(Phoenix, AZ) No. 24/23 Sun Devil Baseball engineered a miraculous eighth-inning comeback, receiving five RBI in the frame from Luke Hill and plating nine total to overcome a seven-run deficit en route to a 13-10 triumph over Grand Canyon University in front of 4,311 fans at Brazell Field – the fifth-largest crowd in GCU history.
Arizona State’s (24-9, 10-2 Pac-12) freshmen were responsible for 10 RBI in the dramatic win over the Lopes (18-14, 9-6 WAC), paced by Hill’s five in the eighth. Nick McLain made his collegiate debut and went 3-for-6 with four RBIs – including a two-run insurance missile in the ninth.
The Sun Devils went down 7-0 without sniffing a run through four innings. ASU picked up two in the fifth on base hits from Isaiah Jackson, Wyatt Crenshaw and McLain and had the bases loaded in the sixth, but left them stranded and GCU capitalized with two in the seventh to extend the lead back to seven at 9-2.
ASU then sent 14 batters to the plate in its nine-run eighth and the Lopes needed three pitchers to record the three outs. All nine runs came with two strikes and the final two came with two outs as well, including Jacob Tobias’s two-RBI single to tie the game followed by Hill’s two-RBI single to take the first lead of the game.
McLain provided the insurance two-run blast in the ninth on a pitch below the knees and completely off the inside part of the plate. ASU also got multi-hit days from Jackson, Tobias and Luke Keaschall. Blake Pivaroff had a massive 1-2-3 inning in the bottom of the eight to keep the momentum in ASU’s favor.
THE TURNING POINT
Luke Hill breathed life into the Sun Devils with a three-run home run to cut the ASU deficit down to 9-5 in the eighth. He was helped by Luke Keaschall singling to lead off and Jacob Tobias doubling him over to third. That started the massive frame with ASU getting back within a pair thanks to a McLain RBI single and a Keaschall bases loaded RBI walk.
THE BIG MOMENT
The Sun Devils suddenly found themselves a couple of base hits away from claiming the lead with two outs. Jacob Tobias lanced a laser with the bases loaded that went just foul to avoid the go-ahead grand slam but immediately settled in and poked a single through the opposite left side that plated two runs and tied the game. Luke Hill, for the second time in the frame, had a massive AB before launching a bloop single over the second basemen’s head to plate another pair and give ASU its first lead of the game.
THE FINAL STRAW
In his first collegiate game, Nick McLain roped a two-run homer in the ninth to give the Sun Devils two additional insurance runs. Blake Pivaroff tossed a scoreless bottom of the eighth with a pair of punchouts and Owen Stevenson secured the last three outs in the ninth, stranding a pair on the corners with the tying run at the plate.
INNING-BY-INNING
First Inning
Nick McLain saw five pitches in his first collegiate at-bat, lacing a lineout to the shortstop. The Sun Devils went down in order.
Matt Tieding allowed three consecutive hits to start the frame, including one GCU run, but ASU was helped by McLain’s first career assist that recorded the first out, a 9-5 dart. It saved a run, as the next at-bat resulted in a flyout to center.
Second Inning
Luke Keaschall ripped a leadoff double, but the side was retired in order afterwards.
The Lopes smacked a three-run homer to go ahead 4-0 and ASU went to the bullpen. Timmy Manning needed just five pitches to get the next two outs, sending the game to the third.
Third Inning
Isaiah Jackson laced another two-bagger down the right field line, but the next three men were sat down.
GCU scored two more on a two-run double, touching up Manning in his first full inning of work and extending the lead to 6-0.
Fourth Inning
Another leadoff knock, this time from Ryan Campos, was not cashed in for the Sun Devils. The Lopes tacked on one more after a single, two stolen bases and a sacrifice fly, making it 7-0.
Fifth Inning
The Sun Devil bats stepped off the bus in the fifth. Wyatt Crenshaw singled and made a gutsy advance to second on a flyball, then was doubled in by Isaiah Jackson. McLain picked an opportune time for his first collegiate hit, cashing in his first RBI in the process with a single that made it 7-2 Sun Devils.
After Manning recorded the first out in the home half, ASU called on Nolan Lebamoff for a flyout and the final out was cut down at home plate for the final out of the frame.
Sixth Inning
Keaschall was hit by a pitch to open the sixth and swiped second, still with nobody out. Tobias walked, putting runners on first and second with nobody out. ASU eventually loaded the bases with two outs, but pushed none across to end the frame.
Josh Hansell pitched a hitless seventh and Arizona State went to the seventh trailing 7-2.
Seventh Inning
ASU went down in order in the top half. Christian Bodlovich entered in the bottom half and gave up two outs before being relieved for Brock Peery. Peery allowed two of Bodlovich’s runs to score and it was 9-2 Lopes heading into the eighth.
Eighth Inning
ASU got its first four runners of the inning on with a single, two doubles, and a three-run home run by Luke Hill to cut the deficit to 9-5. With Crenshaw on third and one down, McLain slapped an opposite field single, making it 9-6 Lopes, the closest ASU had been since the three-run GCU homer in the second. Then, with two outs and the bases full, Keaschall walked in a run. On a 1-2 count, Jacob Tobias played hero, slapping a base hit that plated two, knotting the game at nine and giving ASU seven runs in the inning.
In an 11-pitch, nine-strike eighth, Blake Pivaroff continued the good vibes, setting down the Lopes in order.
Ninth Inning
After a one-out single from Rogers, Nate McLain sent a towering home run over the right field fence to extend the Sun Devil lead to 13-9.
The Lopes fought back with a one-out triple and scored on a passed ball. The following batter grounded out and Stevenson retired the final batter with runners on the corners to end the game.
ON DECK:
ASU heads to Seattle to take on Washington in a three-game series that begins on Fri. April 14th at 6:05 p.m. MST. The game can be seen on Washington Live Stream-2.
Press Release courtesy of Sun Devil Athletics – Josh Schwam and Sean Lynch
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