(Photo: Dominic Cotroneo/WCSN)
A gem from Jordan Aboites led Arizona State to a 4-1 victory over the Abilene Christian Wildcats on Tuesday night, catapulting the Sun Devils to their 33rd win of the season.
While the game served as a break from the typically rigorous Pac-12 play, ASU (33-19, 17-10) did not take it lightly and got back on track after struggling in past midweek games.
The decision to start Aboites was surprising, but he rose to the occasion after getting the weekday starter nod, striking out 11 over 6 1/3 innings while giving up one run and overcoming a tough first inning.
“Our midweek stuff has been very so-so,” Tracy Smith said. “It was one of those things where you’re like, lets put someone out there who is going to compete. He was very effective. I’m very proud of him and I love the way he competed tonight.”
“I overcame some adversity in the first,” Aboites said. “I got that strikeout with a runner on second to make it two outs and I felt confident after that. I knew that regardless of what the outcome was in the first, I needed to get it going and start over in the second inning. Each inning is a new inning and I was just taking that mentality out there every time.”
Aboites also elaborated on his double digit strikeout game, which he attributed to his two go-to pitches.
“I was locating my fastball pretty well and I think throwing the ball in tonight really set batters up for me to throw my slider. Some I didn’t throw as good as others, but I made the pitches I needed to late in the count.”
It was the first career start for the reliever, who was on cruise control until the sixth inning, when he surrendered his lone run. It had been an up and down season for Aboites, who has overcome a diminished role at the plate and on the mound to still contribute in multiple facets to the team.
“I’ve struggled as of late on the mound,” Aboites said. “So this was a nice breakout performance. I’m just going to do what he (Smith) asks me, whether it would be as a defensive substitution role, as a starter, reliever, or innings eater, I work on all of those things, so I will do whatever.”
ASU’s bats got going early, when they tagged Wildcats starter Thomas Altimont for three runs in the second inning. Trever Allen hit an RBI single in what was likely his final home game in his ASU career. Zach Cerbo, who got the start at catcher, followed that up with a two-run double of his own. Cerbo had two hits on the day.
Despite going hitless in the game, Joey Bielek added a sacrifice fly to give ASU an insurance run in the sixth inning. The senior was also playing in what was likely his final home game too.
Woodmansee was the only other starter in addition to Cerbo who got multiple hits. On the opposite end of the spectrum, David Greer went hitless again and is now 0-for-9 since moving into the third spot in the lineup.
ASU will head into the weekend with a rested pitching staff thanks to Aboites’ stellar outing, and it will play USC with the series winner perhaps clinching a berth to host a regional. Regardless of the outcome of that series, Smith likes ASU’s chances.
“Let’s speak hypotheticals,” Smith said. “Let’s say we go over there and have a good weekend. When you talk about one of the top conferences in the country, and we’ve had three series losses, in addition to our schedule, which has been one of the toughest schedules in the country, I would have a tough time seeing as why we wouldn’t be in serious discussions to host a regional.”
