Isaiah Jackson robbed what would have been a go-ahead three-run homer in the sixth inning and followed that with a two-run inside-the-park homer in the eighth that proved to be the difference in the contest.
Luke Keaschall added two doubles and Jacob Tobias had a two-run homer and led the team with three-RBIs while Wyatt Crenshaw, Luke Hill and Jackson all had multi-hit days as well.
Khristian Curtis logged another solid start, scattering nine hits but only allowing three earned runs over 5.0 innings. The Sun Devil bullpen got it done, including scoreless appearances from Brock Peery and Blake Pivaroff while Stevenson labored through the final frame, shaking off three soft singles to strand the tying runs in scoring position to close things out.
The Sun Devils moved to 25-10 overall and 11-3 in Pac-12 action while the Huskies dropped to 20-11 and 7-7 in the league.
TURNING POINT
ASU jumped to a 6-1 lead behind a four-run third inning. Luke Keaschall logged a two-RBI double – his Pac-12 leading 15 of the season – and Jacob Tobias followed that with a home run down the right field line that dipped just inside the foul pole for a two-run shot to give the Sun Devils some early breathing room.
BIG MOMENT
Washington came roaring back in the sixth, tagging Curtis for a two-run shot and adding another on a fielding error to get back within 6-4. With two runners on and the two outs, the Pac-12’s home run leader Will Simpson stepped to the plate against Blake Pivaroff, who had just entered the game after the fielding blunder. Simpson golfed the first pitch he saw to deep dead center that looked like the go-ahead three-run shot before Isaiah Jackson soared over the fence to make the heroic robbery to end the frame and keep the Sun Devils on top by a pair.
FINAL STRAW
The Huskies received no further favors from their outfield wall as two innings later, Jackson laced a double past a diving UW left fielder that appeared as if it might end up as a ground-rule double and leave ASU with runners at second and third. However, the ball caromed into the space between the outfield wall and the rolling gate at Husky Ballpark that provides entrance to the bullpen. The Husky left fielder called for a ground-rule dead ball but the umpires let the play unfold and and Nu’u Contrades rounded the bases to score. The left fielder ended up going to grab the ball from the space, which might have proven to be his undoing instead of letting the umpire come and judge a dead ball and the play stood as an inside-the-park homer and two massive runs of insurance for ASU after the Huskies plated two runs in the ninth that would have otherwise tied the game.
INNING-BY-INNING
First Inning
The Sun Devils got off to a much better start offensively, picking up three doubles in the first inning from Crenshaw, Keaschall and Tobias to plate two runs. UW responded with a solo shot to leadoff the bottom half and followed with an infield single. But a double play and strikeout kept ASU on top, 2-1.
Second Inning
ASU got a leadoff walk from Jackson but he was wiped off the basepath on a caught stealing and the Sun Devils couldn’t muster any offense in the frame despite a Balholm shot to the warning track. Curtis picked up two more strikeouts in the bottom half – including one that saw the batters bat go flying into the dugout – and got a groundout to end the frame for a 1-2-3 inning.
Third Inning
The Sun Devils came out swinging in the third, with a one-out Luke Hill single and Nick McLain walk getting things going before Luke Keaschall knocked his second double of the game, clearing the bases and making it 4-1. Jacob Tobias followed that with a laser shot that skirted just inside the right field foul pole to make it 6-1. Curtis got the next two outs on two pitches but back-to-back singles brought the UW three-hole hitter to the place. But Curtis was able to get him to foul out to third and keep it a five-run game.
Fourth Inning
Wyatt Crenshaw recorded a two-out single but was thrown out trying to steal second to end the frame. Isaiah Jackson robbed a extra bases in the right center alley and Curtis stranded a two-out single to keep it 6-1 for the Devils.
Fifth Inning
The Sun Devils went down in order in the fifth. UW threatened with back-to-back leadoff singles to turn things over to the top of the lineup, but Curtis retired the trio on three flyouts to strand the runners and keep it 6-1.
Sixth Inning
Jackson recorded a two-out single but ASU couldn’t add to its lead. Washington got back into the game with a two-run shot with no outs. A pair of one out singles would eventually lead to a run on a fielding error to cut the deficit to two runs. With two on and two outs, the Pac-12 home run leader Will Simpson gave one a ride to dead center that looked off the bat to be the go-ahead shot before Isaiah Jackson sored over the wall to bring it back in one of his most impressive displays of the season, keeping the Devils on top 6-4.
Seventh Inning
ASU got a pair of leadoff runners behind an error and single but UW got three straight strikeouts to end the threat. Blake Pivaroff provided a much-needed 1-2-3 frame in the bottom half.
Eighth Inning
In one of the most bizarre plays of the year, Isaiah Jackson was credited with a two-run inside-the-park homer a ball into the outfield that caromed in between the sliding bullpen gate and the outfield fence. While the UW outfielder was waiting for the ground-rule double to be called, the umpires deemed the ball was still in play and Jackson scored in addition to Nu’u Contrades to make it 8-4. Owen Stevenson got a pair of strikeouts in a scoreless bottom half of the inning.
Ninth Inning
ASU got a pair on with two outs but couldn’t tack on anymore insurance. Jackson’s home run ended up being pivotal in the end as three-straight two-out singles from the Huskies plated two runs and put the tying runs on second and third before Stevenson was able to get a groundout to end the threat.
ON DECK
The Sun Devils will look to take the series in the rubber match tomorrow, scheduled for 1 p.m. AZT. The game will be streamed through the Washington Live Stream.
Press Release courtesy of Sun Devil Athletics – Jeremy Hawkes
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