(Phoenix, AZ) In an unusually humid, cloudy and at times rainy setting at Phoenix Municipal Stadium, a critical series between the UCLA Bruins and Sun Devil Baseball came down to the final pitch as Luke Keaschall’s walk-off double led ASU to a 5-4 victory in the series opener.
The game featured four lead changes and three ties before the Sun Devils (30-21, 15-12 Pac-12) finally put the Bruins (26-22-1, 11-15-1 Pac-12) away.
Keaschall proved to be the difference maker to put the Sun Devils back on track, going 3-for-5 with a two-run moonshot that tied the game in the third inning, then sending the Sun Devil faithful home happy with a double down the left-field line. ASU trailed on two separate occasions in the first two innings, before Keaschall blasted a two-run homer in the third to tie the game at three. The Sun Devils took the lead in the seventh on an RBI on the ground from Jacob Tobias, but UCLA tied the game in the ninth with a two-out single to set up Keaschall’s heroics.
Along with Keaschall’s 3-5 performance, Ryan Campos went 1-for-2 but his offensive presence didn’t go unnoticed with managing three walks, only the third time in his career he’s had three walks in a game, including an intentional walk in the ninth inning.
Timmy Manning dazzled on the bump, shoving a career-high six innings with six punchouts to a quiet one walk. He allowed six hits, all singles, and three runs. Blake Pivaroff also had a get-right performance after two rough outings, hurling a scoreless frame in the seventh. Owen Stevenson allowed one run over two innings to earn the win.
TURNING POINT
As is customary, the Sun Devils trailed multiple times early in the contest, both 1-0 and 3-1 within the first three innings. Ryan Campos walked with two outs and nobody aboard in the third, setting up a chance for Luke Keaschall to crank a two-run homer – his 17th of the season – and tying the game at three.
BIG MOMENT
Sun Devil pitching locked in, allowing just two hits from the fourth inning through the eighth. In the bottom of the seventh, Campos and Keaschall both singled, putting runners on the corners with one out. Jacob Tobias put one on the ground, but the Bruins were unable to turn the double-play as the speed of ASU’s team leader in triples caused a mishandle on the transfer for UCLA’s infield. The run scored on a fielder’s choice.
FINAL STRAW
After UCLA tied the game in the top of the ninth, and with two outs, the Sun Devils maintained their focus heading into the bottom half. Nick McLain started the home half with a leadoff walk. Luke Hill got a huge sac bunt down, the Bruins intentionally walked Campos, giving Keaschall the opportunity to walk it off on a flare that just stayed fair down the left field line, scoring Hill.
INNING-BY-INNING
First Inning
UCLA managed to score a run off of two hits in the opening frame, all coming with two outs before the Sun Devils could come to the plate. The Sun Devils first crack at the plate consisted of back-to-back walks which put runners on first and third, but were unable to tie the game at one sending the game into the second inning.
Second Inning
Timmy Manning settled into the game, sending the Bruins’ bats down the order to give ASU another opportunity at the plate. Nu’u Contrades led off the inning with a double then advanced to third. Then, Jonny Weaver sent a ball to deep left-field to score Contrades off of a sacrifice fly, ultimately tying the game at 1-1 going into the third inning.
Third Inning
The Bruins answered back with three straight singles which ended up scoring two more runs for UCLA, letting them take a 3-1 lead. After back-to-back strikeouts, Ryan Camposmustered up a walk, then Luke Keaschall tied the game with a two-run home run that went over the UCLA bullpen, despite another free base by Jacob Tobias, the game was 3-3 going into the fourth inning.
Fourth Inning
Manning was able to settle back into the game, sitting down two runners to bring his strikeout total to five for the night. With two outs, Isaiah Jackson dropped a blooper single and notched his fifth stolen base of the year, but was stranded at second with the game remaining tied at three.
Fifth Inning
After a lead-off walk, Campos threw out the runner that was vying to steal second, after another base hit by the Bruins, the Sun Devils stranded the runner sending ASU back to the plate. The Sun Devils went down the order as the game remained tied through five innings.
Sixth Inning
Manning was sent back out onto the mound for the sixth inning and registered another 1-2-3 inning against the Bruins as the Sun Devils returned to attempt to take the lead. After two quick outs, a single by Wyatt Crenshaw marked the first baserunner for ASU in two innings, then stole second and after back-to-back walks the bases were loaded, but were left stranded keeping the game tied at three going into the seventh frame.
Seventh Inning
Blake Pivaroff entered the game after six innings from Manning, who immediately fanned two Bruins and escaped a jam with runners on first and third to keep the game tied at three heading into the stretch.
Following a strikeout, Campos started the beginning of a small rally for the Sun Devils, prompting a pitching change for UCLA, what followed was Luke Hill pouncing on a single through the gap, moving Campos to third, then Jacob Tobias scoring the Arizona native to give the Sun Devils their first lead of the game, 4-3 going into the eighth inning.
Eighth Inning
Owen Stevenson came in for Pivaroff and made quick work of the Bruins, prompting a flyout, groundout and capping off the half inning with a strikeout going into the bottom half of the eighth. The Sun Devils went down the order, unable to record a baserunner as UCLA attempted their last gasp in the ninth inning.
Ninth Inning
The Bruins tied the game in the ninth after a hit down the right-field line brought in the game-tying run from second base. It was with two outs. The Sun Devils escaped the hazardous situation without further damage and went into the bottom half tied at four.
Nick McLain worked a lead-off walk to begin the bottom ninth inning, then followed with a perfectly executed sacrifice bunt to advance McLain to second. With a chance to win it after Campos was intentionally walked, Keaschall dropped a bloop single down the left-field line to walk-off the game for the Sun Devils to defeat the Bruins 5-4, to take the first game of the series.
ON DECK:
The Sun Devils will look to take the series tomorrow against the Bruins at 6 p.m. MST. Coverage can be seen on Pac-12 Networks.
Press Release courtesy of Sun Devil Athletics – Jeremy Hawkes
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