Landon Hairston collected eight RBIs in a massive performance that included a solo home run and a grand slam as the Sun Devils won 14-4
(Phoenix, AZ) The Landon Hairston show was in full effect on Friday night at Phoenix Municipal Stadium as No. 22 Sun Devil Baseball’s super sophomore paced Arizona State to a 14-4 rout over 17th-ranked West Virginia in eighth innings.
Hairston notched eight RBIs – tied for fourth in program single-game history – and recorded his nation-leading and school record-tying fourth grand slam of the season. He also added a highlight reel, full-extension diving catch in left that kept West Virginia from climbing back into the contest to cap off one of the loudest statement games by a single player across college baseball this season.
The grand slam was one of two homers by Hairston on the night, a feat also matched by Nu’u Contrades in his second game back in the starting lineup after being sidelined with a hamstring injury for three weeks. The duo led the Sun Devils (20-6, 5-2 Big 12) to West Virginia’s (17-5, 5-2 Big 12) first run-rule defeat since the policy was adopted into college baseball over the last couple seasons.
Hairston’s ability to plate runners was facilitated largely in part by exceptional at-bats from the bottom of the Sun Devil order. ASU’s 5 through 8 batters went 8-for-15 with nine runs scored, constantly getting on base so the top of the lineup could bring them home.
Cole Carlon mustered through 4.1 innings against the diligent WVU lineup, striking out seven and walking just one. Taylor Penn spelled Carlon in the fifth and earned his fourth victory of the season, allowing just one run with three strikeouts and no walks while scattering five hits over 2.2 innings.
Photo – Sun Devil Athletics
Turning point
With Carlon laboring a bit in the fourth inning and facing runners on second and third with just one out and WVU holding a 2-1 advantage and looking to extend it. Carlon induced a comeback nubber and successfully looked off the runner at third to keep him there and threw over for the force at first for the second out. The Mountaineers had some confusion on the basepath, forcing the runner at third to attempt to come home and Smaldino threw a dart to Briggs for an easy out and double play at the plate to get out of the inning unscathed. Nu’u Contrades took advantage of that moment immediately in the top of the fourth with a leadoff game-tying solo homer that turned the tides of the game.
Big moment
The Sun Devils weren’t done in the fourth as Roellig and Michel singled and then Brody Briggshard arguably the plate appearance of the game, as he fouled off multiple two-strike pitches in a 10-pitch at-bat that resulted in a base-loading walk with one out that deflated the WVU starter. Ky McGary drew an RBI four-pitch walk immediately after to give ASU its first lead at 3-2. That brought Hairston to the plate for one of his numerous highlight reel moments of the game. Facing a new pitcher out of the pen, Hairston immediately went down 0-2 in the count before spitting on a ball inside in the dirt. The sophomore then got a hold of one for his ASU record-tying fourth grand slam of the season and blowing the game open to 7-2.
Final straw
West Virginia didn’t go quietly, coming back and getting a run in the top of the fifth and sixth innings and having two more runners on in each. Both times, Taylor Penn was able to strand the pair of runners on the basepath with no further damage. Also both times, the Sun Devils immediately responded by extending their lead in the bottom half of the inning and plated three runs in each to put the run rule on the table.
The big number
8 – One could select any number of numbers when it came to Landon Hairston’s effort tonight, but there was no question the sophomore put the team on his back with his eight RBIs. The total is tied for the fourth-most by an ASU player in a single game in program history. Hairston led off the game with a solo shot in the first before his majestic grand slam in the fourth. He added another RBi with the bases loaded in the fifth with WVU wanting no part of throwing it to him as he drew a four-pitch bases loaded walk. Hairston AGAIN had an opportunity with the bases loaded in the sixth, but settled for a two-RBI single to bring his total up to eight. Hairston already has 42 RBI this season – surpassing his SEASON total of 37 a year ago. Hairston entered the night already leading the country for RBIs as a leadoff batter in the lineup with his 34 before tonight three more than Virginia’s Eric Becker.
Photo – Sun Devil Athletics
Inning by inning
First inning
Cole Carlon started the night on the mound for the Sun Devils, giving up a leadoff walk followed by an RBI double. Carlon was able to get out of the inning without any further damage following a sac bunt and two strikeouts leaving the Mountaineers up 1-0.
Landon Hairston started off with a bang after hitting a leadoff home run to tie the game. Despite reaching on a walk and advancing to second base on a groundout, Dean Toigo was thrown out trying to score on a single from Austen Roellig.
Second inning
West Virginia opened the inning with a double to right field as the runner was able to quickly advance to third on an error. The runner came in to score on an RBI single, giving the Mountaineers a 2-1 lead. The frame ended after two strikeouts and a fielder’s choice.
After a quick strikeout and flyout, Brody Briggs worked a two-out walk, but was left stranded on a groundout from Ky McGary.
