(Las Vegas, NV) For the ninth time under Sun Devil Baseball head coach Willie Bloomquist, Arizona State rallied from a deficit of five or more runs en route to a hard-fought 10-9 victory over UNLV on Monday evening at Las Vegas Ballpark.
The Sun Devils gave up a pick-six right out the gates, falling into a 6-1 hole in the first before recording an out and coming out of the frame trailing 7-1.
But while the bullpen stymied the UNLV offense, ASU slowly picked away at the lead, putting up two runs in the fourth and fifth and a matchstick in the eighth to get back within 7-6 before exploding for four runs in the ninth inning to take a 10-7 lead and bounced back from a two-run homer in the ninth to hold on for the victory.
Ryan Campos recorded two hits, a solo homer and the go-ahead two-RBI single in the ninth for a three RBI day. Brandon Compton was 3-for-5 with two doubles and a home for a four RBI day – including a two-RBI insurance double in the ninth.
Forced into action early, the Sun Devil bullpen combination of Adam Behrens, Jonah Giblin, Cole Carlon, Josh Butler and Ben Jacobs didn’t give up a single earned run from the first out of the first inning until the first out of the ninth inning, tossing 8.1 scoreless innings before the two-run homer in the ninth. Giblin was especially impressive in the middle innings as the Sun Devils came back, tossing 3.0 scoreless innings with four strikeouts and no walks.
TURNING POINT
Things looked tough early after the Sun Devils fell into a 7-1 hole after the first inning. But the Sun Devil bullpen was absolutely dominant to give ASU a chance to pick away at the lead. Adam Behrens and Jonah Giblin tossed 3.0 innings each, with Behrens calming the waters after being forced into action in the first inning and not allowing an earned run in the process. Giblin spun three more scoreless innings with four strikeouts and no walks while stranding four. A pair of two-out, two run homers while Giblin was dealing brought ASU back within 7-5 and set the stage for the late rally.
BIG MOMEN
After ASU pushed a run across in the eighth to get back within 7-6, Ben Jacobs inherited a runner at third with one out and stranded him there with a strikeout and flyout. The Sun Devils picked up their pitchers in the ninth, starting with a pair of leadoff walks in the ninth from Kien Vu and Harris Williams to put the tying and go-ahead runs in scoring position with one out following a balk. With the infield play in, Ryan Campos battled a couple of two-strike foul balls before ripping a single past the outstretched glove of the Rebel second baseman to plate both runners and give ASU a 8-7 lead.
FINAL STRAW
Brandon Compton ripped his third extra-base hit of the game with two outs, a two-RBI double that gave ASU what proved to be much-needed insurance at 10-7. UNLV made it interesting with a one-out, two-run shot to get back within a run. Kevin Karstetter – who had just entered the game as a defensive replacement to start the inning – made an incredible charging play on a nub–shot slow-roller, getting the bang-bang play at first to keep the tying run off the bases and Jacobs did the rest, striking out the final batter to complete the comeback.
INNING BY INNING
First Inning
Ryan Campos notched a two-out opposite field homer to get on the board first, the first road homer of his career to give ASU an early 1-0 lead. UNLV came right back with seven hits and a walk right out the gates to make it 6-1 before the Sun Devil mercifully got an out on an outfield assist at third from Jackson. UNLV added a sac fly to make it 7-1 before ASU could get out of the inning.
Second Inning
Mendoza led off the frame with a single but the side was retired from there. Behrens worked around a one-out single with a pair of groundouts to keep the score where it was.
Third Inning
McLain ripped a ball down the right field line that looked like extra bases but was snagged on a great diving stab by the UNLV first baseman to rob him of that and make it a 1-2-3 inning for ASU. Behrens stranded a one-out double in scoring position as it remained 7-1.
Fourth Inning
Mendoza added his second hit of the day, a two-out single and Compton doinked one off the top of the fence in right center for a two-run shot to bring ASU back within 7-3. Giblin entered and again UNLV got a one-out double that was left stranded with a pair of strikeouts from the upperclassman.
Fifth Inning
Vu notched a one-out single and stole second before a flyout for the second out. A pitching mound visit went for not as McLain launched a massive two-run shot over the Hyundai Hangar in right center to bring ASU back within a pair. UNLV got a leadoff single and had two on with one outs before Kroepel, making his first collegiate appearance, made a leaping stab at a liner into center to save a run and a popout to Tobias at third got ASU out of the inning unscathed and within 7-5.
Sixth Inning
Compton got a two-out double to the wall in center but a first-pitch ground out to end the threat. UNLV led off with another single but Giblin settled in to get three flyouts before striking out the Rebel RBI leader to keep ASU within two.
Seventh Innin
Vu and Williams notched one-out infield singles to get ASU in business, moving into scoring position on a groundout. Campos gave one a ride to the warning track, but the play was made against the wall to strand the duo. Carlon entered and retired the side in order to keep the score at 7-5.
Eighth Inning
Tobias got a leadoff double down the opposite left field line and took third on a wild pitch and scored a Mendoza groundout to bring ASU within a run. Compton laced a ball to left that was snagged out of the air by a leaping shortstop to steal a base hit. Jackson was hit by a pitch but a strikeout left the tying run on the bases. A leadoff HBP, wild pitch and groundout put a runner on third with one out and brought Jacobs into the game. Jacobs got a strikeout and flyout to leave the runner there and give his team a chance in the ninth.
Ninth Inning
Vu drew a leadoff walk to put the tying run on the basepath and stole second to get into scoring position before Williams drew a walk. A strikeout put a walk on the board but a balk moved both runners into scoring position. Campos rewarded the duo with a hard-hit single past the infield playing second baseman to score both runners and give ASU its first lead of the game, 8-7. Compton followed that with a two-out, two RBI double to make it a 10-7 game. UNLV kept it interesting, getting a one-out, two-RBI homer. Kevin Karstetter made an incredible charging play at third as a defensive replacement on a number ground ball, making the throw to first to keep the tying run off the basepath. Jacobs closed it out with a swinging strikeout for the final out to seal the ASU comeback.
ON DECK
ASU will have a quick turnaround this week with Easter Sunday moving games up a day. The Sun Devils will take on Cal for the final time as a Pac-12 opponent, beginning Thursday evening at 6:30 p.m. AZT, continuing Friday at the same time and concluding Saturday at 1 p.m. All games will be available through the ASU Live Stream
Press Release courtesy of Sun Devil Athletics – Jeremy Hawkes
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