While the No. 21 Bruins (28-19, 12-3 Pac-10) have enjoyed a tremendous amount of success in Pac-10 play so far, one thing is certain: The team cannot afford to coast to the finish line.
The UCLA baseball team has won all five Pac-10 series it has played and currently sits atop the Pac-10 standings. But right behind the Bruins is the dangerous, power-hitting No. 10 Arizona State (34-12, 11-4). The Sun Devils host the Bruins this weekend in Tempe, Ariz., for a critical matchup ““ the winner controls first place.
When asked about the biggest challenge the Sun Devils present, both UCLA players and coaches agreed it is the power bats and their offensive capabilities.
“Everybody in the country knows that Arizona State possesses one of the best offenses in the nation,” sophomore shortstop Brandon Crawford said. “So this weekend, we know that we have to put runs on the board and match them in terms of run production. Our pitchers will be fine and pitch well. We just need to score some runs.”
Coach John Savage believes Arizona State possesses one of the most potent lineups in the entire nation.
“They have been one of the best offensive teams in the nation so far this year,” Savage said. “You talk to people that have seen them play and have played against them and they say that they have as much firepower in their lineup as any team in the nation. They present a tremendous challenge for our team, but we are confident going into this weekend.”
Arizona State does boast a formidable roster. The Sun Devils have two players who have been named semi-finalists for the Golden Spikes Award, given to the nation’s best player. Sophomore first baseman Brett Wallace and junior second baseman Eric Sogard are the two players named to the list, which also includes Crawford. Wallace is currently leading the Pac-10 in nine offensive categories including batting average (.435), home runs (13), RBIs (66) and hits (83).
Additionally, the top six players in the Pac-10 in terms of batting average are all Arizona State players. The Bruins have a tall order this weekend, especially since they will be playing in the hostile environment of Packard Stadium.
Still, the Bruins have confidence and believe they can win tough games on the road. Savage’s team demonstrated its road ability by beating Pepperdine 4-1 on Tuesday in Malibu.
“(Tuesday’s) game was good preparation for this upcoming weekend,” Savage said. “We have seven straight road games from now on, so we needed that confidence that we can win on the road. We did that (Tuesday) and now we have to get into that road mentality.”