Arizona State (15-8, 4-1) used a five-run sixth inning capped by a three-run rocket home run from Contrades, to take a lead it would not relinquish. Arizona (13-8, 3-5) did not record an earned run against the Sun Devil bullpen and was held largely in check after a three-run second inning.
Khristian Curtis tossed five innings of three-run baseball, with his lone blemishes coming in the second inning. He tallied five strikeouts and just two walks in the effort. Nolan Lebamoff, Jesse Wainscott and Jesse Wainscott did the rest, holding the potent Wildcat offense to just one unearned run down the stretch.
Contrades finished 3-for-5 with the homer and a pair of RBI doubles. Isaiah Jackson had the game-tying double in the sixth as part of his two-hit night. Luke Hill also record a three-hit day.
THE TURNING POINT
In the fifth, trailing 3-1, Curtis worked around a leadoff walk and forced a ground ball double play and a 5-3 putout to end the inning and his outing. It was the third-straight scoreless inning for Curtis after giving up three in the second inning.
THE BIG MOMENT
Following Curtis’ exit, the Sun Devil offense ignited with five runs and Contrades’ three-run blast in the sixth. Trey Newman got a run home on a bunt and Isaiah Jackson evened the score at three with an RBI double before the homer. But it was Contrades’ big knock that put the Sun Devils on top for good.
THE FINAL STRAW
After Arizona had scored to cut it back to a two-run lead in the top-half of the eighth, ASU immediately came back with a response. Jackson started the inning with a single and proceeded to swipe second. Contrades slapped his career-high fifth RBI of the game on a double, plating Jackson and extending the lead back to three, 7-4. Owen Stevenson shut the door in the ninth for his first save in the Maroon and Gold.
INNING BY INNING
First Inning
Following a leadoff single, Khristian Curtis forced Nick McCLaughry into a fielder’s choice, struck out Chase Davis and forced Kiko Romero into a pop fly, ending the first after 13 pitches.
ASU put three balls in play and a runner on in the bottom half, but had nothing come of it.
Second Inning
Three straight Wildcat knocks started the second, and Arizona drew first blood with a sacrifice fly to center. After a strikeout, an RBI single plated two more, making 3-0 Arizona. ASU went down in order.
Third Inning
Curtis sandwiched a strikeout in between two groundouts and a single up the middle, sending the Sun Devils to the plate in the third.
Trey Newman led off the home half of the third by lacing a double to the left centerfield wall. After two outs, Nu’u Contrades doubled, bringing home the first run for Arizona State. Campos walked, but Arizona got out of the frame without any further damage, 3-1 Wildcats through three.
Fourth Inning
Curtis struck out two around a hit batter and free pass, with nothing doing for the Wildcats.
Jacob Tobias and Luke Hill led off the fourth with consecutive singles. Then, Willie Canobunted the bases loaded after a fielder’s choice bunt, still with no outs for ASU. Arizona made the call to the bullpen and escaped the stanza unscathed.
Fifth Inning
Curtis worked around a leadoff walk with two ground balls – the first going for a double play – and sent ASU to the bottom of the fifth.
After two quick outs, Luke Keaschall worked a walk. He then swiped second and advanced to third on a throwing error by the catcher, but Tobias flew out for the third out.
Sixth Inning
Nolan Lebamoff entered for Curtis and set down the Wildcats in order.
Following a leadoff single by Luke Hill, Arizona made another pitching change. The Sun Devils used an old-fashioned hit-and-run, advancing Hill to third after Cano slapped a single through the right side. ASU put one on the board after Trey Newman bunted Hill home, 3-2 Wildcats. Isaiah Jackson ridded his recent struggles, smoking an RBI double and knotting the game at three.
Wyatt Crenshaw got hit by a pitch, and Nu’u Contrades blew the doors open with a three-run moonshot home run to left. It was his third of the season and made it 6-3 Sun Devils through six.
Seventh Inning
Jesse Wainscott needed just seven pitches to force three softly hit balls in the air, getting through the seventh without a scuff.
Hill found his way to second after a walk, but ASU went to the eighth still leading 6-3.
Eighth Inning
The Sun Devils allowed an unearned run to cross, but suffered no further harm and did not allow a ball out of the infield.
Jackson punched another knock through the right side and stole second to leadoff the eighth. With one out, Contrades served the final punch, lacing an RBI double to the wall in right center, plating Jackson.
Ninth Inning
Stevenson calmly recorded a pop fly, groundout and lazy fly ball in the ninth, securing the Sun Devil victory.
UP NEXT:
Arizona State seeks the sweep of Arizona with a 4:00 p.m. MST first pitch at Phoenix Municpal Stadium.
Press Release courtesy of Sun Devil Athletics – Josh Schwam
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