Still leading by five going into the fifth inning, ASU capped a six run frame with a bases-loaded triple by Jacob Tobias.
Ross Dunn hurled 3.2 innings – before being removed right on his pitch – of two-hit, shutout baseball with four strikeouts. He extended Sun Devil Baseball’s starting pitcher scoreless inning streak to 20.0 IP.
THE TURNING POINT
Luke Keaschall led off the ballgame with a home run, his second leadoff blast of the season for ASU and set the momentum in the Sun Devils’ favor. Wyatt Crenshaw is seeing a beachball at the plate, hitting his second homer of the season in the second inning – a two-run shot – that put ASU ahead 5-0 and ended up being the winning run.
THE BIG MOMENT
After Dunn was pulled in the fourth with a 7-0 lead, Mississippi State threatened to get back in the game with the swing of a bat with the bases loaded before the Sun Devils turned to typical closer, Brock Peery. Peery did what he does best and silenced the Bulldog faithful, striking out the batter swinging on a sweeping slider that kept ASU’s lead at five.
THE FINAL STRAW
The Sun Devils wouldn’t left no more room for any Bulldog momentum, coming out in the top of the fifth inning and pushing six runs across. The big knock came on Jacob Tobias’bases-loaded triple down the right field line to plate three runs and give the Sun Devils a commanding 13-0 lead.
INNING BY INNING
First Inning
Sun Devil Baseball started off the contest with a Luke Keaschall home run to left field. He was immediately followed by a walk to Wyatt Crenshaw and a single by Ethan Long. Crenshaw scored on a passed ball. Two consecutive walks loaded the bases and Will Rogers drove in Jacob Tobias on a sacrifice fly. ASU went into the home half of the first up 3-0.
After a leadoff hit-by-pitch, Ross Dunn struck out the next batter swinging on an outside heater at 92 mph, then forced a 6-4-3 inning-ending double play.
Second Inning
The Sun Devils started the second inning right where they left off; Nu’u Contrades walked to open the frame. Then, with one out, Wyatt Crenshaw smoked a home run down the right field line, his second of the season and it gave ASU a 5-0 lead. ASU put Long on base with another walk, but had nothing come of it.
Dunn struck out two to end the second, facing the minimum for the second straight inning.
Third Inning
Arizona State went down in order for the first time in the contest.
Dunn worked around a single and an error at third base to retire the side.
Fourth Inning
Contrades walked for the second time in as many at-bats and Keaschall was hit by a pitch, chasing Mississippi State pitcher Cade Smith. After Crenshaw struck out, Campos walked to load the bases with one out. The Bulldogs were unable to turn-two on a ground ball to third, allowing Jacob Tobias to smack an RBI single straight up the middle, making it 7-0 through three and a half frames.
Dunn forced a flyout to start the fourth. After a walk and strikeout, the Bulldogs put runners on second and third with a double that one-hopped to the left field wall. With two outs, Brock Peery relieved Dunn. After a walk, Peery baffled the next batter on a 2-2 slider to end the frame, keeping MSU scoreless.
Fifth Inning
Sun Devil Baseball put up six runs in the frame and batted around the order, earning RBI from Keaschall (single), Campos (walk), Long (walk) and Tobias (three-run triple). ASU chased Bulldog reliever KC Hunt with one out in the frame. The Sun Devils led 13-0 after five.
Owen Stevenson entered for Peery, working around a leadoff walk with ASU’s second double play of the game and a strikeout looking to end the inning.
Sixth Inning
Luke Hill started the sixth with a walk, but the Sun Devils went down in order afterwards.
Stevenson got the first two outs of the inning but allowed three to score after, one on a hit by pitch and another on a two-RBI single. ASU was still ahead by double digits, 13-3, after six.
Seventh Inning
ASU put two on including a leadoff walk to Campos – his third of the game – but nothing came of it for the Sun Devils.
The Bulldogs plated a run on two-out double, but Stevenson got out of the jam and sent the game to the eighth inning with ASU leading 13-4.
Eighth Inning
Jonah Giblin entered the contest for Stevenson in the eighth. After a runner reached on an error, ASU turned a 5-4-3 double play, the third of the game.
Ninth Inning
Tobias got on with a one run walk and advanced to second on a wild pitch, but nothing came of it.
Giblin worked into and out of trouble in Mississippi States’ last chance and ASU secured the victory, moving to 5-0.
ON DECK
Sun Devil Baseball is back in action for game two of the three game set Saturday. First pitch is set for 4:00 p.m. MST.
Press Release courtesy of Sun Devil Athletics – Josh Schwam, Sun Devil Media Relations
