Ross Dunn hurled 4.2 innings of two-run baseball for Arizona State (22-9, 9-2) with a loud nine strikeouts. Immediately upon his exit, Isaiah Jackson cranked a two-run homer in the bottom of the fifth, knotting the contest at two.
Ryan Campos belted the go-ahead solo homer in the sixth and the offense received insurance from a two-RBI base hit by Wyatt Crenshaw and a fielder’s choice in a three-run bottom of the eighth.
ASU’s bullpen contained Washington State (18-10, 5-7) to just three hits and no runs over the 4.1 innings of work, highlighted by Owen Stevenson recording five of the final six outs via strikeout for his third save of the year.
THE TURNING POINT
It was a pitcher’s duel early with both sides having ample scoring opportunities but not capitalizing in a scoreless first four frames. After Washington State ended the scoring drought with two runs in the top of the fifth, ASU answered right back with Jackson’s 408-ft two-run homer to dead center in the bottom of the inning.
THE BIG MOMENT
In the next inning, Ryan Campos stepped up to the plate first and hit a 396-ft solo home run to take the Sun Devils’ first lead of the night at 3-2, one it would hold for the remainder of the contest.
THE FINAL STRAW
Up one, ASU loaded the bases for the first time in the bottom of the eighth via two walks and a single. Wyatt Crenshaw singled up the middle to bring the runners on second and third home. Next up, Will Rogers legged out a fielder’s choice to avoid an inning ending double play while Luke Hill made some head’s up base running to score from second on the play for some extra insurance.. Owen Stevenson struck out the side in the ninth to seal the deal.
INNING-BY-INNING
First Inning
Ross Dunn had a strong start to the game, as he got in front of a hit for a putout at first and recorded two strikeouts to close the frame.
ASU went 1-2-3 down the line after two batters sent fly balls that ended up in the center fielder’s glove a few feet before the far wall. The inning ends 0-0.
Second Inning
After a walk, a runner advanced to third via a wild pitch and a throwing error to second base. Dunn struck the next batter out and Ryan Campos tagged the runner out at home to escape without a run given up.
Luke Hill and Wyatt Crenshaw both singled through the right side but were left stranded after a pop fly and strikeout. The game remains scoreless.
Third Inning
A fly ball to left field ends up with a base hit and a pickoff at third, leaving Washington State at two outs with a runner on first. Dunn picks up his sixth strikeout to end the frame.
A passed ball gives Isaiah Jackson an easy second-base steal, and he tags up to get on third after Contrades sends another just shy of the wall at center field. Jackson gets stranded as the next batter is thrown out at first. The score is still knotted at zero.
Fourth Inning
A double to right center followed by a walk put runners on first and second for the Cougars. A sac bunt advanced both with only one out on the board, but Dunn added two more strikeouts to keep his slate clean after four.
After a single through the right side from Jacob Tobias, the Cougars record a double-play to end the frame scoreless.
Fifth Inning
Washington State gets on the board with a line drive through the left side that gets a runner on third home. Two walks leave the bases loaded with two outs and Ross Dunn ends his night with a statline of 4.2 IP 5H 5BB 9K with 105 total pitches. Nolan Lebamoff enters the game, walks one, and Contrades catches a foul ball to end the inning down 2-0.
Isaiah Jackson homers straight up the middle and brings Wyatt Crenshaw around the plates to tie the game at two apiece with one out. A pop fly and putout at first ends the inning with the score 2-2.
Sixth Inning
With runners on first and second, the Sun Devils complete a double-play and leave a runner on third with one out to go. Matt Tieding ends his night with 0.2 IP 1H 1BB off nine total pitches. Luke Keaschall scoops a ground ball and puts out the batter at first to escape the frame tied at two.
Ryan Campos steps up to the plate first and sends a ball into the Arizona State bullpen for ASU’s first lead of the game. Keaschall singles up the middle and proceeds to steal second and third with one out. He’s stranded as a strikeout and putout at first end the inning 3-2 in favor of the Sun Devils.
Seventh Inning
With runners on first and second, Pivaroff struck out one and Kien Vu caught a fly ball in left field to head into the seventh-inning stretch up by one. Pivaroff ends his night at 1.1 IP 1H 1BB 1K on 23 total pitches.
With two outs, Isaiah Jackson steals second, but is left stranded with a narrow putout at first. The score remains 3-2.
Eighth Inning
Owen Stevenson steps up to the mound and throws two strikeouts before a fly ball to right field is caught to keep the Sun Devils’ lead into the bottom frame.
With two runners on and no outs, Tobias flies out to left field but sets the runners up on second and third. A walk loads the bases and Wyatt Crenshaw sends a ground ball up the middle to bring two runs home. Up next, Will Rogers reaches first on a fielder’s choice to second and Luke Hill gets home to score ASU’s third run of the inning. ASU goes into the ninth up 6-2.
Ninth Inning
Owen Stevenson records three strikeouts on four batters to close out the night. Stevenson’s shoved two innings with five strikeouts and just one hit on 32 pitches.
ON DECK:
The Sun Devils will host the Cougars for the third and final game of the series at 12:30 p.m. AZT tomorrow at Phoenix Municipal Stadium. Coverage can be seen on ASU Live Stream.
Press Release courtesy of Sun Devil Athletics – Preston Fekkes and Josh Schwam
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