(Stillwater, OK) Sun Devil Baseball was unable to solve Oklahoma State’s starting pitching and a late rally came about five feet short in a 6-2 loss in the series opener in Stillwater on Thursday evening.
With the bases loaded and two outs in the top of the ninth, Brody Briggs gave one a right down the right field line that looked to many in the stadium like it would be a game-tying grand slam, but the ball was got at the warning track at the top of the fence to end the game just a couple feet shy of the win.
Matt King went 3-for-4 with a run and an RBI and ASU recorded nine hits in the contest. But a streak of 19-straight outs after starting the game off with three straight singles proved to be undoing as one big hit from the Oklahoma State offense proved to be the difference.
Ben Jacobs struck out eight in 5.0 innings but was undone by a four-run second inning that was the difference in the game. Wyatt Halvorson, Sean Fitzpatrick and Eli Buxton tossed three scoreless, hitless innings to end the game.
The Sun Devils will look to even the series tomorrow with first pitch scheduled for 4 p.m. AZT (6 p.m. local). Also of note, Saturday’s series finale has been moved to 10 a.m. AZT (Noon local) – an hour earlier than the original start time to allow the Sun Devils a bigger travel window.
TURNING POINT
ASU started the game off with three straight singles and a 1-0 lead on the first three batters of the game. Jacob Tobias looked like he was going to make it four-straight hits and more runs with a shot to the gap in deep left center but the ball was run down at the warning track by the centerfielder for the first out and a double play quickly ended the inning with just the one run across.
BIG MOMENT
Oklahoma State made ASU pay for not putting up more runs in the second after tying it in the first. A pair of singles and a pair of walks loaded the bases and brought in a run with only one out before a crippling full count, bases-clearing double made it 5-1 and Oklahoma State wouldn’t need more than that. Cowboy starter Harrison Bodendorf recorded 18 consecutive outs after the first three singles of the game and despite finally having a chance to get to him in the seventh inning with the bases loaded and one out, ASU came out of the frame with zero runs and down 6-1.
FINAL STRAW
The Sun Devils, who are one of two teams in the country that have not lost a game by more than five runs this season, did what they have done all year and made things interesting in the ninth. A leadoff single from King, two-out single from Compton, walk from Zavorek and RBI infield single from Jackson brought the tying run to the plate in the form of Brody Briggs. The freshman worked a full count before pulling one deep down the right field line that looked like it might be a game-tying grand slam off the bat. The ball died at the wall however, getting caught at the top of the fence on the warning track for the final out. Of ASU’s 19 losses this season, the team has brought the game-tying or winning run to the plate in the ninth inning or later in 11 of those games.
INNING BY INNING
First Inning
ASU got out to a hot start, recording three straight singles from Walker, Hairston and King to lead off the frame and score a run. Tobias gave one a ride to the warning track in deep left center that was ran down at the wall for the first out and a double play kept ASU from capitalizing on the start. OSU tied things with a two-out solo shot in the bottom half of the frame.
Second Inning
The Sun Devils went down in order in the second. Oklahoma State loaded the bases with a single, double and walk with one out before walking in a run to make it 2-1 and a bases clearing double bumped that to 5-1.
Third Inning
ASU went down in order for the second-straight inning. Jacobs struck out the side to strand a one-out double and keep the deficit at 4.
Fourth Inning
OSU’s Bodendorf made it 12 straight outs recorded with a 1-2-3 frame. After the big hit in the second inning, Jacobs settled back into a groove and recorded another perfect frame to extend his retired batter streak to 8.
Fifth Inning
The tally bumped up to 15 straight outs after the leadoff three hits for ASU as the Sun Devils struggled to solve the OSU starter. Oklahoma State extended the lead to five with a solo one-out homer.
Sixth Inning
The Sun Devils went down in order yet again – 18 straight outs. The Sun Devils went to Wyatt Halvorson out of the pen, who recorded a pair of strikeouts in a scoreless frame to bring ASU to 10 for the night.
Seventh Inning
Matt King notched a leadoff single to finally get ASU’s first baserunner since his single in the first. A one out single put a pair of runners on and Compton walked to load the bases but a strikeout and groundout led to a scoreless frame. Halvorson and Fitzpatrick combined to retire the OSU side in order.
Eighth Inning
Briggs led off the frame with an infield singl but a fielder’s choice and double player ended any threat. Eli Buxton worked a 1-2-3 inning.
Ninth Inning
King notched a leadoff single for his third hit of the game and the Sun Devils made it interesting, loading the bases with two outs behind a Compton single, Zavorek walk and RBI infield single from Jackson to get within 6-2 and bring the tying run to the plate. And that tying run almost came to fruition as Briggs launched a payoff pitch deep down the right field line which was snagged at the top of the wall about one foot short of a game-tying grand slam.
Press Release courtesy of Sun Devil Athletics – Jeremey Hawkes
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