The Sun Devils (7-3) claimed a 6-5 lead in the eighth inning and were one strike away from the victory but an RBI triple would eventually send the game to extra innings. Minnesota (3-4) got another two-out run to take the lead in extras and the Sun Devils had the bases loaded with no outs in the bottom but couldn’t bring a run across.
Matt King was 3-for-4 with two doubles to lead the Sun Devil offense, which had 12 hits in the game but managed just a 3-for-16 average with runners in scoring position – a lack of situational hitting that would prove to be the difference.
Ben Jacobs had his longest outing of the year, tossing 6.0 innings and allowing four runs with four strikeouts. The Sun Devil bullpen, which had shut out opponents in 17 of its previous 18 innings, gave up three runs in four innings – all three coming with two-out.
The Sun Devils will look to even the series tomorrow with first pitch scheduled for 6:30 p.m. AZT.
TURNING POINT
After trailing 5-2 through six innings, the Sun Devils rallied with three runs in the seventh to tie it and took the lead on Kyle Walker’s sac fly in the eighth. After a leadoff double from Minnesota in the ninth, Lucas Kelly was one strike away from earning his first save as a Sun Devil but a two-out, two-strike triple plated the tying run and sent the game to extra innings for the first time this season.
BIG MOMENT
After calmly retiring the first two batters of the tenth and getting ahead of the count on the third, Jonah Giblingave up a solo wall scraper that just cleared the fence down the left field line to give ASU a 7-6.
FINAL STRAW
The Sun Devils stormed back with a pair of infield singles from Isaiah Jackson and Jax Ryan to leadoff the bottom of the 10th and a HBP loaded the bases with no outs. A shallow flyout to right wasn’t enough to send the runner from third and a pair of strikeouts from the top of the ASU order would complete the escape act and hand Minnesota the victory.
PLAYER OF THE GAME
Matt King had his best game as a Sun Devil, going 2-for-3 with a pair of doubles. His double in the eighth inning set the table for Ky McGary to pinch run and steal third and score on a sac fly for what was the go-ahead run at the time, despite ASU’s ability to finish off the game.
INNING BY INNING
First Inning
Ben Jacobs worked an efficient top half of the inning. He retired the first two batters and then allowed a walk. The Minnesota runner tried taking off and catcher Brody Briggs gunned him down at second to end the inning.
The Sun Devils threatened as Kien Vu laced a single in addition to Jacob Tobias drawing a walk to give some life on the basepaths. Landon Hairston scorched a grounder to first where the Minnesota first baseman made an impressive diving stab to retire Hairston and the inning.
Second Inning
Jacobs returned for his second inning of work and had his quickest inning of the season, recording just seven pitches to send the Gophers down in order.
Isaiah Jackson led the inning off with a base knock and picked up a steal of second. An errand throw from behind the plate put Jackson on third with no outs. Matt King found the 5-6 hole for a base knock, plating Jackson and opening the scoring at 1-0. King picked up a stolen base of his own and eventually found his way home on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Kyle Walker. The inning then came to a close with the Sun Devils ahead 2-0
Third Inning
Jacobs found himself in his first jam of the night as Minnesota loaded up the bases with no outs. A sac fly got the Gophers on the board to make things 2-1. The next at-bat resulted in a safety squeeze, plating the tying run and evening it up at 2-2. Jacobs then closed the inning with no further damage to turn it back to the offense.
ASU went quietly after a Kien Vu leadoff single as it was followed up by a 4-6-3 double play and a flyout to wrap up the first three innings.
Fourth Inning
Jacobs rebounded well, working another quick inning and recorded his second strikeout of the evening to end the top half.
Double plays were the Achilles heel for the Sun Devils as they grounded into their third one of the game in just four innings. Matt King smoked a double off the left field fence but was unable to come around as the inning ended with things gridlocked at 2-2.
Fifth Inning
Jacobs remained steady, picking up a pair of strikeouts to begin the inning bringing his total to four. He then allowed a walk, but picked the runner off and ended the inning in quick fashion.
The lone base runner to get aboard was Nu’u Contrades by way of walk, but ASU went silently as the fifth came to an end.
Sixth Inning
Minnesota got around to Jacobs, starting the inning off with a leadoff single and a few batters later getting a hold of a two-run homer to propel them to a 4-2 lead. Jacobs was able to end the inning with no further damage and finished his day with the Gophers ahead 4-2.