Third inning
Following back-to-back strikeouts to open the inning, West Virginia put runners on the corners with two consecutive singles. Carlon was able to escape the jam with his third strikeout of the frame.
The Sun Devils couldn’t get anything going in the bottom of the third.
Fourth inning
West Virginia was able to work runners on base following back-to-back singles. Both runners advanced into scoring position on a wild pitch. Arizona State was able to end the frame without any runs scored after a strikeout and double play.
Nu’u Contrades drilled a leadoff home run to open the bottom of the fourth for the Sun Devils. Roellig followed up with a single, Dominic Smaldino singled, and back-to-back walks for Brody Briggs and Ky McGary put the Devils up 3-2. Landon Hairston then crushed his second home run of the night, a grand slam to deep right field to give Arizona State a 7-2 lead. Two strikeouts ended the frame.
Fifth inning
Carlon returned to the mound for ASU where he secured a fly out. After giving up a single, he was relieved by Taylor Penn. West Virginia scored on a double to right field to make the score 7-3 before reaching base on a hit by pitch. Runners reached first and third on a fielder’s choice before striking out swinging to end the frame.
Contrades opened the fifth with his second home run in as many innings, making it an 8-3 ballgame. Michel got aboard with a one-out hit by pitch, and after a Brody Briggs single and a Ky McGary hit by pitch, Hairston walked in a run to extend the lead to six. PJ Moutzouridis then walked in another run to make it 10-3. Toigo then struck out for the third out.
Sixth inning
Penn remained in the game for Arizona State. The first batter flew out to right before a runner reached on a double. Penn got the second out via a flyout, but a double to left allowed West Virginia to score a run to cut it to 10-4. A single put runners on the corners, but both were stranded as Hairston made a run-saving diving catch in left center for the third out.
Following a strikeout, the Sun Devils put runners on the corners with singles from Roellig and Michel. The bases were loaded after Smaldino was hit by a pitch and a run was scored on a wild pitch. Briggs walked to re-load the bases, and after McGary struck out, West Virginia brought in a new pitcher, who was greeted by a two-run single from Hairston. Moutzouridis walked, then Toigo grounded out to end the inning.
Seventh inning
Penn struck out the first two batters before giving up a single, but was able to leave the runner stranded on a groundout.
A new pitcher came in for the Mountaineers, who got two quick groundouts and a strikeout for the scoreless seventh.
Eighth inning
Finn Edwards entered the game for ASU, striking out the first two batters. Despite issuing a walk, the Mountaineers were sent down via fly out.
Smaldino and Briggs got aboard with singles to put runners at the corners, and Hairston was intentionally walked to load the bases. Smaldino scored on a sac fly by Moutzouridis to end the game 14-4.
Photo – Sun Devil Athletics
Quotables
Head Coach Willie Bloomquist
Opening Statement
“For a 10 run run-rule, that certainly didn’t feel like it. That was a grueling game. That’s a good team over there that grinds out a lot of good at-bats, but our guys battled today and grinded out at-bats as well. Came up with big hits. (Cole) Carlon wasn’t as sharp as he normally is, but again, tip your hat to those guys. They made him work for every single pitch that he threw and had a really good two strike approach against him today. Taylor Penn, outstanding job. I don’t know if people really realize how long he had been hot in that game, all the way from the top of the fourth inning until he came out and had a lot of long innings from our offense where he had to sit and regroup and come back out and fire back up again. So hats off to T Penn for doing a phenomenal job and staying locked in as long as he did. Offensively, that was one of the better approaches we’ve had all year long. I thought from top to bottom, guys just grinding out at bats, getting base runners, putting pressure on West Virginia to make pitching decisions and moves and then, of course, the big hits. Landon (Hairston), we can talk about him all night, if you want, but he just continues to swing the bat great. (Nu’u) Contrades, nice to have him back in the lineup, doing his thing. Just overall, top to bottom, a great performance. Hairston doesn’t get up there with guys on base if the guys at the bottom lineup aren’t doing their job and getting on base. So hats off to those guys too. And just overall, a real exciting, fun game and a big win for our guys.”
On batting around in three consecutive innings
“It becomes an expectation, but they (West Virginia) have some really good arms over there. It’s not like we’re doing this against chumps. These dudes are there running it up there, and they got good sync, they got good breaking balls. But hopefully it’s an indication of when they stick with their approach, or we stick with what we’re trying to do, that we can wear really good arms down and put base runners on base and give us opportunities to score runs. Tonight was, with the competition that we faced tonight, the best approach we’ve had top to bottom throughout a game all year long. Hopefully we can build on it and keep going forward.”
Up next
The Sun Devils continue the series against No. 17 West Virginia on Saturday with a first pitch scheduled for 6:35 p.m. MST. The game will be streamed live via ESPN+
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