June 11 , 2007

A super showdown for ASU
Sun Devils bats face off against the pitching of Ole Miss for a spot in the College World Series

Jeff Metcalfe

Arizona State finally gets its wish - to be in a baseball super regional against someone other than Cal State Fullerton - in a year when the Sun Devils might be better off against their West Coast nemesis.

"I'd rather be playing the fifth-place team in the Big West (Fullerton) or the third-place team in the Pac-10 (UCLA) instead of a team that's been in two straight super regionals and has that type of pitching," ASU coach Pat Murphy said.

Murphy believes that Mississippi (40-23), ASU's opponent in a best-of-three series beginning tonight at Packard Stadium, is "more complete" than some of the other teams vying for berths in the College World Series. At least the Sun Devils (46-13), seeded fifth nationally, are at home rather than at Fullerton, where they lost a super regional in 2003 before winning in '05.

More than 4,000 are expected to watch Game 1 of the first super regional at Packard since the NCAA Tournament expanded to that format in 1999. The Sun Devils are trying for their 20th College World Series berth.

Ole Miss is playing in its first road super regional. The Rebels won the first game of home super regionals against Texas in 2005 and Miami in '06 but couldn't close them out and still are seeking their first appearance in Omaha, Neb., since 1972.

"You get rewarded for the season you had, and that's what Arizona State has done," Mississippi coach Mike Bianco said. "We'd much rather be at home but we also realize it's no guarantee to get to Omaha. It's more important to play well."

Both won their home regional in three straight games last week. ASU is the Pac-10 champion. Ole Miss was third in the Southeastern Conference Western Division and reached the SEC Tournament semifinals.

At the core, this super regional is about whether the Sun Devils, first nationally in scoring and batting average, can outhit the Rebels, 12th nationally in earned run average. Both teams play elite defense.

Will Kline (7-2, 3.72 ERA) will start tonight for Mississippi against either Mike Leake (13-1, 3.58) or Brian Flores (10-1, 3.80).

Kline, the first pick in Round 2 Thursday of Major League Baseball's draft, is "as good as anybody in the country," Murphy said.

Ole Miss Game 2 starter Lance Lynn (8-4, 2.55) throws 95 mph, has a power curve and, Murphy said, "looks like Roger Clemens." Closer Cody Satterwhite can hit 100 mph with his fastball.

Justin and Jordan Henry are the Rebels' hitting leaders for average, with Cody Overbeck and Logan Power being the RBI leaders. Zach Cozart is an All-SEC shortstop and, with the Henry brothers, has double-digit steals.

Murphy plans to promote Andrew Romine from eighth in the lineup to leadoff, a move akin to those he has made late in the past two seasons.

Power-hitting Jeff Larish became leadoff hitter just before the 2005 postseason, and last year Murphy brought reserve Mike Jones into the lineup as his starting center fielder in the final regular-season series.