ASU drew back-to-back walks to get ducks on the pond early, but a strikeout and yet another double play ended the inning, unable to capitalize and leaving things at 4-2.
Seventh Inning
The top of the seventh brought a rather chaotic frame. Josh Butler took the bump in relief of Ben Jacobsand gave up a hit by pitch followed by a walk in his first two batters faced. The Sun Devils were nearly out of it, recording a 5-4-3 double play, but the Gophers brought another run across on a fielding error charged to second baseman Kyle Walker. The score stood at 5-2 heading into the stretch.
The Sun Devils got right back in business thanks to a leadoff walk followed by a hit by pitch, eerily similar to the top half of the frame. Nu’u Contrades recorded a single to load the bases with just zero outs. Next batter Kien Vu then drew a walk and everyone moved up a spot on the bases to bring it to 5-3. The line kept moving with a base knock from Brandon Compton now making it 5-4. Jacob Tobias rolled into a double play, but a run scored and evened things up at 5-5. ASU put together a three spot to head into the eighth with the ballgame tied.
Eighth Inning
Josh Butler returned to action and retired the lone batter he faced as Sean Fitzpatrick was next in relief. Fitzpatrick let up a single, but was able to work around it as he sent the Gophers down and kept things nodded up.
Matt King stayed red hot, recording his third hit and second double of the evening to set the table early. Freshman speedster Ky McGary replaced King as a pinch runner and picked up a straight steal of third base, giving his team a golden opportunity. Kyle Walker was able to bring McGary around third thanks to a very timely sac fly, making it 6-5 Sun Devils. The inning came to an end shortly after with the Sun Devils grasping to a one-run lead.
Ninth Inning
Sean Fitzpatrick took the mound again for the ninth with the bottom of the Gopher order due up. The Gophers got things going with a leadoff double and that would be all for Fitzpatrick with Lucas Kelly up next in relief. Kelly was effective, getting his first two batters rather quickly. However, a seven pitch at-bat with the Gophers leadoff hitter resulted in a triple and a run scored to tie things up on their last life. The inning then came to an end with the score deadlocked at six.
The Sun Devils went down swinging in all three at-bats, sending the game to extra innings
Tenth Inning
Jonah Giblin was the fifth pitcher of the evening for the maroon and gold, recording a quick few outs. However, Minnesota was able to connect on two out home run and they regained the 7-6 advantage. Giblin fanned the next batter and wrapped the inning with the Sun Devils in need of a run to keep them alive.
Isaiah Jackson led the inning off with a base knock, immediately followed by a Jax Ryan bunt. Ryan evaded the first basemens tag and slid into the bag safely, with Jackson advancing to third to put runners on the corners with nobody out. Josiah Cromwick got plunked on the very next pitch, resulting in the bases loaded with no outs for the Sun Devils. Despite the chance, the Sun Devils left them loaded and dropped this one, 7-6.
QUOTABLES
Head Coach Willie Bloomquist
Opening statement
“Had our chances. We just gotta turn the page and be ready to go tomorrow. You have 12 hours to forget about this one and be ready to turn the page and be ready to go tomorrow. We had plenty of chances to win that game. Instead of trying too hard, try less. I think guys are just really, really wanting to be the guy to finish it off instead of just taking what the game gives you. Relax and trust your confidence and your preparation in that situation. So, disappointing, obviously. We have bases loaded, nobody out, a chance to win it and tie it at the very least. (To) come away with the loss, that stings a little bit.”
On situational hitting
“Pressures on the opposing pitcher, not the hitter. Those situations, it’s just learning. Learning process, development process. These guys will learn and continue getting better throughout the year, but today we weren’t very good.”
On how to avoid tough losses
“Continue executing. I told the guys that hopefully you’re in that same situation tomorrow. I believe in these guys. They’re going to be just fine. Today stung a little bit. We had chances to win it and put it away. We just didn’t. But, you have to keep believing in yourself in those situations when you get into them. To continue believing that you’re gonna get it done. You have to want to be in those situations, period. In case you didn’t notice, we’re gonna be in dogfights every night. I think just about every game we’ve played has come down to one pitch here or there, so, get used to it. We have to be comfortable with that situation because chances are we’re going to be in a lot more of those types of games. Champions rise up in those situations and I’m confident in those guys in that locker room that they’re going to be able to do that.”
Press Release courtesy of Sun Devil Athletics – Jeremy Hawkes
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