After a long season, the goal of any team is to make the postseason.
For a long time, the Sun Devils didn't think they would be eligible to play in the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship. After the school appealed the postseason ban handed down in December, the Devils were allowed back in.
At 39-16, ASU has had its fair share of successes in 2011, including a road split against Cal State-Fullerton and a home sweep of Oklahoma. They've also had their moments of defeat, losing easy games to teams such as Delaware, Oral Roberts, BYU, and a road sweep at the hands of Oregon State.
The Mountain West Connection asked for my take on the Sun Devils before the game tonight, and I readily accepted. Here's an excerpt:
5. What would it take for New Mexico to get past Arizona State in game one?
From the looks of New Mexico's record, some luck. ASU fans are very supportive and the team is quite motivated to play for injured teammate Cory Hahn, who suffered a horrific neck injury early in the season. The Devils do quite well at Packard Stadium, going 25-7 during the 2011 regular season.
The Lobos have already played the Sun Devils three times this season in both squad's season openers. ASU won all three games by a combined total of 23-8. The pitching will have to be greatly improved for the Lobos to have a chance on Friday.
The game is being broadcast online at Fox Sports, and you can follow this link to watch the Sun Devils take on the Lobos tonight.