(Phoenix, AZ) After not leading the entire game, Isaiah Jackson and the No. 19 Sun Devil Baseball team walked it off in grand fashion, defeating the No. 21 Oregon State Beavers, 11-7, and evening the series on Saturday evening at Phoenix Municipal Stadium.
Jackson became the first Sun Devil to walk off a game with a grand slam since before the 1998 season (as far back as readily accessible records go), doing so on his second home run of the night. It was ASU’s fourth walk-off win of the season after it had none a year ago and especially notable as Oregon State had allowed just four ninth inning runs all season before entering the contest.
After a four (unearned)-run Oregon State (26-12, 11-9) fourth inning, the Sun Devils (26-12, 12-4) trailed 6-2 and then 7-3 before rallying in the sixth inning with a four-run inning of their own, tying the game at seven. Luke Hill started the rally with a two-out single that drove in two. Two at-bats later, Luke Keaschall drove in Hill and McLain with an RBI double to tie the game at seven. The Sun Devils loaded the bases with two outs in the ninth before Jackson sent the Phoenix Municipal Stadium crowd home happy with his mammoth blast deep into the Valley night.
Jacob Tobias went 2-for-4 with an RBI double and home run, the second time this season he has had multiple extra base hits in the same game and second time in the last four games. Luke Hill went 2-for-5 and has multiple hits in three of his last four games. Luke Keaschall banged two doubles on a 2-for-5 night, extending his Pac-12 lead in two-baggers with 18 on the season. No one else has more than 15. Ten of ASU’s 11 runs on the evening came with two-outs.
Blake Pivaroff was the hero on the pitching side, inherited a bases loaded jam in the seventh inning with just one out and Oregon State’s dangerous two- and three-hole hitters at the plate. Pivaroff got a strikeout and groundout the leave them stranded – part of 13 runners left on base by Sun Devil pitchers in the contest – and giving ASU a chance for the walk-off win.
TURNING POINT
Trailing 7-3 in the sixth inning, ASU got a pair of leadoff runners on, but a groundout and strikeout put ASU in danger of stranding the duo in scoring position. Down to its last strike in the frame, Luke Hill shook off an incredibly forgettable three-error night at short stop by lacing a two-RBI double down the right field line to extend the inning and bring the Sun Devils back within a pair. Nick McLain drew a walk and Luke Keaschall welcomed Oregon State reliever Ben Ferrer into the game with a bases-clearing double down the left field line to tie the game at 7-7.
BIG MOMENT
After the big sixth inning, ASU looked in danger of giving the lead right back as Blake Pivaroff entered in top top of the seventh, inheriting a bases-loaded jam with one out. Facing OSU’s two-hole hitter Garret Forrester, who had homered twice last night and leads the Beavers in RBIs this season, Pivaroff got a massive punchout on an inside offspeed offering. He then got the three-hole hitter Micah McDowell to ground out to first to strand the bases loaded and keep ASU in the contest. Pivaroff then delivered a massive 1-2-3 frame in the eighth to keep the Sun Devils tied and in a place to walk off the contest.
FINAL STRAW
Owen Stevenson stranded a pair of OSU baserunners in the top of the ninth to give ASU a chance to walk it off. Oregon State turned to its electric closer Ryan Brown, who had allowed just a single run in 19.1 innings this season (and a sub 0.50 ERA entering the tilt) and the Pac-12 conference leader with eight saves. Brown got the first two outs of the frame on just three pitches. But a four-pitch walk to Jacob Tobias extended the inning. Kien Vu singled to right and Nu’u Contrades drew a hit by pitch to load the bases for Isaiah Jackson. Jackson worked ahead to a 2-1 count before launching an massive homer deep over the Sun Devil bullpen in right field for the first home run allowed by Brown all season and the walk-off grand slam victory for the Sun Devils.
INNING-BY-INNING
First Inning
Khristian Curtis walked the first batter he faced, but followed it up with a strikeout. With two on and one out, Curtis forced a strikeout looking on a filthy offspeed pitch and a lazy fly ball to left, ending the frame.
Nick McLain barreled up a base hit to right field, but the Sun Devils were unable to move him any further in the home half of the first.
Second Inning
Oregon State striked first with a solo home run to give them the early 1-0 advantage. A costly error and back-to-back walks loaded the bases with two outs for the Beavers, but Khristian Curts delivered a clutch strikeout to escape the jam. The Beavers led 1-0.
Jacob Tobias and the Sun Devils answered immediately with a solo home run to deep center field. The Devils could not add on and stranded a pair of baserunners. The game was tied 1-1.
Third Inning
Curtis struck out two in another scoreless frame. In the bottom half, Luke Keaschalldoubled with two down, but Jacob Tobias lifted a soft fly ball to left, ending the frame.
Fourth Inning
A costly two-out error by Luke Hill paved the way for a four spot for the Beavers. They led 5-1. Isaiah Jackson answered in the bottom half with a solo homerun to dead center. The Sun Devils cut the deficit to three headed to the fifth.
Fifth Inning
Curtis was relieved by Timmy Manning with a runner on second, one out and a run already in. The southpaw fanned the next two hitters, making it 6-2 Beavers. Hill led off the bottom half with a single for his first hit of the contest. Then, with two outs, Tobias laced an RBI double for his second extra base hit of the evening.
Sixth Inning
A couple of walks then a one-out RBI single extended Oregon State’s lead to four. Timmy Manning induced an inning ending double play to limit the damage. The Beavers led 7-3.
The Sun Devils had baserunners on first and second thanks to a Nu’u Contrades double and a hit-by-pitch to Isaiah Jackson. Bronson Balholm advanced the runners to second and third via a groundout. Then with two outs, Luke Hill delivered a clutch two-RBI single to cut the deficit in half. A Nick McLain walk ensued and then Luke Keaschall roped a 2-RBI double down the left field line to tie this game up, but was thrown out at third trying to stretch it. The game was tied at seven headed into the seventh.
Seventh Inning
After a leadoff strikeout, ASU loaded the bases on two hits and an error. Blake Pivaroffentered for Manning, who forced a strikeout and groundout to end the frame, taking the contest knotted at seven into the stretch. ASU went down in order in the bottom half.
Eighth Inning
Blake Pivaroff sat the Beavers down in order for an easy one-two-three inning. The game was tied at seven.
A lone single by Bronson Bahlmom was all the Sun Devils had to show offensively in the eighth. The game was tied at seven headed to the ninth.
Ninth Inning
Beavers had runners on first and second thanks to a hit-by-pitch and a single, but new pitcher Owen Stevenson was able to shut down the threat. The game was tied at seven headed into the ninth.
With two-outs and the bases loaded, Isaiah Jackson hits a grand slam to walk it off for the Sun Devils. They won 11-7.
ON DECK:
Sun Devil baseball will seek its second series win over the Beavers since 2015 tomorrow afternoon at Phoenix Municipal Stadium at 12:30pm MST. Coverage can be seen on ASU Live Stream.
Press Release courtesy of Sun Devil Athletics – Sean Lynch, Keenan O’Rourke, Josh Schwam
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