Arizona’s (21-8, 7-3 Big 12) five two-out RBIs proved to be the difference in the contest, paced by the four-two out runs the Wildcats plated in the top of the fifth to turn a 4-1 deficit into a 5-4 lead.
The Sun Devils (20-10, 7-3 Big 12) picked up 10 hits in the contest but struggled with two outs where the Wildcats didn’t, going just 2-for-9 (.222) with one two-out RBI and stranding six baserunners.
Nu’u Contrades, Matt King and Isaiah Jackson all recorded multiple hits in the contest with King picking up his fifth-straight multi-hit game.
Ben Jacobs struck out 10 batters in 5.0 innings but a pair of free passes on a walk and hit batter after picking up two quick outs in the top of the fifth would spiral into four runs as Arizona rallied back.
Josh Butler gave the Sun Devils a chance down the stretch, closing the game with two scoreless innings after Arizona took an 8-5 lead in the seventh but the Sun Devils could not find the rally it needed to close that gap.
ASU will look to even the series tomorrow evening with first pitch scheduled for 6:35 p.m. AZT. The team will honor its 1975 College World Series team in a pregame ceremony beginning at 6:10 p.m. AZT.
TURNING POINT
With two outs on four pitches to open up the fifth inning, Jacobs looked to be in cruise control with 10 strikeouts and one walk allowed with a 4-1 advantage. But an inauspicious two out walk and hit-by-pitch gave the Wildcats life and Arizona capitalized to the tune of four-straight two-out singles to score four runs to put the rivals on top, 5-4.
BIG MOMENT
The Sun Devils had an answer in the bottom of the fifth, getting back-to-back two out doubles from Contrades and Tobias to even the score at 5-5. The death blow came in the top of the seventh as Wyatt Halvorson hung a breaking ball over the plate that was crushed for a two-run go-ahead homer to make it 7-5. Arizona tacked on an insurance run on a two-out RBI triple to make it a three-run frame with a 8-5 lead.
FINAL STRAW
ASU again had the makings of a rally in the bottom of the seventh as the first two baserunners reached on walks. But Contrades ground into a double play and Tobias ground out for the third out and ASU was unable to capitalize. Six of the next seven batters in the final frames were retired as the Sun Devils couldn’t manage another rally down the stretch.
Ben Jacobs took the mound for the Sun Devils for his eighth start of the season. He kicked off the inning, striking out the leadoff hitter three pitches. Jacobs gave up a solo home run to left field, giving Arizona an early 1-0 lead, but was able to settle in and retire the next two batters.
After a Kyle Walker flyout to start the inning, Landon Hairston walked and Nu’u Contrades drove him in with a double down the right field line, tying the game 1-1. Jacob Tobias grounded out and Brandon Comptonstruck out to end the inning.
Second Inning
The Sun Devil bats went quietly in the second, going down in 1-2-3 fashion.Third Inning
In his third inning on the mound, Jacobs picked up a flyout and a strikeout before issuing a 2-out single and a walk. He worked around the two baserunners, picking up his seventh strikeout of the game to end the scoreless inning.
A Walker double, followed by a Hairston single put another run on the board for the Devils. Contrades flew out, then Hairston was caught stealing to end the inning.
Fourth Inning
The Wildcats created some traffic on the base paths after a few hits, putting runners at second and third. Jacobs remained cool, calm and collected as the southpaw struck out the final two Wildcat hitters to escape the jam.
A walk of Jacob Tobias opened up the inning, where he later found his way to third after a Matt King base knock. Isaiah Jackson drove in Tobias, shooting a grounder through the 5-6 hole to put the Sun Devils up 3-1. Kien Vu extended the lead with a bunt single that snuck by everyone in the infield to make it 4-1 and chase Arizona starter Collin McKinney out of the ballgame. The inning ended in a blink as Brody Briggs and Isaiah Jackson fell victim to a strike ’em out, throw’ em out double play to end the fourth.
