ASU (15-8, 3-2 Big 12) was unable to overcome a rare off night from starter Jack Martinez while also being unable to capitalize on its scoring opportunities late in the game. Kansas’ (18-5, 3-2 Big 12) five-run third inning would prove to be the difference with four of those runs coming with two outs. Conversely, ASU was 1-for-9 with two outs on the evening and 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position.
Kyle Walker extended his team-best hitting streak to 11 games with a 2-for-3 outing and an RBI. Brandon Compton recorded his fifth homer of the year on a two-run shot in the third.
Josh Butler came out of the bullpen and kept ASU in the game after the team fell behind 6-0 after the top of the third and 7-3 after the fourth. Butler tossed 4.0 innings of hitless ball against the potent Kansas offense, walking just one batter and striking out three.
ASU will look to claim its second series to open the Big 12 conference season by way of winning a Sunday rubber match tomorrow with first pitch scheduled for 1 p.m. AZT.
TURNING POINT
Jack Martinez was uncharacteristically behind in counts and struggled to put batters away with his normal flair, a matter that would hurt the senior transfer in the third inning of the game. Martinez gave up a sac fly that made it 2-0 but picked up a strikeout to get one out away from a fairly harmless matchstick frame. But a two-out RBI single and three-run homer would follow that, giving Kansas a 6-0 lead that the Sun Devils would be able to overcome.
BIG MOMENT
With Josh Butler shoving and keeping ASU within four runs down the stretch, the Sun Devils had their best opportunity to make a dent in the lead with a leadoff double from Kyle Walker and a one-out HBP by Nu’u Contrades to put two runners on with one out and finally facing the KU bullpen after struggling to solve starter Kannon Carr all night. The opportunity was squandered as ASU attempted to advance both baserunners on a Jacob Tobias flyout to left field and Walker was thrown out at third for an inning ending double play.
FINAL STRAW
ASU tried to mount one final rally in the ninth, getting back-to-back one-out singles from Isaiah Jackson and Josiah Cromwick to stay in business. Landon Hairston put together a gutty at bat before striking out on a full count pitch and Brody Briggs popped out on the first pitch he saw to end the threat and complete the ASU defeat.
PLAYER OF THE GAME
Josh Butler entered the game in the fifth inning with the Sun Devils trailing 7-3 and kept that deficit exactly there for his 4.0 innings of work. Kansas recorded just one walk against Butler, the only baserunner he would allow en route to three strikeouts and no hits. Butler lowered his ERA to 3.18 in the process for the season and he has yet to give up a run in 5.1 innings of Big 12 play.
INNING BY INNING
First Inning
Martinez took the mound for the Sun Devils in his sixth start. He gave up a leadoff walk, but was able to settle in, picking up two strikeouts and a fly out to close out the scoreless top of the first.
The Sun Devils couldn’t get anything started, going down in order.
Second Inning
Martinez initially struggled to kick off the second inning, giving up a single home run to left field. He remained poised under pressure and was able to send the Jayhawks back to the dugout with one man stranded on second. The Sun Devils trailed 1-0, with Jacob Tobias set to step up to the plate.
The offense wasn’t able to deliver, leaving a man stranded at first.
Third Inning
The Kansas batters continued pressuring Martinez, as they tacked on another run, courtesy of a sacrifice fly. The Jayhawks kept pouring it on, adding a run on a few hits and a three-run home run to make it 6-0 Kansas. Martinez was able to end the inning with his fifth strikeout of the game.
The Sun Devils got a run back after Landon Hairston and Brody Briggs each singled, and Kyle Walker drove in Hairston with a sacrifice fly. Brandon Compton followed it up with a two-run shot to right center, cutting Kansas’ lead to 6-3. Nu’u Contrades grounded out and Jacob Tobias struck out to end the inning.
Fourth Inning
The Jayhawks continued to deliver on offense, connecting on a double down the right-field line to bring in a runner to make it 7-3. Martinez stayed the course and managed to close out the frame for the Sun Devils.
The Sun Devils were retired in a 1-2-3 fashion.
Fifth Inning
Josh Butler was the first man out of the bullpen for ASU, relieving Martinez. He retired the side easily on a flyout to left, a ground ball out to third, and a strikeout, keeping Kansas’ lead to 7-3.
ASU again struggled to get anything going. Kyle Walker had a 2-out single, narrowly beating out the throw, but Compton grounded out to second to end the inning.
Sixth Inning
Butler continued to slice and dice, retiring the Jayhawks in order. He closed out the frame with two strikeouts, totaling three on the night thus far.
After Nu’u Contrades seemed to get things going for the Sun Devils with a single to left field, the rest of the batting order were not able to capitalize on the opportunity and retired in order. Arizona State headed into the seventh inning down four runs.
Seventh Inning
Another 1-2-3 inning from Butler kept the Devils in the game, still trailing by four.
The Sun Devils continued having trouble at the plate, going down in order again.
Eighth Inning
Once again, Butler delivered on the mound and retired the Jayhawks down in order.
Kyle Walker kicked off the eighth inning with a double down the right field line to get ASU going. A costly double play determined the end of the frame, leaving the Sun Devils down 7-3 heading into the ninth.
Ninth Inning
Will Koger was the next man up for the Devils, coming in to pitch the ninth. He gave up a leadoff single, but got the first out on a sacrifice bunt to the catcher. Sean Fitzpatrick came into the game next, getting two quick outs on a flyout and a strikeout to send the game to the bottom of the ninth.
After a Matt King flyout, Jackson and Cromwick both singled, but a Landon Hairston strikeout and a Brody Briggs flyout ended the game.
QUOTABLES
Head Coach Willie Bloomquist
Opening Statement
“Was hoping to stack another good performance on top of last night. And it just just didn’t happen. Jack was uncharacteristically getting barreled a little bit tonight, I think fell behind quite a few hitters, which could have led to that. I think they picked up on something there later in the fourth. I think they might have had something on his pitches. Pretty good idea that they were relaying some signs there, and we’ll get that right, hopefully for his next start, and then clean that up. But he looked like he was making some pretty good pitches there. But just falling behind a lot of hitters, and that’s a recipe to get barreled up a little bit.”
On Butler’s relief performance
“Butler did an outstanding job just keeping it right where it was, and giving our offense an opportunity to get back in the game. We just didn’t capitalize very well offensively.”
On Kyle Walker hitting in the leadoff spot
“I said it when he was hitting .090, he was putting together great at-bats. He just wasn’t finding the holes out there. I figured it would come at some point in time, as long as he continued to put together good at-bats. And that’s all he’s done. He just stuck with his plan and really started to continue to have good at-bats, and things are starting to fall for him. So he’s been a very dynamic player up there at the top of the lineup.”
On Brandon Compton’s recent slump
“He hasn’t found his swing completely yet. He wants to do well, probably more than anybody in that clubhouse. He’s putting pressure on himself to do well, I’m trying to just kind of get him to relax. And he’s got to start earlier, right now he’s just starting a little bit late. And I don’t know if that’s just overthinking stuff or just not attacking the zones. We’re kind of letting them know how they’re going to pitch to him, and he’s got to continue to make those adjustments. But he ran into one tonight, so hopefully that maybe can get him going.”
Press Release courtesy of Sun Devil Athletics – Jeremy Hawkes
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