(Photo: Dominic Cotroneo/WCSN)
In the Pac-12 Conference opener for Arizona State Thursday night, the Sun Devils battled No. 2 Oregon State in the first game of a three-game series, but fell to the Beavers 2-0.
Eli Lingos started the game for ASU and allowed two first inning runs, a trend the Sun Devils have experienced on a consistent basis as of late. However, Lingos was able to settle down after allowing two hits in the first, as the southpaw threw 116 pitches in the game over seven innings, his last six being scoreless frames.
Lingos retired his last eight batters and 12 of his last 14, allowing six hits and two walks, while striking out five in the contest.
Luke Heimlich was the starting pitcher for the OSU Beavers and entered Thursday night having only allowed one run in 28 and 2/3 innings in his four starts. Heimlich was nothing short of dominant in the series opener, pitching the first eight innings without allowing a run.
The ASU offense could not muster up much of anything all night long, with the team’s only two hits coming in the fifth and sixth innings, from the bats of Andrew Snow and Andrew Shaps, respectively.
After Eli Lingos exited the game, Ryan Hingst pitched the next inning and a third, as he allowed two hits and no runs, giving way to Connor Higgins, who got the final two outs in the top of the ninth. Max Engelbrekt faced the Devils in the bottom of the ninth, retiring ASU’s 2-3-4 hitters in order to earn his fifth save of the season.
Player of the Game: Luke Heimlich. Oregon State’s starter threw eight shutout innings, as he allowed just two hits and two walks, while striking out eight Sun Devil batters en route to his fourth win of the season.