(Phoenix, AZ) While the final box looked more akin to a football score than anything, it was Sun Devil Baseball that kicked the extra point and held on to a 14-13 victory to clinch the season-opening series over Santa Clara on Saturday at Phoenix Municipal Stadium.
The afternoon matinee barnburner featured 31 combined hits between the Sun Devils (2-0) and the Broncos (0-2). ASU had 16 of those, three courtesy of Isaiah Jackson, who recorded a career-best six RBIs – including the go-ahead two-run shot in the sixth inning.
The back end of the Sun Devil pen was able to stymie the Bronco offensive attack with Hunter Omlid putting up a much-needed zero in the eighth after SCU had scored nine runs in the previous four innings, setting the table for Cole Carlon’s first career save in his collegiate debut.
Nu’u Contrades added a grand slam in a huge eight-run third inning while Jacob Tobias notched three hits and a huge solo shot that tied the game in the bottom of the sixth after Santa Clara had reclaimed the lead in the top half of the frame.
TURNING POINT
Offense was the name of the game on Saturday with ASU taking a 10-4 lead in the fourth only to see Santa Clara score eight runs to claim a 12-11 lead after the top half of the sixth inning. With the Sun Devils on their heels, Jacob Tobias immediately assuaged the nerves with a leadoff homer to tie the game in the bottom half of the frame – his second long ball in as many days.
BIG MOMENT
Isaiah Jackson already had four RBIs on the day when he stepped to the plate after a Kevin Karstetter walk following Tobias’ homer. The sophomore continue his incredible two-game tear by getting a hold of a fastball right over the plate for what he said afterward was the longest home run of his career – batting practice included. The ball sailed over the Whiteman Family Performance Center in right field, giving ASU a 14-12 lead it would hang on to for the remainder.
FINAL STRAW
The lead certainly seemed precarious, given SCU’s offensive prowess in the game and the Sun Devils desperately needed a stop. After the Broncos clawed on across in the seventh to get back within a run, ASU turned to Hunter Omlidin the eighth and the veteran transfer posted the first zero in the box score since the third inning. ASU left an insurance run in scoring position in the bottom of the inning, leaving true freshman Cole Carlon to make his collegiate debut in the ninth and facing the top of the Santa Clara order – including JonJon Berring and his 5-for-9 average and 7 RBIs for the weekend. The frosh was unfazed, retiring the side on just 12 pitches to seal the save and the series for the Sun Devils.
NOTABLES
Santa Clara starter Brandon Gomez allowed just 21 total earned runs last season in 54.0 innings of work (3.50 ERA). The Sun Devils tagged him for seven in 2.0 innings of action.
On the same token, SCU’s second pitcher of the game Blake Hammond earned All-WCC honors last season, going 6-1 with a 2.53 ERA and allowing just 13 earned runs on the season in 46.1 innings. The Sun Devils posted seven earned runs against him in 3.1 innings today.
Last season, Santa Clara led the WCC in team ERA, WHIP, hits allowed per nine and walks allowed per nine and held opponents to a .244 average for the season. While it has just been two games, ASU has forced the Santa Clara pitching staff into a 12.94 ERA with a 2.50 WHIP and posting a .418 average
Santa Clara had not given up double digit runs in consecutive games since playing Pepperdine on April 23-24, 2002.
Isaiah Jackson has six hits this season already – a feat he didn’t reach until his eighth game of his freshman campaign last year. He has nine RBIs in just two games after not notching his ninth RBI until the 22nd game of the 2022 campaign.
Kevin Karstetter quietly put up another multi-hit day and scored two runs in the process to lead the team with his .625 average through two games.
Of ASU’s 33 hits in the first two games of the season, 18 have been for extra bases (11 doubles, 7 homers) – giving the team an absurd .823 slugging percentage as a whole.
Press Release courtesy of Sun Devil Athletics – Jeremy Hawkes
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