(Photo: Joey Plishka/WCSN)
TEMPE – After a frustrating 7-6 loss in extra innings on Saturday, Arizona State Baseball looked to rebound in its rubber match against Dixie State on Sunday afternoon.
The Sun Devils opened the floodgates on Dixie State in the series finale, only failing to score in three innings as they cruised to a 17-8 victory and improved to 2-1 on the season.
The story of the game was how well ASU’s offense played. It combined to hit five home runs, mustering 14 hits and plating 17 runs.
“We have a really good lineup and I don’t think a lot of people realize that we are going to find ways to move the ball and score lots of runs,” redshirt sophomore catcher Nate Baez said.
Redshirt senior right-handed pitcher Jacob Walker, who spent his previous two years at Davidson, made his first career start for ASU on Sunday .
Dixie State wasted no time getting on the scoreboard with three of its first four batters reaching base. Walker surrendered three hits in the first inning resulting in a two-run advantage for the Trailblazers.
Walker bounced back in the second inning as he retired Dixie State in order. The inning also included his first strikeout as a Sun Devil.
After a solid first inning, Dixie State sophomore left-handed pitcher Ben Hart got into some trouble in the second.
Graduate first baseman Conor Davis continued his torrid hitting to begin the season with a solo home run to straight away center field in the bottom of the second to put the Sun Devils on the board. ASU got busy after the Davis home run, plating two more on sophomore shortstop Hunter Haas’ two-run double with two outs to give the Sun Devils a 3-2 advantage.
Sophomore catcher Kaden Hollow responded in a loud way for Dixie State, tattooing one over the right-field wall for a two-run blast to give the Trailblazers a 4-3 lead.
Freshman left fielder Will Rogers came up big for ASU with a two-out RBI double to tie the game at 4-4. Moments later, freshman designated hitter Ivan Brethowr tagged a two-out single that plated Rogers, giving the Sun Devils a 5-4 lead going into the fourth inning.
After a leadoff walk and sloppy defense from the Sun Devils, Dixie State cashed in with a fielder’s choice to tie the game up at 5-5.
After 3.2 innings of work, Walker was pulled for redshirt sophomore left-hander Danny Marshall looking to limit the damage for ASU. Dixie State redshirt junior first baseman Sean Keating promptly singled up the middle with two outs to plate another run to make it 6-5.
Marshall escaped a huge threat with the bases loaded, striking out Dixie State senior second baseman Tyler Hollow.
In the top of the fifth, Dixie State loaded the bases before redshirt sophomore right-hander Christian Bodlovich took the hill out of the bullpen. The Trailblazers scored two runs in the frame off a run-scoring sacrifice fly from senior center fielder Jagun Leavitt and an RBI single from sophomore third baseman Shane Tayler, giving Dixie State an 8-5 lead.
Rogers woke up the crowd in the bottom of the fifth with a solo home run that traveled well over the left field wall. The fly was Rogers’ first collegiate home run.
“[Rogers] had been swinging the bat like that all spring, which is why he earned the starting spot in left field and why he’s batting cleanup for us,” head coach Willie Bloomquist said.
After a leadoff single from Dixie State, redshirt junior right-hander Will Levine responded by inducing a double-play and striking out the next batter he faced for a smooth sixth inning.
“Levine came in and threw the ball outstanding and calmed the water there for a little bit,” Bloomquist said. “I thought that was the turning point in the game.”
Levine pitched a critical 2.1 innings while allowing only one hit.
“My only mindset was to give us a chance to win and attack the strike zone,” Levine said.
The Sun Devils’ offense exploded in the bottom of the sixth, scoring six runs in the frame.
Redshirt sophomore center fielder Joe Lampe stayed hot, and in the bottom of the sixth with a runner on, he sent a towering homer over the right-field wall to tie the game at eight. With two outs and the bases loaded, Rogers hit a grand slam to give the Sun Devils a commanding 12-8 lead going into the seventh inning.
“Today, I focused on being a lot more in the present,” Rogers said. “It took away a lot of nerves that I had the first two games.”
Rogers finished with a team-high six RBIs.
“He’s capable of doing some great things, which is why he’s in the lineup,” Bloomquist said.
Baez hit ASU’s second grand slam of the game, adding needed insurance.
“See ball, hit ball, it’s just another at-bat for me,” Baez said.
The Sun Devils will look to keep their momentum when they play Nevada on Tuesday night at home.
