As the lightning danced in the distance to the north over the Papago Mountains, ASU (21-21, 11-11 Pac-12) erupted for 12 runs on 15 hits with four homers, a double and a triple, jumping out to a 9-0 lead through five and never looking back.
Ben Jacobs had the best start of his collegiate career on the mound, punching out a career-best 11 batters in a career-high 6.1 innings of work while allowing just a single run on a wind-aided solo shot in the sixth inning.
The Sun Devil bats did the rest, putting up a five-spot in the second inning and scoring in four-straight frames to put the game out of reach. Isaiah Jackson, Jacob Tobias, Ryan Campos and Steven Ondina all homered, with Jackson going 4-for-4 on the night and Campos 3-for-5. Ondina led the way with three RBIs, all coming on his second homer of the season and second hit of the night in the eighth. Campos, Nick McLain and Mario Demeraall added two RBIs as well on a night where every Sun Devl starter got a hit and seven recorded an RBI.
TURNING POINT
The Sun Devils continued to score early and often, this time unleashing five runs in the bottom of the second. Jacob Tobias led off the frame with a solo shot to get the scoring started. A double from Brandon Compton and one-out single from Isaiah Jackson put runners on the corners and Mario Demera plated another run with a sac fly to make it 2-0. Steven Ondina legged out an infield single right off the pitcher and Ryan Campos plated another run with his RBI single. After a Vu walk, McLain brought two more across with a single of his own to make it 5-0 and that was all she wrote as ASU cruised from there.
BIG MOMENT
Ben Jacobs was electric throughout the start as he moved to 5-2 on the season. The sophomore struck out a career-high 11 batters, with the highlight of those coming in the fifth inning. With runners on the corners and no outs, Jacobs struck out the side to leave both runners right where he left them and keeping ASU on top, 8-0. Jacobs scattered seven hits throughout the night but held USC’s dangerous lefties to just 2-for-12 hitting while he was in the game en route to his career-high 6.1 innings of one-run ball.
FINAL STRAW
Matt Tieding handled the back end of the game and did so valiantly, tossing 2.2 scoreless innings of relief to save the ASU bullpen for the remainder of the series. Ondina put the exclamation point on the evening with a no-doubt three run shot in the bottom of the eighth to make it a 12-1 game and give ASU its fourth long ball of the night – the most allowed by USC in a game this season.
INNING BY INNING
First Inning
Jacobs made quick work of the first two batters with a pair of strikeouts before a tough luck on a mile-high pop-up that got lost in the wind stream and dropped for an infield single. Demera made a nice diving stab at the hot corner to record the final out and a scoreless frame for ASU. Vu put a good swing on one in the bottom half of the frame but the left fielder made a nice play in the gap to rob extra bases as ASU went down in order.
Second Inning
Jacobs worked around a one-out seeing eye single, stranding the runner at second with his third strikeout of the game. The Sun Devils erupted for five runs in the bottom half, batting around the order starting with a leadoff oppo taco from Tobias. A double from Compton and one out single from Jackson put runners on the corners and Demera plated another one with a sac fly to make it 2-0. Ondina legged out an infield single right off the pitcher and Campos plated another run with his RBI single. After a Vu walk, McLain brought two more across with a single of his own to make it 5-0. ASU tried to tack on another as Vu tried to score on a wild pitch but a nice play was made at the plate with the catcher getting it back to the pitcher covering home to end the frame but the damage was done.
Third Inning
Jacobs struck out the side to give him six in the early going. ASU wasn’t done scoring as Tobias drew a leadoff walk and scored on Mendoza’s triple. Jackson reached on another mile high infield single and Demera plated his second RBI with a single up to middle. A tough check-swing straight to the pitcher led to an inning ending double play but not before ASU had made it 7-0.
Fourth Inning
The Sun Devil defense giveth but taketh away in the frame after allowing a two-base error to lead off the frame and a one-out single put runners on the corners. USC made the mistake of challenging McLain’s arm on a shallow fly ball, however, and the right fielder easily hosed down the runner for an inning ending double play to keep USC off the board. Campos led off the frame with his ninth homer of the year to chase the USC starter with an 8-0 lead. Vu singled past the shortstop but was thrown out trying to stretch it to two and the next two batters went down in order to end the frame.
Fifth Inning
Jacobs had runners on the corners with no outs and was unfazed, striking out the next three batters to give him ten on the night and keep USC off the board. Jackson added to the hit and homer parade with a two-out opposite field shot to make it 9-0.
Sixth Inning
The shutout ended with a one-out solo shot to center field but Jacobs got the final two outs, including his 11th strikeout of the game. The Sun Devils went down in order, keeping it 9-1.
Seventh Inning
Jacobs’ day came to an end with a fielder’s choice as he got through a career-best 6.1 innings of work and his first career quality start. Matt Tieding got the final two outs of the frame, stranding an inherited runner to maintain Jacobs’ solid line. The Sun Devils went down in order for the second straight frame.
Eighth Inning
Tieding worked around a two-out walk, the first walk of the night, but got a nice play out of Jackson in center on a hard struck ball for the final out of the frame. Jackson notched his fourth hit of the night with one out and Demera followed with a single and Ondina capped off the huge offensive evening with a three-run bomb to make it 12-1.
Ninth Inning
USC got a runner on with two outs on an infield single but Ondina made a nice play in the hole and a throw across his body for the final out and ASU’s fourth-straight win.
ON DECK
The Sun Devils will look to claim their second-straight series tomorrow with first pitch against the Trojans scheduled for 6:30 p.m. AZT at Phoenix Municipal Stadium. The game will be available through the ASU Live Stream.
Press Release courtesy of Sun Devil Athletics – Jeremy Hawkes
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