After allowing two runs in the first inning and trailing 4-1 in the fourth, the Sun Devils strung together two runs in the bottom of the fourth and took the lead after a two-run homer from designated hitter Brandon Compton in the fifth.
Starting pitcher Tyler Meyer allowed a two-run home run in the first inning, but collected four strikeouts during the rest of his 3.2 innings pitched. Omlid came on in relief with two outs in the third and effectively put the team on his back from there. The senior lefthander struck out the first six batters he faced, interrupted only by a bunt single before closing out the sixth inning with his seventh.
Omlid would go the distance to earn his second win of the season after striking out 11 batters over 5.1 scoreless innings, the first Sun Devil pitcher to reach double digit strikeouts since 2021 and also the longest outing for a reliever since that season.
Meyer and Omlid combined to hold Wolverine hitters to just 2-for-14 hitting (.143) with runners in scoring position, stranding eight batters.
The home run from Brandon Compton was one of only four hits from the Sun Devils, who used ten walks to put runners in position each time. Harris Williams and Jax Ryan each added doubles, while Isaiah Jackson had a single.
TURNING POINT
Trailing early and needing a spark in the third inning, Jax Ryan was hit by pitch and soon gained second on a failed pickoff attempt. Harris followed by drilling a ball that bounced off the right center field wall for his eighth double of the season, bringing Ryan home. Williams would be stranded on third after a deep fly was caught, but the Sun Devils had found their spark. In the next inning, they would use three walks amidst a Utah Valley pitching change to fill the bases with no outs. A strikeout and a groundout put two outs on the board for one run, and two more walks brought a second runner in to close the gap to 4-3.
BIG MOMENT
A leadoff walk in the fifth was quickly wiped off the board on a strike ’em out, throw ’em out play, leaving the Sun Devils with no one on base and two outs. However, Nick McLain drew a walk to extend the inning and bring a pitching change for the Wolverines. Brandon Compton welcomed the new arm to the game on the second pitch as he drilled a homer over the right center field wall and gave the Sun Devils their first lead of the game, 5-4.
FINAL STRAW
Hunter Omlid took the mound with one out to go in the top of the fourth inning, and stymied the Utah Valley offense, recording punchouts through his first six batters, and making the seventh resort to a bunt single to get on base. He followed the bunt with his seventh strikeout out of eight batters faced to close the sixth inning, and added one more in both the seventh and eighth to tie his career high of nine. With the tying runner in scoring position in the ninth, Omlid delivered his 10th and 11th strikeouts to close out the win and tie the most strikeouts for a Sun Devil in almost three years.
INNING BY INNING
First Inning
Utah Valley led off the game with a standup double. Two pitches later, the Wolverines hit a two-run home run to right center field to take a 2-0 lead. Meyer fielded a hard grounder that went back to the mound for the first out and struckout the fifth Wolverines batter for the final out. Ryan Campos drew a two-out walk but a pop out ended the inning.
Second Inning
The Wolverines leadoff man doubled for the second consecutive inning. A sacrifice fly to deep left field advanced him to third. The next batter was hit by a pitch and he stole second base to put both runners in scoring position with one out. Meyer retired the next two batters, including his second strikeout of the night, to escape the jam. The Sun Devils went down in order in the bottom half of the inning.
Third Inning
After the first Utah Valley batter walked, a grounder to short gave ASU an opportunity to turn a double play. The throw from second went wide of the first baseman and the second hitter advanced to second base on the play. A pair of groundouts ended the inning, stranding a Wolverines runner on third base. Ryan drew a one-out walk and advanced to second on a failed pickoff attempt to give the Sun Devils their first runner in scoring position. On the next at-bat, Williams collected ASU’s first hit of the game by doubling to right center, and scoring Ryan to cut the deficit to 2-1. A grounder to short advanced Williams to third, but a flyout to the left field warning track ended the inning.
Fourth Inning
A leadoff walk and one-out single put the Wolverines on first and second. Both runners successfully advanced to second and third on a double steal. Meyer struck out his second hitter of the inning, and fourth of the night, but a two-out double to left center scored both runners to put Utah Valley ahead 4-1. The fourth run spelled the end of Meyer’s night. Omlid took over on the mound and struck out the next hitter for the final out. The first three Sun Devils batters (Jacob Tobias, McLain and Compton) walked to load the bases with no outs. The next ASU batter struck out, but Jackson grounded out to first to score Tobias and make it a 4-2 game. McLain and Compton also advanced to second and third. With two outs, Ryan drew a two-out walk to load the bases for the second time in the inning. Williams walked on four pitches and McLain scored to cut the deficit to one run.
Fifth Inning
Omlid picked up where he left off in the previous inning, striking out the side to retire the Wolverines in order. The trio of punch outs was Omlid’s fourth straight strikeout. Campos drew his second walk of the night to leadoff the inning. The next Sun Devil batter swung and missed a third strike and Campos was caught stealing second for a double play. McLain sparked a two-out rally by taking his second walk of the game. Compton crushed the second pitch he faced for a two-run home run to right center to put ASU outfront 5-4 for their first lead of the game.
Sixth Inning
Omlid fanned the first two Wolverines hitters, giving him his sixth straight strikeout against as many hitters. A two-out bunt-single gave Utah Valley their first base runner since Omlid entered the game, but his seventh punch out ended the inning. The Sun Devils were sent down in order at the plate.
Seventh Inning
Utah Valley opened the inning with a double down the left field line. Omlid retired the next three batters and recorded his eight strikeout in the process. Tobias drew his second walk of the game with two outs but a groundout ended the inning.
Eighth Inning
The Wolverines were retired in order and Omlid’s ninth strikeout punctuated the perfect inning. With two outs in the bottom frame, Jackson singled to center field and Ryan doubled down the left field line to get on base for the third time of the night. A Sun Devils groundout stranded both runners in scoring position.
Ninth Inning
A leadoff walk and sacrifice bunt put the Wolverines tying run on second base with one out. But Omlid closed the game by punching out the final two batters for his 11th strikeout of the night.
ON DECK
ASU looks to sweep their midweek non-conference series against Utah Valley on Wednesday at Phoenix Municipal Stadium. First pitch for game two is slated for 1 p.m. AZT and will be available on the ASU Live Stream. Then the Sun Devils hit the road for a three-game Pac-12 series in Pullman against Washington State beginning Friday.
Press Release courtesy of Sun Devil Athletics – Jeremy Hawkes
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