Arizona State (10-4) has run into its fair share of pitching woes. The difference for the Sun Devils, however, is that lack of depth and overall talent is not the problem.

ASU has a plethora of arms that are more than capable of being quality starters, and on Saturday evening, junior right-handed pitcher Alex Overbay got his first opportunity to prove why his name should be penciled in for a weekly bump-day.

Overbay’s stellar performance in an unfamiliar role led the Sun Devils to a 9-1 victory over Loyola Marymount University (5-12) on Saturday, March 7, at Phoenix Municipal Stadium. Everything was in sync for ASU, but it’s clear that the pitching staff has a point to prove as many get their first outings since last weekend. 

Overbay, a UNLV transfer, spent most of the 2025 season in the closer role in which he finished fourth in the Mountain West Conference with seven saves.

While the junior has found success no matter the role, he is one of many Sun Devils that hope to cement their spot in the starting rotation.

“This is something I’ve been working for,” Overbay said.

Overbay threw a clean four innings, piling up five strikeouts, only allowing four hits, and most importantly, leaving the game with a zero on the scoreboard.

Head coach Willie Bloomquist said after Friday’s game that he was looking to get 70-80 pitches out of his starter, but after giving up a leadoff double in the fifth, Overbay departed the game only having thrown 62 pitches.

Bloomquist spoke about the difficulty between keeping Overbay’s health in mind, but also trying to win the ball game.

“Nobody wants to win more than me,” Bloomquist said. “On the same token, I’m responsible for these young men’s careers and what they do, and we are going to do everything in our knowledge and power to keep their long term goals intact.”

It took a group effort from the bullpen to keep the Lions quiet, but inning after inning the Sun Devils worked through the LMU order with relative ease, shutting down any threat before it could come together.

Five relievers entered the contest for ASU, none of them allowing more than one hit or one walk in a pitching clinic.

Sophomore right-hander Taylor Penn headlined the group, inheriting a runner on second in the fifth inning and walking the first batter he faced.

Penn proceeded to strikeout the next two Lions before inducing a line out to junior second baseman Nu’u Contrades, extinguishing the potential rally and stranding Overbay’s possible only earned run.

“I got to do my job to make sure I’m not the one putting his run through,” Penn said.

Penn did his job and more, paving the way for his second baseman to come up and deliver offensively. 

Contrades did plenty more at the plate, joining junior designated hitter Garrett Michel and fifth-year right fielder Dean Toigo with two hits and collecting two RBI in the process. 

Toigo was one of three Sun Devils to go yard on the evening, as his 415-foot blast to right-center field looked like a shooting star, but wasn’t close to the deepest drive of the game.

Sophomore first baseman Landon Hairston led off the seventh inning with a 461 foot moonshot that missed clipping the scoreboard by just a few inches, extending ASU’s lead to 8-0 and sending fans into a frenzy.

Hairston’s homer was the second longest in the history of Phoenix Municipal Stadium, but his coach knows that he’s got more in the tank.

“Just don’t tell him how far it went,” Bloomquist said. “Then he’ll try to hit 462 tomorrow.”

The friendly banter between player and coach encapsulates the locker room camaraderie that the Sun Devils have put together, a key aspect of their hot start.

While talent gleams from every corner of the roster, not everyone sees the field daily, but an emphasis on team first baseball has ASU winning with new heroes seemingly every day. 

As the Sun Devils look to go for the sweep on Sunday afternoon, the dugout stays ready for any number to be called.

“The bad days are not playing,” Bloomquist said. “They can’t let it spill over into the camaraderie of our team, and I think as of right now, we’ve done a good job.”