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Just three weeks ago, the ASU baseball team sat inside the top 10 in most polls and was positioned nicely to host a Regional and potentially even secure a coveted National Seed. However, the Sun Devils have dropped their last two Pac-12 series to Cal and UCLA respectively.
Arizona State has moved down to No. 17 in the latest D1Baseball poll, and after suffering a 9-6 loss Tuesday to the New Mexico Lobos, the Sun Devils have seen their RPI fall from the early teens a few weeks ago to 27 according to D1Baseball.com.
Tracy Smith's squad has lost five of its last seven games and now Smith believes it is time for a change. According to Jeff Metcalfe of azcentral sports, the Sun Devils are changing their weekend rotation.
#ASU baseball is changing rotation: Kellogg goes Thurs, Likek Fri, Martinez Sat vs Wash State
— jeffmetcalfe (@jeffmetcalfe) May 13, 2015
Martinez started the season in the bullpen, however after a strong few outings he was moved into the Friday night role on March 6, he has thrown the first game of every weekend series since then. However, in his last two starts he has allowed 20 hits, six earned runs and has struck out just three batters in 10 1/3 innings pitched. On the season he is 2-0 with a 3.41 ERA.
Lilek began the season as the team's Friday night starter. In his first three starts (against Oklahoma State, TCU and Purdue) he allowed 14 hits and eight earned runs in 12 1/3 innings pitched, he was moved to Sundays on March 8.
Lilek has struggled with consistency, however most recently he threw a complete game in a victory over UCLA, allowing just three hits, one run and striking out seven.
Kellogg actually has the highest ERA (3.76) of the three weekend starters. The southpaw holds a 7-1 record and has struck out 60 batters in 83 2/3 pitched. Kellogg leads the entire staff in innings pitched but hitters are also hitting .286 against him, compared to .238 against Lilek and .243 against Martinez.
The Sun Devils will host Washington State in their final Pac-12 home series of the season starting on Thursday.