(Photo: Gabrielle Mercer/WCSN)
ASU began their fourth Pac-12 series of the season, and second at home, on a bad note, as a rare poor outing from ace Seth Martinez led to a 4-2 loss. The Sun Devils (16-11, 3-7 Pac-12) struggled to hit against Washington (15-10, 6-4) starter Noah Bremer, who has now allowed two runs or less in 19 of his 21 career starts.
Player of the game: Very few Sun Devils had a good game, but due to inconsistent pitching, it really came down to a hitter to give this to, and Andrew Shaps stood out over the rest. He only had one hit, but it was an RBI triple, his team leading fourth, to bring ASU within three in the sixth inning.
Unsung Hero: Eli Lingos came in and limited the damage after Seth Martinez allowed four runs (two earned) in just 4 and 2/3 innings. Lingos pitched 4 and 1/3 innings and struck out seven, surrendering just three hits. He also did not walk anyone, which was a step in the right direction after Martinez walked four hitters.
You knew it was over when: The Huskies tacked on two fifth inning runs on a double by Levi Jordan. ASU had already been struggling and it was clear Martinez did not have his best stuff. To make matters worse, Noah Bremer was manhandling ASU’s bats. Jordan’s double, made possible by an error by Jeremy McCuin earlier in the inning, put the Sun Devils in a hole that was difficult to climb out of.
Biggest Concern: Throughout the game, especially early on, the defense struggled. Only McCuin and Andrew Snow were charged with errors, but Colby Woodmansee and Tyler Williams also misplayed balls in the field. The Sun Devils entered the game tied for second in the Pac-12 in errors committed, meaning the spotty play in the field has been a trend the entire season.
Stat of the Day: ASU’s pitching staff did not retire the side in order until the eighth inning, so to say the Huskies had a lot of chances to score would be an understatement. UW had 23 at-bats during the game with runners on base, and had a hit in six of them.
What’s Next: These two teams will play twice more, including a 3:30 start tomorrow. Joe DeMers is expected to start for the Huskies, while ASU will send out Ryan Hingst.