Fifth Inning
Jacobs got the first two outs quickly, but then ran into trouble. A walk, hit-by-pitch, and dead-ball single loaded the bases for the Wildcats, who cashed in with a two-run single, cutting ASU’s lead to 4-3. Two consecutive singles brought in two more runs for Arizona, giving them a 5-4 lead. Briggs picked off the runner at second for the final out of the inning.
With two outs, Contrades doubled off the left field wall, and Tobias doubled down the right field line to tie the game. Compton then grounded out to second to end the inning.
Sixth Inning
Wyatt Halvorson was the first man out of the pen for the Sun Devils. Halvorson struck out the leadoff man, however, he reached first by way of a dropped third strike wild pitch. A couple of groundouts advanced the runner to third, where he would advance nowhere further as the threat ended on a flyout to center.
Isaiah Jackson collected his second hit of the evening with a double down the right field line to put a runner in scoring position early. The Sun Devils couldn’t cash in after a pair of strikeouts closed out the sixth.
Seventh Inning
After a quick strikeout, Halvorson gave up a single to center, followed by a two-run shot to right field, giving the Wildcats a 7-5 lead. The next batter flew out to right for the second out. Halvorson then gave up a double and a triple, allowing Arizona to score another run. Compton and Contrades then teamed up to throw out the batter trying to make it an inside-the-park home run, ending the inning.
ASU opened the seventh with back-to-back walks, but were unable to cash in, as Contrades grounded into a double play, and Tobias grounded out to second to end the inning.
Eighth Inning
Josh Butler toed the rubber for the eighth, picking up a strikeout while working a scoreless half to keep things within striking distance.
The Sun Devil bats couldn’t capitalize after a Matt King single as Isaiah Jackson and Kien Vu went down on strikes to end the eighth.
Ninth Inning
Butler came back out to pitch the ninth, and after giving up a leadoff single, got a fielder’s choice groundout, strike out, and fly out to end the inning and send the Devils back to the plate for the final time.
Briggs struck out to open the frame, and Walker popped out to shallow center. Hairston grounded out to second base, ending the game.
QUOTABLE
Head Coach Willie Bloomquist
On how to flush the loss and move on to tomorrow
“That’s what we’re gonna have to do. We didn’t play poorly tonight. We left a couple of pitches over the plate that they didn’t miss and the only really glaring thing is just that the two out focus there in the fifth inning. We had a couple outs on 4 pitches there and Benny walked a guy and hit a guy, and that kind of started a little rally for them. Other than that, we played clean defense for the most part, and had good at bats for the most part. It just was one of those nights that they scored more runs than we did, and unfortunately against them, you don’t like to hear that and I certainly don’t like to hear that and swallow it, but it is what it is. We have to turn the page and come back ready to play tomorrow. I thought our intensity was good tonight. No problem with that. We came ready to play. We just got beat tonight, so we’ll be back at it tomorrow.”
On Ben Jacobs outing
“I thought he was throwing the ball outstanding up until that two out in the fifth. I don’t know if he lost a little bit of focus there or what happened, but he walked center fielder Walton there and then hit Mason White – a kid that we’ve pitched pretty tough. That was kind of the one that stung a little bit because he had had his number the previous two at bats. Then let him get on base and Guzman’s been seeing the ball obviously really big right now, so he kind of continued that rally and just came back to bite us.”
On fan support over this season
“Extremely entertaining games and they’re a lot of fun. Both teams are playing hard, our guys are playing hard. (The) teams we played past several weeks, everyone comes in here and gives us their best effort and they’re fun baseball games. The fan support has been tremendous and we’re obviously very appreciative of it and then hope they continue coming out and supporting us and seeing good baseball.. I mean this is very meaningful baseball for us and obviously who we’re playing.I don’t think you’re going to get as much care factor really anywhere in this region about people that care more about winning a baseball game than these two teams that are playing out here today. So it’s intense, it’s meaningful, it matters to us, it matters to these kids, and it’s intense baseball. The crowds have come out and supported it. So, hopefully they continue. It’s great to have them out.”
Press Release courtesy of Sun Devil Athletics – Jeremy Hawkes
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