By
Brian Penso
Arizona Daily Wildcat
With playoffs around the corner, UA looks to knock off favored Sun Devils
Despite the pressure of this weekend's series against Arizona State in Tempe, UA head coach Jerry Stitt isn't buying into the hype.
When asked whether this weekend was a must-win situation, Stitt shook his head.
"World War II was a must-win (situation)," he said.
With nine games left in the regular season, every game will be pressure-packed for the Wildcats, a team looking to secure a spot in the postseason.
According to coaches, UA (28-19, 7-8 Pacific 10 Conference) needs to finish at least .500 in conference play to be considered for the NCAA Tournament.
It won't be easy for Stitt's Wildcats, though. UA will round out the schedule with games against ASU (26-14-1, 7-8), top-ranked Stanford (32-10 11-4) and Washington (21-13. 3-9).
"The season is going to come down to the very last game," pitching coach Bill Kinneberg said. "We need to see where we finish in the conference. The magic number is usually .500 in conference, but this year the conference is so tight. I think that four to five teams will make it."
Currently, the Wildcats are tied for fifth with ASU.
"We need to take each game one at a time, and it starts (today)," first-base coach Victor Solis said. "We can't worry about any other game. If we start worrying about the playoffs, then we won't be focused and we will get sidetracked."
With so much on the line for both teams, Stitt is trying to keep the series in perspective.
"I know it is ASU, but I think this game will be treated like any other," Stitt said. "We have worked hard all year, and we have met every challenge and we just have to play hard."
In its recent series with California, UA pitching allowed 41 runs, but the coaches have not lost faith in the young staff.
"There are no excuses," Kinneberg said. "We have to find ways to make the pitch to get the out. We need to make the key plays and worry about having one more run than the opponent at the end of the game."
Kinneberg said ASU's aggressive style of offense will challenge the Wildcats' defense. The Devils will hit, run and bunt to force UA infielders to make plays.
"We need to play better defense in order to help our pitching staff," Solis said. "All around our defense needs to improve, and I think that will help our pitching staff greatly."
Even though Stitt is trying to downplay the rivalry aspect, Kinneberg realizes what it means to play ASU in any sport.
Last season, the Sun Devils handed UA its worst loss in school history, a 32-3 thrashing in Tempe.
"Any time Arizona faces ASU, it's something special," Kinneberg said. "It doesn't matter if it is baseball or basketball, the game always becomes more exciting. I think the juices in our players will be higher than in most series, but they realize how important this weekend is in regards to the postseason."
