(Phoenix, AZ) No. 25 Sun Devil Baseball put together perhaps its best all-around effort of the season on Friday, handling Baylor in an 11-2 victory in front of 4,074 onlookers at Phoenix Municipal Stadium to take the opening game of the Big 12 series.
Cole Carlon put together his second consecutive quality start and the Sun Devils (29-14, 12-7 Big 12) homered five times and recorded 16 hits – seeing top-to-bottom production from just about every player NOT named Landon Hairston.
While Hairston extended his hitting streak to 26 games – the fifth-longest in program history – he finished just 1-for-5 while his supporting cast did the remainder of the damage.
Beckett Zavorek homered twice after having just one career homer entering the night and Nu’u Contrades, Dominic Smaldino and Dean Toigo all went yard as well. The five homers were the most allowed by Baylor (22-19, 9-10 Big 12) this season. Toigo and Austen Roellig paced the way with three hits each with Smaldino logging a team-best three RBIs.
Carlon tossed another gem, going 6.0 innings with 11 strikeouts and allowing just two runs on four hits – both coming on relatively harmless solo homers. Sean Fitzpatrick retired all six batters he faced in 2.0 scoreless innings of work and Eli Buxton closed things out with a pair of strikeouts in the final inning.
Photo – Sun Devil Athletics
Inning by inning
First inning
Cole Carlon got things started on the mound for the Sun Devils. After giving up a leadoff single, Carlon got a strikeout and a pop out. The runner on first moved to third on a stolen base and an error, but was thrown out trying to steal home to end the inning.
Landon Hairston led off with a single, but was caught stealing on a Nu’u Contrades strikeout. Dean Toigo got the Sun Devils on the board first with a solo shot to right field, and after Austen Roellig singled, Dominic Smaldino launched a two-run shot to give Arizona State a 3-0 lead. Dominic Longo grounded out for the third out.
Second inning
Carlon returned to the mound for a three-up, three-down inning, drawing two swinging strikeouts and a ground out.
Beckett Zavorek added another solo homerun for the Sun Devils to move the lead to 4-0. A strikeout, fly out, and line out followed to close out the inning.
Third inning
After getting a groundout to start the inning, Carlon issued a walk. The runner was then thrown out at second, and Carlon struck the next batter out to put up another zero.
A walk from Contrades and back-to-back singles from Toigo and Zavorek loaded the bases for the Sun Devils. Smaldino grounded into a double play, driving in a run. Longo struck out to end the frame with Arizona State up 5-0.
Fourth inning
A solo homerun from Baylor kicked off the inning to make the score 5-1, followed by three strikeouts from Carlon.
A flyout and ground out started the frame for ASU, before PJ Moutzouridis advanced to first on a walk and stole second base. The Sun Devils inning then came to a close with a swinging strikeout.
Fifth inning
Carlton started out the fifth with a strikeout, but then gave up another solo shot to cut ASU’s lead 5-2. Baylor got another baserunner on a two-out walk, but Carlon picked up his ninth strikeout of the ninth to end the frame.
Toigo reached on a one-out single then came around to score on an RBI-double from Smaldino to make it 6-2. Smaldino was then left stranded on second as Garrett Michel struck out.
Sixth inning
The sixth began with a ground rule double before the baserunner advanced to third on a groundout. Carlon closed out the frame for the Sun Devils by tacking on two more swinging strikeouts.
Brody Briggs was able to single to shallow right field after a groundout from Zavorek, but he was thrown out at second on a fielder’s choice from Moutzouridis. Hairston then flew out to wrap up the inning.
Seventh inning
Sean Fitzpatrick was the first man out of the Sun Devil bullpen, retiring the side on two strikeouts and a groundout.
Contrades led off the seventh with a solo shot to extend Arizona State’s lead to 7-2. Roellig took a one-out walk, but the Sun Devils were not able to scratch any more runs across.
Eighth inning
Fitzpatrick continued his stint on the mound with a ground out and two swinging strikeouts.
Zavorek opened the frame with his second solo shot of the night to push the Sun Devil lead to 8-2. Briggs and Moutzouridis followed his performance with back-to-back singles. After a strikeout, Contrades added a single of his own, scoring Briggs and advancing to second himself. Moutzouridis took advantage of his position on third, scoring on a wild pitch. Contrades moved over to third and scored on an RBI-groundout from Toigo. Roelling singled to replace the Sun Devil baserunner, and wasn’t there long before advancing to second on a balk. A Baylor pitching change finally ended the inning with a Smaldino fly out.
Nineth inning
Eli Buxton was called on for the ninth, striking out the first batter he faced before issuing a walk. The runner moved over to second on a groundout, but Buxton was able to strand the runner with a strikeout to end the game.
Photo – Sun Devil Athletics
Quotables
Head Coach Willie Bloomquist
Opening statement
“Good bounce back, probably the most complete game, top to bottom on all facets tonight by our guys. Refreshing to see after what’s been going on. So they came out, and Carlon set the tone very well on the mound. Our hitters came out swinging against a really good arm. That kid’s got an outstanding arm,mid to upper 90s. And our guys came out and were on time for the fastball. Contributions all the way up and down the lineup, which was big, played good defense and attacked the strike zone very well on the pitching side. So complete performance. There wasn’t one hero today. There were a lot of guys that contributed and threw the ball really well.”
On the batters around Hairston stepping up
“We know they’re all capable. It’s just a matter of finding the right mix and putting them in the right spots. Sometimes that’s a tricky thing to do, on who’s going to be that guy behind you. Want to keep your lineup lengthened out as much as possible. But at some point in time when Landon’s swinging the bat the way he is, they’re not going to pitch to him. We got to put some thump behind him to make them at least think, if they’re going to go ahead and put him on base, they’re there. And for potentially a big crooked number with the guys behind him, and so we had to shuffle the line up a little bit and see how that works. Obviously, it worked well tonight, and we’ll see how it goes again tomorrow.”
On Cole Carlon’s pitching performance
“He was pretty good tonight, 11 punch outs, 100 pitches through six. We got a little spoiled last weekend. That was probably the best outing of his career last week against BYU, but he came out and threw the heck out of it tonight. They got him a couple times there, Sanders is a good player. He got him to right center on a pretty good pitch, and the catcher ran into one there for a homer to left. But outside of that, he threw the ball outstanding and was pretty much in control most of the night.”
On Beckett Zavorek’s two home run game
“It was a big day for him. He’s been working hard. And obviously we’ve had some guys that are not as locked in as they would like to be on the offensive side of the game, and all you can do is continue working, continue grinding and trying to solve the Rubik’s Cube, if you will. But the biggest thing for him is getting back to the simplicity of hitting good, having a solid foundation and swinging strikes and staying within himself. And when he’s able to do that, his hands are allowed to work the way they’re supposed to. And please don’t tell him he’s a home run hitter. That’s not what he needs. He needs to stay in the middle of the field and hit line drives. And those home runs happen as a result of catching it in the zones that he’s supposed to.”
Up next
The Sun Devils continue their series with Baylor with game two on Saturday. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. AZT. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN+ and available over local airwaves on KDUS 1060 AM.
Press Release courtesy of Sun Devil Athletics – Jeremy Hawkes
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