Josiah Cromwick was the hero yet again with a massive two-out, 0-2, bases-clearing three-RBI double in the top of the seventh inning to break open a tight ball game. Brandon Compton notched three hits and two RBIs – including one in that seventh inning to make it 8-2 – and ASU needed all of those to stave off a furious late-inning rally from the Bears.
Cromwick, Isaiah Jackson, Kyle Walker and Landon Hairston all had two hits in the contest.
Cole Carlon shook off a funky eighth inning that saw Baylor record three runs behind the likes of a jam-shot single, a wicked-hop double and an infield base knock to climb back within 8-6. Stranding the tying runs on the bases in the eighth, Carlon returned in the ninth with a vengeance and struck out the first two batters he faced before issuing a flyout on an 0-2 pitch to complete the victory.
The win marked the third time this season ASU rallied from losing a Friday opener to win a series – notable as ASU had won just one such series in the previous three seasons (Oregon State, 2023).
ASU will not have a midweek contest this week, next scheduled to take the field on Friday evening against Houston at Phoenix Municipal Stadium.
TURNING POINT
ASU held on to a slim 2-1 lead in the bottom of the fourth when Baylor put two on and one out, forcing ASU to go to the pen in favor of Derek Schaefer. Schaefer got a quickly strikeout but quickly found himself in a critical moment in the game after an error on an easy grounder at first loaded the bases. An appeal on a check swing did not go ASU’s way on what could have been an inning-ending strikeout – leading to a full count payoff pitch with the bases loaded. Schaefer buckled in and froze the batter with a pitch at the knees to strand the bases loaded and keep ASU on top, 2-1.
BIG MOMENT
For the second straight-game Josiah Cromwick quickly fell behind in an 0-2 count with two outs with runners in scoring position in a pivotal moment in the game- this time in the top of the seventh with ASU holding on to a 4-2 lead. And for the second day in a row, Cromwick was unfazed. Despite facing the sweeping slider of Baylor reliever Grayson Murry, Cromwick went down and got a pitch, lacing it off the wall if left field for a bases clearing double to give ASU some breathing room. Compton followed that with his third hit of the day, an RBI single give ASU an 8-2 advantage.
FINAL STRAW
The final innings were not without their own drama. A flurry of weird hops, Texas League singles and incredible defensive plays by the Baylor defense saw ASU’s lead dwindle to 8-6 after a three-run Bear ninth inning. Carlon, who labored through the eighth, came back on for the ninth and was totally unfazed – striking out the first two batters he faced, getting in a quick 0-2 count before getting a flyout to a sliding Kien Vu in right field for the final out.
INNING BY INNING
First Inning
Hairston laced a one-out double down the opposite left field line and King walked to put two on. Tobias laced one to the warning track for a lineout to advance Hairston to third but a check swing groundout ended the threat. Barrett faced immediate trouble with a pair of leadoff baserunners but escaped the frame with just one run allowed as Baylor went up 1-0 early.
Second Inning
Cromwick reached on a leadoff single after a diving attempt by the left fielder squirted just out of the glove. Compton launched the payoff pitch off the batter’s eye in center – which is in play at Baylor Ballpark – for an RBI double to even the game back up. Ryan’s sac bunt moved Compton to third and Jackson put ASU on top with an RBI single. Hairston smoked another one that was caught at the warning track but Jackson moved to third on the play. ASU attempted a double steal but Walker was caught in the rundown before Jackson could score, at it remained 2-1. Barrett issued a pair of walks to face another jam but stranded two on to keep ASU on top.
Third Inning
ASU went down quickly in order. Barrett shook off a one-out error to get out of the frame unscathed with Cromwick hosing the runner trying to take second on a dirt ball read for the final out.
Fourth Inning
Cromwick barreled another ball, unfortunately right to the Baylor center fielder as ASU went down in order for the second straight frame. A leadoff single moved to second on a sac bunt and a four-pitch walk led ASU to the bullpen. Schaefer came in and quickly got a strikeout on three pitches but another Sun Devil error loaded the bases. A check swing called no swing led to a full count on the next batter but Schaefer was able to freeze the batter with a called strike three to keep the game at 2-1.
Fifth Inning
Jackson reached on an infield single and error to move to second with Walker moving him over with a groundout and Hairston adding to ASU’s lead with a full count RBI single to make it 3-1. Baylor led off with a double and moved the runner to third on a groundout. A walk put runners on the corners with one out but Schaefer was able to limit the damage to just one run on a sac fly to maintain the ASU lead.
Sixth Inning
Compton notched a two-out single but that was the extent of the ASU offense. Lucas Kelly came in in relief and posted the first 1-2-3 frame of the game for ASU.
Seventh Inning
Jackson reached on an error to leadoff and Walker moved both runners into scoring position with a double. Jackson scored on a King sac fly to extend the lead to 4-2. A pair of two out walks from Tobias and Vu loaded the bases. Josiah Cromwick quickly fell behind on two pitches before fouling off two more. With an 0-2 count and two outs, the veterans continued his red-hot weekend, lacing one off the wall in left field to clear the bases with a double to give ASU a 7-2 lead. Compton’s third hit of the day plated another one to make it 8-2 heading into the stretch.
Baylor responded with a one-out opposite field solo shot and then put two on with a HBP and single before Kelly got a massive flyout to center for the second out.
Eighth Inning
ASU went down in order in the top of the eighth. Baylor kept things interesting with a leadoff single and walk. A one-out single loaded the bases and before a wicked hop over what looked like a routine grounder went over Tobias’ head at first for a double, scoring two and getting Baylor back within three with two runners still in scoring position. Carlon got a strikeout but a two-out infield single scoring a run and put runners on the corners representing the tying runs. Carlon got a lineout to King to strand both runs and keep the Sun Devils ahead, 8-6.
Ninth Innin
Matt King laced a leadoff single and took second on a one-out passed ball. Cromwick laced yet another ball but an incredible play by the Baylor shortstop saved a run despite Cromwick’s diving slide attempt into first. Carlon came back out for the ninth and ensured there wouldn’t be no further drama, picking up a pair of strikeouts followed by a nice sliding catch from Vu in right for the final out to seal the win and series victory.
Press Release courtesy of Sun Devil Athletics – Jeremy Hawkes
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