ASU’s transfer class as the second best in the country behind only LSU. The transfers include shortstop Luke Keaschall, the reigning Pac-12 player of the week. He’s hitting .346 with a team-leading five home runs.

The goal this weekend for the players is to not make anything more out of it other than just going out onto the field and playing baseball.

“Obviously we don’t like ASU, and the Arizona and ASU rivalry has been going on for a long time, but I don’t think anything extra needs to be added to it,” said junior first baseman Kiko Romero, who is originally from Tucson. “I think we just need to go out and do business.”

After getting off to a slow start at the plate this season, Romero has been scorching hot of late, collecting at least one hit in 12 of his last 13 games. He has 11 multi-hit games to go along with six home runs in that span.

“I think just a lot of the timing. Me and Toby (DeMello, Arizona’s hitting coach) were going over a lot of timing,” Romero said regarding what changed in his approach at the plate.

Romero, a junior-college transfer playing Division I for the first time, alluded to the opening weekend at the MLB Desert Invitational and getting to face some of the top pitchers in the country, including Tennessee’s Chase Dollander. Those experiences helped him make adjustments in the batter’s box.

Junior right-hander TJ Nichols, Friday’s scheduled starter, faced Arizona State in two starts last season. One came at home in the regular season in which he allowed three runs across 4⅔ innings. The other came in the Pac-12 Tournament, where he allowed four runs across six innings. Arizona won both games.

The Sun Devils’ overall roster is quite different compared to last season — nearly three-fourths of the players are newcomers — but Nichols remembered how aggressive ASU was a year ago at the plate.

“It obviously is a big game every time you play them,” Nichols said. “Fans are into it, which is awesome. It helps a lot, but it’s just a normal game. I’m just going to go out and do what I do.”

Hale noted that while he wants the team to focus on playing its game, he understands what the rivalry is all about as someone who once played in these games himself.

Back to homepage

Subscriber Login

Keep reading with a digital access subscription.

Subscribe now

“I think in today’s baseball, and everybody in the Pac-12, these guys have played with someone somewhere and against someone somewhere in all of these different travel teams they play on,” Hale said. “It’s a lot different than it used to be. These guys played against each other in high school, some of them played with each other in high school, so it’ll be fun.

“I think they get a little more heated up (for) Arizona-Arizona State.”

Inside pitch

Hale said right-hander Anthony Susac could be available to pitch this weekend. He made his return on the mound on Tuesday against Utah Tech after missing his previous two starts due to arm soreness. He allowed three hits across three shutout innings with three strikeouts.

Sophomore right-hander Josh Randall (back) is starting to throw the ball, but it remains unknown when he can get back on the mound. He has yet to make an appearance this season after making 14 appearances last year as a true freshman.

Nichols mentioned freshman RHP Casey Hintz as a player who has surprised him to this point in the season. Hintz has made eight appearances, posting a 4.91 ERA across 7⅓ innings. “I didn’t think he was going to pitch as much as he does, but it’s great to see him out there,” Nichols said.

Romero leads the Pac-12 in batting average (.410). ASU’s Ryan Campos, a one-time UA commit, ranks second (.405). Campos is also second in on-base percentage (.526).

Arizona’s Mac Bingham leads the league in RBIs (27). Romero is tied for second (26).

ASU (.310) and Arizona (.305) rank first and second in the Pac-12 in batting average. The Wildcats rank first in doubles (55) and slugging percentage (.515).

The Wildcats are second in the conference in fielding percentage (.978) and third in ERA (4.34). The Sun Devils are fourth (.973) and 10th (5.43), respectively.

<&rule>