Buried in the bats’ success, Connor Marklgave his seventh 5.0+ inning start in a row with 6.0 innings tonight. Only allowing one run on three hits, Markl walked two and struck out two in 81 total pitches. Sean Fitzpatrick added two strikeouts in 2.0 innings of scoreless baseball, and Jaden Alba closed it out in the ninth.
ASU had their bats ready again, notching double digit hits for the 27th time this season. They were halfway there in the first inning after the three jacks and a pair of singles. Kien Vu got the scoring started with the first of his two two-run home runs on evening, adding a triple in the sixth and posting a career-best six RBIs. On pace for the school record in hits, Ryan Campos had a perfect five hits in five at bats before being pulled after the sixth inning of the blowout. Eamonn Lance and Isaiah Jackson both added home runs in their two-hit outings. Every Sun Devil starter recorded a hit and six had an RBI.
TURNING POINT
As opposed to last night, the Sun Devils didn’t wait until the second inning to put up a five-spot After a quick top of the first frame, Campos led off the bottom half with a single down the left field line and Vu stepped into his first pitch and knocked it 430 feet off the batter’s eye to bring ASU’s first two runs around the bases. With one out, Tobias hit a strong single to center field to get in position for Lance’s fifth jack of the season, coming off a full count. Not done yet, Jackson launched a 455-foot bomb over the right field wall with two outs and a full count. ASU left the first inning with a quick 5-0 edge.
BIG MOMENT
Markl shined on the mound through the first six innings of the game, allowing just one hit through three innings as the Sun Devils built a 6-0 lead. After giving up his second and third hits and his first run in the fourth inning, Markl had his first and only real challenge of the game with the bases loaded and one out. The veteran induced a huge double play to get out of the frame and cruised from there, retiring the side in the fifth and striking out the third batter in the sixth to close out a stellar night. ASU was up 11-1 when he threw his last pitch. Sean Fitzpatrick added two strikeouts in the seventh and covered first base on a groundout after allowing two runners on base. Another strikeout in the third ended his 2.0 innings with one hit and one walk on three strikeouts.
FINAL STRAW
Working with an 11-1 lead in the bottom of the sixth, Lance took a walk and Mendoza singled to get two runners on base. This set up a string of three singles from Jackson, Demera, and Campos that all brought a runner in and put one on first and third. With one out, Vu sent a triple that rolled to the right field wall and brought in his fifth and sixth RBIs. McLain followed up with a double over the second baseman to bring in the sixth run of the frame and leave the Sun Devils with a resounding 17-1 lead.
INNING BY INNING
First Inning
Kien Vu made a diving catch out in left field to mark the first out of the inning. After a groundout to third, Odina scooped a grounder and made the toss to second to close out USC’s bat. After Campos’ single made it past USC’s third baseman, Vu smacked one out of the park on his first pitch to give ASU a 2-0 lead with zero outs. After Tobias’s single out to left field, Lance managed to hit one out of the park on a 3-2 count to give ASU another two-run homer, making it 4-0 with one out. On another 3-2 count, Jackson popped one 455 feet out over the right field for a single home run to make it 5-0. ASU ended the first inning on a fly out.
Second Inning
ASU ended the frame quickly with a groundout, fly out, and a pop fly. After a line drive through left field by Campos and a walk from Vu, Lance singled one to first to bring Campos in. A fly out ended the second inning with a 6-0 Sun Devil lead.
Third Inning
After Ondina fielded a grounder for the first out, both Jackson and Vu caught fly outs to end the frame. The Sun Devils were retired in order.
Fourth Inning
Markl marked his first strikeout of the night to start the inning. Using two singles, a walk, and a hit by pitch, USC was able to bring one in and fill the bases before ASU escaped the frame with a double play. After a single up the middle by Campos, Vu homered one 441 to right center to give the Sun Devils another two-run homer. McLain and Tobias were both walked and reached second and third on a wild pitch but were stranded after a groundout and two strikeouts. The Sun Devils hold a comfortable 8-1 lead heading into the fifth inning.
Fifth Inning
Mendoza made an athletic play on a strong grounder up the middle to secure the first out of the inning and Tobias fielded the last out of USC’s frame. After Demera was walked, Ondina flied one out to right field to extend Demera to third base. A line drive by Campos brought in two runners, extending the Sun Devils lead to 10-1 with zero outs. A fly out allowed Campos to race a throw to home and narrowly escape the tag to score. The Sun Devils sat with an 11-1 lead over the Trojans to end the fifth inning.
Sixth Inning
The Sun Devils open up with a double play fielded by Mendoza originally and Ondina making the play to first. Markl marked his second strikeout of the night to end USC’s frame. Three singles from Jackson, Demera, and Campos brought in three runners while extending a single runner to third on every hit. Vu doubled down the right field line bringing in two runners while he made it safely to third on the throw. McLain was able to get a double hit to left field which gave Vu the green light to head home. A pop out and a strikeout ended the Sun Devils run, with a 17-1 lead heading into the seventh.
Seventh Inning
After USC occupied first and second, Fitzpatrick secured back-to-back strikeouts and a groundout to first. The Sun Devils were retired in order.
Eighth Inning
Mendoza fielded a grounded before Fitzpatrick assisted Ondina on a second after it bounced off of Fitzpatrick’s glove. Fitzpatrick then ended USC’s frame with a strikeout. Williams earned a walk but a strikeout closed the inning.
Ninth Inning
USC brought in a run before ASU ended the game with a groundout. The Sun Devils won 17-2 over the Trojans
ON DECK
The Sun Devils will aim to clinch their second-straight series sweep tomorrow with first pitch against the Trojans scheduled for 1:00 p.m. AZT at Phoenix Municipal Stadium. The game will be available through the ASU Live Stream.
Press Release courtesy of Sun Devil Athletics – Jeremy Hawkes
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