Arizona State (24-14, 10-6) scored 7 of their 10 runs in the final two innings, touching up the Texas Tech (11-22, 7-9) bullpen late in the contest. Friday night starter Ben Jacobs featured swing-and-miss stuff all evening, striking out a career-high 13 batters.
The approach of the Sun Devil offense was key, as they finished with 13 hits while striking out only two times. Home runs from Isaiah Jackson, the red-hot Matt King, and Josiah Cromwick pushed Arizona State to their 10th double digit run output of the season.
The bullpen came through with solid relief over the final three innings, led by left-handed reliever Cole Carlon. He recorded the final six outs, converting his second save of the season. The Sun Devils ended a brief two-game skid by picking up an important conference victory in front of their home faithful.
The Sun Devils will look for the series win tomorrow evening on national television with a 7 p.m. AZT first pitch on ESPN2.
TURNING POINT
What looked to be an early barnburner tied at 3-3 through the top of the third turned into a pitcher’s duel through the middle innings with the score still even at 3-3 at the seventh inning stretch. Isaiah Jackson – who had all three RBIs to that point with his three-run shot in the second – notched a full count two-out RBI single to retake the lead of the Sun Devils. Jackson then stole second and took third on an infield single. ASU executed a perfect double steal pickle to allow Jackson to take home from third and give ASU a 5-3 lead.
BIG MOMENT
Still looking for insurance in the eighth after Texas Tech closed the lead back to one, ASU delivered in a big way. Matt King continued his absurd tear over the last month with his third hit of the game – a two-run homer for his fourth home run in the last three weeks to extend the lead to 7-4. Not content with that, Josiah Cromwick blew the game open with his two-out, 0-2, three-run homer on an offspeed pitch to make it 10-4 and blow the game open.
FINAL STRAW
Cole Carlon, who had just given up his first run since March 16 in the eighth, ensured there would be no late inning drama this time as he promptly set the Red Raiders down in order in the top of the ninth for his second save in the last six days.
QUOTABLES
Head Coach Willie Bloomquist
Opening Statement
“Extremely proud of our guys and the way they bounced back. This is a tight knit group right now, which sometimes adversity does that to you, and I think we’re in a great place mentally. Benny (Ben Jacobs) gave us a good start tonight. Will Koger did a good job coming in and getting his inning to work. Carlon continues to throw the ball outstanding. Offensively, big night by Isaiah Jackson. The kid continues to battle and grind, that’s just a great kid, continues to do what he does. Matt King, he just continues to be outstanding. Josiah Cromwick, big knock there late for three-run homer. We scratched out enough runs to get the W and all around pretty good performance by our guys tonight.”
On the team playing for one another
“You’re gonna see that the rest of the year from these guys. We’re playing for nobody else other than this program and those kids in there, they deserve it. All of our staff support, my support, we are gonna continue as we’ve always done, to pour into our players. We’re gonna block out all the external noise and focus on our guys. That’s all we can do. That’s all we’ve ever done. It’s just magnified a little bit more now. I’m excited about where these next five weeks are gonna bring us. Start today. Today was step one.”
On Matt King’s offensive tear
“He’s just continued to elevate his game and continued to stay locked in. A lot of these guys are capable of doing great things. It’s just a matter of can you prolong the good stretches and that’s what he’s doing. Kids just playing outstanding on both sides of the ball.”
INNING BY INNING
First Inning
Ben Jacobs came out the gates red hot as he struck out the side to set the tone early and often.
The Sun Devils had a very up-and-down first frame. Kyle Walker led things off with a single and swiped second base for an early scoring chance. He was then picked off at second for the first out. Matt Kingremained one of the most locked in hitters on the planet as he laced yet another single to get ASU back in business. Jacob Tobias got plunked to reach first and the inning ended shortly after with a strikeout of Nu’u Contrades.
Second Inning
Jacobs returned to the mound and once again struck out the side in dominant fashion. Jacobs struck out all six batters he faced to open up the contest.
Brandon Compton and Kien Vu both reached base on infield singles to start the bottom half. After a sacrifice bunt from Josiah Cromwick put runners in scoring position, Isaiah Jackson homered to give the Sun Devils a 3-0 lead. Two groundouts followed to end the inning.
Third Inning
Texas Tech found the answer to Jacobs for the first time of the evening. The Red Raiders scattered three extra-base knocks to eventually plate three runners and even up the score at 3-3. Jacobs stopped the bleeding in fitting fashion, recording his eighth strikeout in just three innings to end the threat.
The Sun Devils bats had a trio of loud outs as King, Tobias and Contrades all retired on lengthy flyouts to go down in 1-2-3 fashion.
Fourth Inning
While the first batter for Texas Tech reached base on a throwing error, no damage was done as Jacobs returned to form.
For the second-straight inning, Arizona State went down in order.
Fifth Inning
Jacobs remained steady as he picked up another pair of punchouts. Texas Tech mustered a single but Jacobs was able to record a flyout to end the top half of the fifth.
Isaiah Jackson picked up his second knock of the evening, but Kyle Walker rolled into a 4-6-3 double play to quickly erase that momentum. Landon Hairston smoked a liner right at the Tech third basemen to wrap up the fifth.
Sixth Inning
Jacobs punched out the first two batters en route to a 1-2-3 inning.
King led off the inning with a single, his second hit of the night. However, Tobias lined out and Contrades grounded into a double play that ended the inning.
Seventh Inning
Jacobs’ night came to a close as Will Koger was the first man out of the pen for the Sun Devils. Koger picked up right where Jacobs left off, recording a pair of strikeouts and stranding the lone base runner to reach via single. The score remained 3-3 heading into the home side of the seventh.
Kien Vu drew a one-out walk and then made way to second after Josiah Cromwick grounded out. Once again it was Isaiah Jackson stepping up for the Devils. Jackson recorded his third hit of the night, as he poked a single to drive in Vu to make it 4-3. Kyle Walker later reached on a hit to put runners on the corners. The Sun Devils then executed a perfect delayed steal that saw Texas Tech bite on Walker’s attempt while Jackson raced home to score. Walker was tagged out after the run was plated, which brought the score to 5-3.
Eighth Inning
Cole Carlon entered to pitch for the Sun Devils. The lefty struck out the first batter he faced but walked the next after a 10-pitch at-bat. After the runner stole second, Carlon gave up an RBI single with two outs as Texas Tech got within a run. The 5-4 lead was preserved after the Red Raiders grounded out to end the top half.
Landon Hairston kicked off the bottom half with a single, then Matt King smashed a majestic home run into the night sky to extend ASU’s lead to 7-4. With one out, Nu’u Contrades singled and advanced to second on a fielding error. After Brandon Compton walked, Contrades stole third and Compton took second to set up both runners in scoring position. With two outs, Josiah Cromwick walloped the second home run of the inning to stretch the Sun Devil lead to 10-4. A fly out by Isaiah Jackson concluded the productive inning.
Ninth Inning
Carlon returned for the ninth and worked a 1-2-3 inning to slam the door on Texas Tech to secure the 10-4 victory.
Press Release courtesy of Sun Devil Athletics – Danny Sullivan and Sam Valenti
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