ASU (20-11, 7-4 Big 12) had the winning run at the plate in the ninth and the tying runs on the basepath with two outs in the ninth but couldn’t complete the two-out rally.
The late inning rally salvaged an otherwise lackluster day for the Sun Devil offense, which entered the final frame trailing 5-1 with just five hits. ASU was unable to solve Arizona (22-8, 8-3) starter Owen Kramkowski, who went 8.2 innings with just three runs allowed. Jacob Tobias and Nu’u Contrades each had two hits in the effort.
Jack Martinez had a career-high 12 strikeouts and posted a season-high 7.0 innings of work, keeping ASU in striking distance throughout with a three-run sixth representing his only real blemish of the game. Will Koger and Sean Fitzpatrick each had scoreless frames down the stretch to at least give the Sun Devils a chance in the final frame.
ASU will look to salvage the series tomorrow at 5 p.m. AZT on a nationally televised game on ESPN.
TURNING POINT
The Sun Devil offense was sluggish for six innings before breaking through with its first run in the seventh inning. By that point, Arizona had steadily added to its lead to take a 5-0 advantage through the seventh-inning stretch.
BIG MOMENT
Jack Martinez was largely efficient throughout the game but the one crooked number against him in the sixth inning would prove to be the difference. Holding on to a 2-0 lead, Martinez couldn’t escape a jam with two runners in scoring position and one out as Arizona poked one over Brandon Compton’s head for a two-RBI triple that was followed by another RBI single, turning a manageable lead into a much tough hill to climb late in the contest.
FINAL STRAW
The Sun Devil bats started to make their push in the ninth, tagging Kramkowski for two runs on four hits while bringing the potential game-winning run to the plate with two-outs. The Wildcats turned to junior Tony Pluta, who won the back-and-forth battle with Josiah Cromwick with a strikeout to end the game.
INNING BY INNING
First Inning
The Wildcats landed the first blow on a leadoff home run. Jack Martinez responded by retiring the next three hitters to close his first inning of work.
Kyle Walker led off the Devils side of the frame with a base knock, but a perfect Arizona defensive shift led to Landon Hairston grounding into a double play. Nu’u Contrades would ground out as the inning concluded.
Second Inning
Arizona led off with a single, and the runner at first attempted a steal with one out. However, he was caught stealing after a great throw by Josiah Cromwick. A strikeout from Martinez ended the top half.
Jacob Tobias started the bottom half with a single, but the Sun Devils were unable to capitalize after a double play and groundout.
Third Inning
Martinez worked a 1-2-3 inning in just nine pitches while adding two strikeouts along the way. The Wildcats remained in front, 1-0.
Kien Vu reached on a two-out single, but that would be the lone base runner for the Sun Devils as Kyle Walker grounded out to conclude the third.
Fourth Inning
Martinez was efficient in the fourth and retired the side in order including two strikeouts.
With two outs, Tobias smacked a double to left field. Nothing came of it though as Brandon Compton flew out to end the inning.
Fifth Inning
The Wildcats tacked on another after a two-out opposite field home run. Martinez picked up his eighth strikeout of the evening to wrap up the top half of the fifth, while his team trailed 2-0.
The Sun Devils remained quiet on the offensive side of things, going down in 1-2-3 fashion to close the fifth.
Sixth Inning
A leadoff double and a walk placed runners at the corners with one out for Arizona. After a steal of second, both runners were in scoring position. Those runners came home on a triple which increased the Wildcat lead to 4-0. An RBI single made it 5-0, but Martinez prevented further damage.
ASU went down 1-2-3 in the bottom of the sixth.
Seventh Inning
Martinez returned to the bump as he struck out the side to pick up his 12th strikeout of the night, which would mark a new career high. Arizona remained ahead, 5-0.
Nu’u Contrades extended his on base streak to all 31 games of the season with a leadoff double. He would come around to score on a Brandon Compton RBI groundout to get the Sun Devils on the board. The inning concluded with the Wildcats ahead, 5-1.
Eighth Inning
Will Koger entered the game to pitch for ASU. Even though Arizona had a runner at third with two outs, Koger induced a groundout to conclude the top half.
Kien Vu got on base after working a walk with two outs, but Kyle Walker struck out looking to end the inning.
Ninth Inning
Sean Fitzpatrick took the ball for the ninth inning. Despite Arizona having runners on the corners with two outs, Fitzpatrick staved off the Wildcats to keep the deficit at four runs.
Contrades gave ASU life with a one-out single. Contrades then stole second with two outs, and he came around to score when Compton hit a RBI single. Matt King and Isaiah Jackson followed with two more singles, and suddenly the Sun Devils were only down 5-3 with the winning run at the plate. Despite the valiant effort, Cromwick struck out swinging to end the game.
QUOTABLE
Head Coach Willie Bloomquist
On his overall takeaways from this game
“Not much good. I think the only bright spot for me was the fact that we didn’t quit in the ninth and brought the tying run to first base and had a chance to win it. But other than that it was very dismal on the offensive side of things.”
On the game plan going into the game
“We had a pretty good plan going in, we just didn’t execute very well. We had some hits, but we just weren’t able to string anything together. As soon as we got a base runner, we eliminated it with a double play. There were some hard hit balls and they made some nice plays. The shortstop made several nice plays, and there were potential base hits that he turned into outs. But overall offensively we were pretty flat for the most part.”
On the outing from Jack Martinez
“When he’s working ahead and using his fastball and not nibbling, he’s pretty dang good. He gave up some runs today and got touched up there in the fifth, but he was throwing the ball pretty well for the most part.”
Pitching Coach Jeremy Accardo
On overall pitching performance
“I thought they all attacked well. Our goal is to go out there and throw strikes and give our team a chance to win. You saw that right there. We had the winning run at the plate at the end and as a pitching staff and as kind of our motto is to give ourselves a chance to win. Last two days have been tough, one crooked one in an inning kind of sealed the deal. It wasn’t always self-inflicted. Sometimes they’re making good swings, sometimes you tip your cap, but we limited free passes. We went right at guys, a couple of missed spots ended up going over the fence, and that could just as easily swing the other way for us. So I think the toughest part is for us to show up every day, ready to go and keep attacking. We’re a good enough team that’ll show and this will just be something that sharpens us up for the rest of this run.”
On Jack Martinez’s poise
“I think he’s one of the better students of the game. I think he pays attention, he uses his misses, he knows what his stuff does. That’s what we teach here. And he feels his way through it. He knows what it’s supposed to feel like and what it is and what he needs to do. He knows that he’s not gonna throw back to back balls poorly, so he’s ok and throwing anything in any count. He’s paying attention. He’s looking at the chart with us. We’re obviously doing our homework. He’s doing his. A lot of Marty’s game is his feel inside of him, and I can’t be there in there. I think along with them and we discussed it in between innings, but he’s a damn good pitcher, and we’re lucky to have him. He gave us a chance to win. We went down with the winning run at the home plate. That game could have easily been where we just lay down and let them stomp all over us, but we didn’t. So, again, focusing on the positives is tough in these types of situations, but sometimes it’s good to look at those as well as the negatives.”
Up Next
Arizona
4/6/2025 | 5 p.m.
Press Release courtesy of Sun Devil Athletics – Jeremy Hawkes
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