Utes Outbound to Arizona State This Weekend

The First Pitch: Things to Know
With final exams in the books, the Utah baseball team returns to Pac-12 Conference play this weekend in a three-game series at Arizona State. The Utes and Sun Devils begin the weekend with a Friday night tilt at 7:30 p.m. MDT at Phoenix Municipal Stadium. It'll be followed by a Saturday night matchup at 7 p.m. MDT, and the series concludes with Sunday's game set for 1:30 p.m. MDT.

• These teams met for a pair of three-game series last season, with the Pac-12 weekend coming in Salt Lake City and another non-conference set down in Phoenix. ASU swept the non-conference weekend—in Salt Lake, the Utes walked off with a 7-6 victory at Smith's Ballpark in the April 25 series finale.
• The Utes are looking to reverse a trend in which ASU has had Utah's number of late. Utah last won a series over the Sun Devils in 2017, sweeping the three-game weekend. The Utes also took two of three during the 2016 season on the road.
• A pivotal stretch of baseball continues for the Utah and the entire Pac-12, with the Utes currently sixth in the league standings. With three conference series remaining for Utah, the Utes are looking to finish in the top-eight and earn a spot in the inaugural Pac-12 Baseball Tournament. It will be held from May 25-29 in Scottsdale, Arizona.
• Four Utes identify Arizona as their home state. It includes TJ Clarkson (Gilbert), Dakota Duffalo (Mesa), Britt Graham (Chandler) and David Watson (Gilbert).

 
Recap in a Minute
Utah faced off with No. 2 nationally-ranked Oregon State in Salt Lake City from April 29-May 1. A seventh-inning rally gave the Utes a 2-1 series-opening win over the Beavers, but Oregon State came out on top in the middle and rubber games.

• After the Beavers took a 1-0 lead in the sixth inning, Utah broke up Cooper Hjerpe's perfect game bid in the seventh and pulled in front by a 2-1 score. Kai Roberts scored the tying run on a hard-hit double by Landon Frei, then Jayden Kiernan knocked in Frei with a base hit later in the frame.
• Friday night starter Matthew Sox went seven innings in another great outing, striking out two Beavers and allowing just one run on six hits and a pair of walks. Zac McCleve closed out the final two innings, earning his fourth save.
• Utah struck early in game two on an RBI triple by Chase Anderson, but Oregon State scored nine unanswered runs with seven in the late innings to even the series.
• In a battle for the series on Sunday, the Utes battled right to the wire and had the tying run on base, but ultimately Oregon State closed it out for a 3-1 final score at Smith's Ballpark.
• As has been the trend this year, Utah has been right in it against the nation's top teams. Of the club's five losses vs. top-20 ranked opponents, four were by two or fewer runs and saw the Utes put the tying run, winning run, or both on base in the ninth inning.