"Just pound the zone."
Gather. Step. Rock back, and throw.
"Just pound the zone."
Arizona State Sun Devils freshman pitcher Zach Dixon repeated this stretch 115 times on Sunday. By the last time he performed the motion, he had produced nine scoreless innings with seven strikeouts against just three hits and three walks; a line that resulted in his first career win in his first career start.
More importantly, for the Sun Devils (20-13, 6-9), it produced a 4-0 win over the No. 15 California Golden Bears, along with a résumé-buffing series victory.
"We needed this," said Sun Devils coach Tracy Smith.