Arizona State (32-25, 17-13 Pac-12) rallied to make things interesting and got the tying run to the plate in the ninth after scoring seven unanswered and loading the bases in three different innings after Stanford’s explosive fourth. But the big hit to put up a true crooked number evaded ASU, which stranded 13 baserunners – including the tying run at third and winning run at first in the ninth.
The Sun Devils came into this game having double digit hits in their last 12 outings and scoring in the double digits in the last six. Today broke both streaks, as the Sun Devils were only able to rally six hits in a game that featured all three of the Cardinal weekend rotation.
Eamonn Lance came in to pinch hit in the fifth and drew a walk. He remained in the game and led the team with two hits, one going yard. Ryan Campos also notched two hits, one batting in an RBI in the ninth to get ASU within a run. The Sun Devils were walked 13 times, but struggled to take advantage of the free bases.
Connor Markl started the day on the mound and had a solid three innings before the lefty let up a home run to the leadoff batter in the fourth. Things snowballed after a bases-loaded fielding error. Jonah Giblin came in and eventually got out of the inning but not before the Cardinal had erupted for six more runs after the error. He would go 4.0 innings and allowed six hits, two runs, no walks, and strike out four over 68 pitches. Fitzpatrick entered partway through the eighth inning and closed a perfect final 1.2 innings with no hits, no walks, and one strikeout over 20 pitches.
TURNING POINT
Stanford broke a three-inning stalemate with eight runs to open the fourth. The leadoff batter launched one over the right center field wall and three straight batters reached after a groundout,. The fourth batter hit a grounder towards third that Karstetter fielded cleanly, but his throw for the easy force at hope sailed wide of Campos, however, and Stanford had a second run on the board. They scored another on an ensuing wild pitch and eventual walk that reloaded the bases. Stanford immediately got a bases-clearing double to make it 6-0. After leading off the inning with a home run, Stanford’s Malcolm Moore launched another one to right field to score two more and blow the game open.
BIG MOMENT
ASU scored one in the fourth inning and threatened much more in the fifth. Lance came in to pinch hit and earned a leadoff walk. Two outs followed that, but Vu was gifted another walk before McLain was hit by the second pitch he faced. With the bases loaded and two outs, the Pac-12 Player of the Week, Tobias, stepped up. Yet another walk came to score one runner and keep the bases filled, and the Stanford ace was replaced on the mound with ASU trailing 8-4. With a chance to tie the game with what would have been his fourth grand slam of the year, Compton was struck out by the new pitcher to strand the bases loaded, a theme that would haunt the Sun Devils throughout the game.
FINAL STRAW
Down 8-4 in the bottom of the ninth, Tobias led off the inning by working a full-count walk. Compton earned another walk and Arizona State had life as Stanford changed to their Sunday night starter on the mound. Mendoza worked another full-count walk to load the bases with no outs and bring the tying runner to the plate. After an athletic play in left field to catch a foul ball, Lance earned the fourth walk of the inning to score Tobias. A fly out scored another and brought Campos to the plate with two outs. The leadoff hitter singled to center field and brought Mendoza home to make it 8-7 and put the tying run on third. It looked like the conference’s leader in batting average was set up for a golden moment, but Vu’s fly ball couldn’t quite clear the glove of the left fielder and Arizona State came up just short in the final frame.
INNING BY INNING
First Inning
Markl got two quick strikeouts before issuing a walk, getting out of the inning harmlessly with a flyout to center. ASU drew three walks in the bottom of the first with Campos, Vu and Tobias all getting a free pass. Compton got a barrel on one, but unfortunately laced it directly at the shortstop to conclude a scoreless first.
Second Inning
Stanford got the first hit of the game on a one-out Texas League single to shallow right and batted another one up the middle to put runners on the corners. Karstetter got in front of a grounder to make the toss to second and escape the frame unscathed. Three strikeouts from the Cardinal ace kept the Sun Devils off the bases.
Third Inning
A leadoff double down the left line had the Cardinal threatening early, but the next one went to Karstetter for an easy throw to first. Mendoza dove in front of a ball to stop its path through the gap and recovered to make the throw to first for the third out. The Sun Devils went down on a strikeout and a failed attempt to steal second.
Fourth Inning
Stanford knocked a home run to right center to open the inning. After one out, they kept hitting and loaded the bases with a single, double, and a walk. Karstetter fielded a grounder on the run and looked to have an easy toss to home plate to avoid allowing a run, but the throw got away from him the bases remained loaded. A wild pitch and a walk ended the day for Connor Markl, now down 3-0. The first batter Giblin faced sent a long double to left center and brought all three runners in before the same Cardinal that led off the inning hit his second home run to plate two more. Mendoza fielded the groundout that ended the eight-run inning. McLain gave some energy to the crowd with a double down the right field line. He reached third on a wild pitch and Tobias earned another RBI and plated the Sun Devils first run with a sac fly to left field. Mendoza got on base with a single, but another strikeout left him stranded.
Fifth Inning
The Sun Devils recorded a double play after letting up a single for a much-needed zero in the fifth. Eamonn Lance came in to pinch hit and was walked before advancing to second on a groundout. Vu took a two-out walk and McLain was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Tobias took another walk to score one before the Cardinal ace was replaced, but the new pitcher earned a strikeout to strand three.
Sixth Inning
Lance moved to first base and fielded the first out and then ran under a foul ball for the second. Giblin earned his second strikeout after a single to end the frame. ASU showed more signs of life in the bottom of the inning, as Lance continued to bring a spark with a two-run homer that plated Williams. Ondina earned the second walk of the inning and Campos singled straight through the middle to put runners on the corners, but a strikeout and fly out would strand both.
Seventh Inning
Ondina caught a line drive at shortstop before a single down the left field line went just beyond the outstretched glove of Tobias. The runner stole second as Giblin earned another strikeout. A high pop up to shallow center field was corralled by Mendoza to leave the runner stranded. ASU then got some life after two strikeouts, as Mendoza reached on a fielding error by the shortstop and Williams was walked. Lance hit a high-bouncing single to shortstop and loaded the bases, but a line out would close the opportunity.
Eighth Inning
Giblin struck out his final batter before Fitzpatrick took the mound and caused a groundout and fly out. The Sun Devils went down in order.
Ninth Inning
Fitzpatrick began with his first strikeout and retired the rest of the order by groundout and fly out. The Sun Devils earned three straight walks to begin the final frame, and another after a foul out to score one. Another run came in off an Ondina sac fly and Campos nailed a single to center field to plate a third. With no outs to spare, a fly out capped ASU’s last opportunity.
ON DECK
Arizona State will play its second game of pool play against Oregon State in the Pac-12 Tournament on Thursday, May 23, at 10 a.m. AZT at Scottsdale Stadium. The whole tournament will be broadcast on Pac-12 Network.
Press Release courtesy of Sun Devil Athletics – Jeremy Hawkes
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