The Sun Devils played a solid game in all facets, but simply couldn’t get the ball to drop in big moments despite posting 11 hits one the day. ASU stranded nine baserunners on 3-for-11 hitting with runners in scoring position with no less than five of those outs coming on hard-struck balls directly at Cougar players.
Ethan Mendoza led the day with a 4-for-4 effort despite seeing just five pitches on the afternoon, while Nick McLain and Isaiah Jackson each notched two hits as well.
Connor Markl was exceptional for the second-straight weekend, posting a quality start with a career-best 6.2 innings pitched with just two earned runs allowed and six strikeouts to just one walk. It was the first time a Sun Devil pitcher had posted consecutive quality starts since Tyler Meyer in March of 2022.
TURNING POINT
The low-scoring pitcher’s duel left little room for error and unfortunately it was ASU’s one error of the game that proved to be the difference. Trailing by a run at 2-1, Markl gave up a one-out double in the bottom of the seventh and tried to pick him off but the ball skipped into the outfield and allowed the WSU runner to take third and score on a sac fly to give the Cougars the only insurance they would need.
BIG MOMENT
The Sun Devils mounted a rally in the next half inning with Ryan Campos leading off the frame with a double to extend his reached-base streak to 33 consecutive games dating back to last year. He would score on a one-out single from McLain and ASU loaded the bases with two more singles from Mendoza and Jackson, putting the tying run 90 feet away with one out. Kien Vu stepped in to pinch hit off the Washington State reliever and absolutely crushed a line drive – directly at the WSU shortstop. The ball was hit so hard and reached the shortstop so quickly that Mendoza had no time to get back to second and was doubled up to end the frame with ASU unable to push the tying run across.
FINAL STRAW
Still trailing 3-2 in the ninth, Harris Williams looked like he had evened the game with a solo shot to deep right center with the ball going as far as it could while remaining in the park for a very loud second out in the frame and ASU was unable to get the job done as it went down in order in the frame to seal the deal.
INNING BY INNING
First Inning
Williams reached on a leadoff walk but was caught stealing. Compton laced a ball right up the middle but directly at a shifted shortstop and Campos struck out as ASU only brought the minimum to the plate. The Cougars strung together three-straight one-out singles to get on the board but Markl stranded a pair of runners with a strikeout and fielder’s choice to keep the game at 1-0.
Second Inning
After two quick outs on four pitches, ASU got a pair of first-pitch singles from Mendoza and Jackson to put runners on the corners with two outs but a flyout to center stranded them. Markl tossed a 1-2-3 frame, capped by a pair of strikeouts.
Third Inning
Compton drew a two-out walk but was stranded on a nice leaping groundout to the first baseman. Markl worked another 1-2-3 frame to make it eight-straight retired batters after the three straight singles in the first.
Fourth Inning
Tobias lined one into the hole on the right side of the field but what looked like a sure hit was robbed by an incredible diving stab from the WSU second baseman for a leadoff groundout. McLain and Mendoza each notched one-out singles to center but a pair of flyouts stranded both runners. WSU led off the frame with an opposite field poke into the airstream to right field to make it 2-0 before Markl retired the next three batters.
Fifth Inning
The Sun Devils went down in order in the frame, including two hard-hit first-pitch outs. Markl gave up a one-out walk and single but got a flyout and his sixth strikeout of the game to keep ASU within a pair.
Sixth Inning
Campos reached on a leadoff error and Tobias singled to the right side to put a pair on with no outs. A infield fly preceded Mendoza’s third hit of the game to load the bases with one out. Jackson ripped a ball at the first baseman which ricocheted off his glove but was fielded by the second baseman and was thrown out at first with the pitcher covering, though a run did score to get on the board. Demera launched a ball into deep right field that was snagged by WSU’s 6-6 left fielder at full extension to strand the tying and go-ahead runs on the basepath and leave it a 2-1. Markl made it back-to-back 6.0 inning outings as he faced the minimum in the sixth after a leadoff single, getting a 4-6-3 GDP and then fielded his position for the third out to keep it a one-run game.
Seventh Inning
Compton notched a two-out single but was picked off at first to make it essentially a 1-2-3 frame for ASU. Markl gave up a one-out double that took third on a failed pickoff and scored unearned on a sac fly, ending his day at a career-best 6.2 innings. Sean Fitzpatrickgave up a leadoff walk but was able to pick off the runner to end the frame and leave the score at 3-1.
Eighth Inning
Campos extended his reached base streak with a leadoff double, legging out a shallow ground ball into the gap in right center. Tobias’ warning track ball moved Campos to third and scored on McLain’s RBI single. Facing a new pitcher, Mendoza added his fourth single of the day on just his fifth pitch he had seen and Jackson singled to load the bases with one out. Kien Vu pinch hit and laced one directly at the shortstop who easily doubled up the runner at second to end the threat. Fitzpatrick worked around the first to WSU batters and Omlid settled in after a single and HBP to get the final out and keep ASU within a run.
Ninth Inning
With one out, Williams launched one that off the bat looked like it would be a game-tying solo shot before dying literally right at the very edge of the warning track for a loud second out and a groundout ended the game.
ON DECK
ASU will look to salvage the series tomorrow with first pitch scheduled for 11 a.m. AZT. The game will be available on WSU Live Stream and over the air on KDUS AM 1060.
Press Release courtesy of Sun Devil Athletics – Jeremy Hawkes
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