ASU inability to find open space or clear the fences would prove to be the squad’s undoing, despite an efficient night from the pitching staff. Timmy Manning tossed 5.0 innings with just three runs allowed while Jonah Giblin and Josh Hansell spun three innings of one-run ball.
Nu’u Contrades recorded the only RBI of the night on his first career triple while Jacob Tobias extended his hitting streak to 12 games with a double off the wall prior to that.
TURNING POINT
The Sun Devils got on the board first in the fourth but the inning lost some of its luster after ASU got a leadoff single but a fielder’s choice and caught stealing quickly led to two outs. Jacob Tobias smoked what looked like a no-doubter to right center off the bat but in a microcosm of the night it bounced off the top of the wall for a double. Nu’u Contradessalvaged the frame with his first career triple. The missed opportunity with the caught stealing led to ASU not quite getting the big inning it would need in the low scoring affair.
BIG MOMENT
The Sun Devils’ kryptonite all season has been getting stops after scores and Friday was no different. Immediately after putting a run on the board, USC came back with a walk and a double with both runs coming across after a groundout to first and sac fly. The two runs would be all the offense USC would need on the night.
FINAL STRAW
Training, 4-1, the Sun Devils attempted to mount a two-out rally in the eighth with the heart of the order as Luke Hill drew a walk to bring Campos to the plate. The sophomore laced a line drive into the gap in opposite left center that looked like it would drop for extra bases and likely plate Hill from first but an incredibly diving grab from left fielder Carson Wells summarized the entire night as ASU simply just couldn’t get the knocks to fall its way as the threat was ended and the inning came to a close.
NOTES
Jacob Tobias’s double extended his hitting streak to 12 games, the longest by a Sun Devil this season.
Nick McLain had reached in every game of his college career (15 games) until tonight.
The three hits were the fewest by the Sun Devils this season, surpassing the previous low of five.
INNING BY INNING
First Inning
The Sun Devils went down in order. Manning allowed a pair of baserunners on a walk and a HBP but stranded both without any damage.
Second Inning
Luke Keaschall and Wyatt Crenshaw both had warning track balls bookending a Jacob Tobias reach on an error but came out of the frame with nothing to show for it on the scoreboard. Manning got a pair of strikeouts to start the frame but had to rally after a two-out double, walk and passed ball had runners on the corner. Jacob Tobias made a great stretch tag on an errant throw from third to get an out at first and keep USC off the board.
Third Inning
Reese Beheler drew a leadoff walk but the rest of the side went down in order. Manning recorded his first 1-2-3 frame of the game.
Fourth Inning
Campos recorded the first hit of the game for ASU to lead off the inning. A fielder’s choice and a caught stealing ended that momentum and was especially painful after Tobias notched a two-out double off the wall. Nu’u Contrades was able to salvage the inning with his first career triple, plating Tobias and getting ASU on the board first. ASU’s Achilles heel all year has been stop scores after it scores itself and it again reared its head with a leadoff walk and double coming across to score and give USC a 2-1 lead.
Fifth Inning
The Sun Devils struck three balls well, unfortunately all three went into the gloves of USC outfielders in a 1-2-3 frame. Manning gave up a leadoff double but settled in nicely with a pair of swinging Ks and a flyout to strand the runner at third and keep it a one-run game.
Sixth Inning
Ryan Campos drew a one-out walk. Tobias lined a two-out ball to the opposite field warning track but it easily found the left fielder’s glove as ASU could not capitalize on the baserunner. A leadoff single and error put a runner at second and Jonah Giblin entered and quickly got two outs a by a two-out RBI double followed by a single would let USC double its lead to 4-1.
Seventh Inning
Wyatt Crenshaw drew a one out walk but a flyout to center and another caught stealing led to USC facing the minimum in the frame. Giblin worked around a one-out walk with a pair of fielder’s choices to shortstop to keep ASU in striking distance.
Eighth Inning
Luke Hill drew a two-out walk and Campos drove a line drive into the left center field gap but an incredible diving catch from the left fielder Carson Wells robbed extra bases and likely a run to end the frame. USC got two on with a single and one-out HBP but Campos nabbed the back runner on a double steal attempt and a flyout kept USC for adding to its lead.
Ninth Inning
The Sun Devils could not muster a late rally, going down in order.
ON DECK
The Sun Devils will look to even the series tomorrow with first pitch scheduled at 6:30 p.m. AZT. The game will be available via the USC Live Stream.
Press Release courtesy of Sun Devil Athletics – Jeremy Hawkes
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