ASU Baseball has handled Big 12 competition with ease through its first two conference series. After winning two of three against Kansas and Baylor, the Sun Devils are 4-2 in Big 12 matchups, ranking second in the conference, only behind Kansas State.

Head coach Willie Bloomquist stated at the beginning of the season that the transition to the Big 12 would be difficult; thus far, ASU has shown to be a greater obstacle than its opponents. ASU would look to Utah to remain hot in the conference for their third Big 12 series of the season, hoping to capitalize on Utah's cold start.

Utah's poor pitching and inconsistent bats would keep them cold, as ASU scored 34 runs over a three-game weekend stretch and dismantled the Utes. Each game showcased a different aspect of ASU's strength; on Friday, the Sun Devils rallied late to seal the win; on Saturday, the bullpen held strong to maintain a lead; and on Sunday, the offense exploded for 18 runs in a standout win. The Sun Devils (19-9, 7-2 Big 12) had one of their most complete weekends this season, adding three wins to their total while sweeping the Utes (13-13, 2-7).

The weekend series began on Friday night with ASU's junior left-handed pitcher Ben Jacobs, who was looking to build on his 4 IP, 1 ER performance against Kansas. Jacobs struggled early in the third inning, surrendering three earned runs, but settled in for a strong outing, finishing six innings and allowing four earned runs.

Jacobs hasn't quite hit his stride yet. His 4.42 ERA is an improvement over last season, but even in some of his "best outings" this season, such as his last against Kansas, he walked seven Jayhawks.

That game also included seventeen Sun Devil hits, including a four-hit outburst from junior infielder Nu'u Contrades and a three-RBI night from freshman Landon Hairston, who has fit perfectly into the two hole in the lineup. Hairston's season average now stands at .324, following a pair of multi-hit games this weekend.

ASU would take that game 9-5, scoring runs in each of the last three innings to open the series with a win.

That offense would carry over to Saturday, but only for the first three innings. ASU scored their only seven runs in the first three innings, which is a poor tendency Bloomquist has voiced his frustration about, but the new and improved bullpen was able to hold the Sun Devil advantage.

Sophomore right-handed pitcher Wyatt Halvorson and left-handed pitcher Cole Carlon combined for 4 ⅓ scoreless IP, allowing just three hits to fend off any sort of late Utah comeback.

ASU's early season success has been largely due to strong catcher play from both senior Josiah Cromwick and junior Broddy Briggs. Cromwick leads the team with eight home runs, while Briggs, who had two hits and two RBIs on Saturday, now has a season average of .305, while also providing reliable defense behind the plate.

There were many worries about how much productivity ASU would get from that position after Ryan Campos left, leaving a massive hole for the production he was able to muster in his three years as a Sun Devil. Cromwick and Briggs have answered the call, keeping the catcher position a strong contributor to ASU's success.

Another player who was thrown into a role as a now top-of-the-lineup hitting machine stood out over the weekend. Kyle Walker, a junior infielder, was hitting .083 on February 28th, but after a six-hit three-game stretch, three of which came on Sunday, he is now up to .369, good for first on the team.

Cromwick, Walker, and a few others acting as some of the most impactful bats in an already star-studded lineup have been a massive reason for ASU’s early season success. Losing Campos and Nick McClain were big hits, but the Sun Devils haven’t lost a step offensively.

Finally, Sunday's game rounded out an exciting weekend. ASU scored 18 runs in a thrashing of the Utes, with every Sun Devil recording multiple hits, including four with three or more.

The game didn't appear to be as offensively heavy until the eighth inning, when ASU scored 12 of its 18 runs in the eighth and ninth innings. Every single hit in the eighth inning came with two outs, as ASU scored seven runs on eight straight singles and a walk.

Senior infielder Jacob Tobias led the way in the win, adding four hits, four RBIs, and four runs to an already productive weekend. With four additional hits today, it brought the total to eight during the three-game stretch. The power figures haven't quite arrived yet, with only four home runs, but if Tobias continues to collect multiple hits every game, it may not matter.

Pitching may usually fly under the radar given how steady the ASU offense is, but pitching, particularly the bullpen, was shut down all weekend. The pitching lab was a major discussion point throughout the summer, and it appears that it has helped this pitching staff entirely change in a year's time.

The bullpen had a 2.14 ERA versus Utah, allowing only three earned runs in 12 ⅔ innings. On Sunday, they picked up sophomore right-handed pitcher Jaden Alba after a short start, allowing only two earned runs in 5 ⅓ innings.

There are still doubts in the bullpen, including who will be the Sun Devils' closing pitcher, since a few blown saves from various arms haven't left Bloomquist with a certain arm yet. However, when ASU needed to maintain a lead or stay in a game following a brief beginning pitching outing, the bullpen has more than delivered.

ASU can now focus on its next conference game, which will be the season's biggest test against No. 23 Arizona. The Sun Devils fell to Arizona 2-3 earlier this season, and the Wildcats have been 8-3 since. However, they are just slightly behind ASU in the conference rankings after losing two games to Baylor in their most recent series.

The Utes aren't exactly the cream of the Big 12 crop, but a sweep is a sweep, and ASU handled business. Furthermore, every bat in the lineup performed well, the rotation stayed stable, and the bullpen arms continued to develop confidence.

The Sun Devils will need that all-around play to win a series against red-hot Arizona, but if ASU plays as well as they have recently against the Wildcats, a top-25 ranking might be on the way for this incredibly talented group.

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