Brandon Compton and Kevin Karstetter also contributed home runs to bring the Sun Devils to 96 on the season, their highest mark in the BBCOR era and one shy of their highest since 1993. Ryan Campos earned his 22nd and 23rd doubles of the year and Nick McLain, Tobias, and Jackson added one of their own. Four Sun Devils recorded four or more hits, with Tobias going a perfect 5-for-5, Campos 4-for-4 with a walk, and Compton 4-for-5.
Ben Jacobs had his sixth start in a row with 4.0+ innings pitched with 4.0 tonight. After allowing two hits and three runs in a first inning in which he struck out three, the sophomore pitcher only let up one hit and one run – a home run in the fourth – in the next three innings, making it easy for the bats to grow a strong lead. He ended the night with four walks and seven strikeouts on 80 pitches. Matt Tieding contributed 2.0 innings and only allowed two hits and one run while walking none and striking out two over 24 pitches. With one frame to go before a potential run rule, freshman pitcher Jaden Alba stepped up and recorded the Sun Devils’ 10th strikeout of the night before two fly outs closed the game.
TURNING POINT
Although Texas Tech was able to earn three runs off Jacobs in the first inning, the sophomore pitcher recorded each out by strikeout to begin another quality outing on the mound. Arizona State responded quickly, as McLain and Campos were put into scoring position on a passed ball and Tobias drove them in with a single to center field to cut the lead to one. After blanking the Red Raiders in the second inning, the Sun Devils erupted with a six-spot in the bottom frame. Jackson led off with a double and was batted in on a strong single to center from Ondina. Campos’ second hit of the game and 22nd double of the year set him and Ondina up to score on a Vu single. Tobias drove Vu in with the Sun Devils’ third double of the frame and Compton drilled a 450-foot home run to close the inning with an 8-3 lead.
BIG MOMENT
The Sun Devils kept up their scoring with three runs in the third and didn’t let up in the fourth. To lead off, Karstetter earned his second home run of the season in as many games with a nuke narrowly down the left field line. A new pitcher walked Ondina before giving up singles to Campos and Vu. Vu reached second on a wild pitch and was driven in as McLain became the last starter to record a hit – in just the fourth inning. Tobias earned his team-leading 16th home run and the Sun Devils’ 95th of the year to bring in the fourth and fifth runs of the inning and leave ASU sitting comfortably up 16-4 after four.
FINAL STRAW
After recovering from the three-run first inning, Jacobs’ only hit allowed through the rest of his 4.0 innings was a solo shot in the fourth. Recording four more strikeouts after the first inning, he ended the night with seven and was able to rest his arm for the upcoming Pac-12 tournament. Tieding entered as relief in the fifth inning and retired the side with two fly outs and a groundout. Allowing two doubles in the sixth, he stranded the second runner with his second strikeout of the inning and a pop fly to first, leaving ASU up 16-5. A five-run sixth inning made it all but inevitable as the run rule was put into effect after Alba retired the side in the top of the seventh.
INNING BY INNING
First Inning
The Red Raiders managed three walks and two hits in the frame which loaded the bases. A bases-clearing double gave Texas Tech an early 3-0 lead going into the bottom half of the inning.
Campos led off with a single up the middle, then McClain worked a walk to put two Sun Devil runners on first and second. A passed ball advanced both into scoring position, which set up a Tobias single to score Campos and McLain and bring the Sun Devils within one, 3-2 going into the second.
Second Inning
Ben Jacobs settled in with two strikeouts and stranded a runner on first to bring ASU back to action.
Isaiah Jackson knocked a single to left-center field and then advanced to second off a throwing error to lead off the second inning. Steven Ondina then belted a single up the middle to score Jackson, tying the game at three. Campos knocked his second hit of the game to put runners on second and third. Kien Vu belted a single back up the middle to score Campos and Ondina, giving ASU a 5-3 lead. Tobias then doubled to the left-field gap to extend the lead to three. Then, on the first pitch Brandon Compton smashed a 450-foot left-field home run to extend the Sun Devil lead to five, putting them ahead 8-3 going into the third.
Third Inning
Despite allowing a walk, Jacobs threw another clean inning adding his fifth strikeout to shutout the Red Raiders.
The Sun Devils worked two walks to put runners on in scoring position after both advanced due to a passed ball in the inning. McClain returned to the plate and was hit in the calf to load the bases with two outs. Tobias then managed an infield single after the second baseman bobbled the throw, extending ASU’s lead to 9-3. Compton then scored Campos after beating another infield single to keep the bases loaded, giving the Sun Devils a seven-run lead. Mendoza worked a walk which scored McLain to provide ASU with an 11-3 advantage going into the fourth frame.
Fourth Inning
The Red Raiders led off with a solo home run to cut their deficit to seven, but it was all the action they were able to generate, with the Sun Devils holding a 11-4 lead.
Kevin Karsetter led off ASU with a solo home run that hooked around the left-foul pole to bring the lead back to eight, 12-4 with no outs. After Ondina worked a walk, Campos belted a single down the right-field line, moving Ondina to third. Vu continued to find success at the plate with an RBI single, making it 13-4 for ASU. McLain then belted an RBI double to score Vu, extending the lead to ten. On the ensuing at-bat, Tobias then skied a two-run homer to left-field to put the Sun Devils ahead 16-4 going into the fifth inning.
Fifth Inning
Matt Tieding entered the game for Jacobs and threw another clean inning, going down the order and putting the Sun Devils back to the plate.
After two quick outs, Campos doubled for the second time for the night, but he was left stranded as the game rolled onto the sixth.
Sixth Inning
Despite giving up two doubles and a run, Tieding stranded the sole Red Raider in scoring position holding a 16-5 lead with ASU back on offense.
McLain led off with getting on base due to an error on the shortstop, then advanced to second off a wild-pitch. Tobias then smashed his fifth hit of the game with his second home run of the contest, putting the Sun Devils ahead 18-5. After Compton beat out the throw on an infield single, Mendoza smacked a single putting runners on first and second. Jackson was able to single, scoring Compton givng the Sun Devils their 19th run of the game with runners on second and third with no outs. A sacrifice fly from Karstetter gave ASU 20 runs for the second time this season, and another sacrifice fly was scored from Ondina to give the Sun Devils a monumental 21-5 lead going into the seventh.
Seventh Inning
Jaden Alba came in for relief and registered a 1-2-3 inning to ensure the run-rule victory for the Sun Devils.
ON DECK
The Sun Devils will face-off against the Red Raiders tomorrow at 6:30 p.m. AZT before concluding the regular season on Saturday against UNLV at the same time, honoring the senior class. All games will take place at Phoenix Municipal Stadium and be broadcast on Pac-12 Arizona.
Press Release courtesy of Sun Devil Athletics – Jeremy Hawkes
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