(Photo: Karli Matthias/WCSN)
Arizona State continued its “Maroon and Gold World Series” intrasquad games on Wednesday with the Maroon and Gold teams deadlocked in the series at one game a piece.
The contest got off to a quick start offensively when senior first baseman Conor Davis hit a two-run home run to dead left field to give the Maroon team a 2-0 lead. A graduate-transfer from Auburn where he was a four-year starter, Davis is perceived to be to be a likely candidate to take over at first base for the Sun Devils in 2021 with star infielder Spencer Torkelson onto the pros.
Davis’ overall status to play, though, is in question after he suffered a leg injury while jumping to catch a line drive hit down the first-base line. Davis landed and immediately dropped to the dirt at which point the stream of the game cut away from him. The game’s broadcaster later told viewers he was unable to put any weight on his leg as he left the field. ASU head coach Tracy Smith later commented on the injury.
“It’s one of those situations where it’s way too early to speculate what it could or might be and those types of things,” Smith said. “We’ve got a good medical staff, so at this point you kind of turn that over to them.”
After a combined four runs in the first inning between the two teams, both sides showcased some solid defensive play as well. Redshirt freshman outfielder Seth Nager was able to rob the Maroon team of a run with an impressive diving catch.
Moving ahead to the third inning the Gold team got some help from Ethan Long, the number one prospect in the state of Arizona. The production from his two teammates Joe Hauser and Nate Baez was a big help as they jumped out to a three run lead after three innings with a score of 5-2. “Ethan has had a really good offseason and his development has been great,” said Smith. “He jumped out to us as someone who has a good work ethic and wants to get better every day.”
After a quiet couple of innings for the Maroon team, they were able to get back on the board once more with an RBI single from Laguna Beach native Blake Pivaroff. Pivaroff displayed his skills both in the box and in the field as he would later turn a double play keeping Maroon in range to potentially take a lead. Maroon wasn’t done there though, after scoring a run in the sixth they continued to chip away at the Gold teams lead as the Maroon team was able to sneak a runner in for another score in the seventh. The ball game was 5-4 in favor of the Gold team when the seventh-inning stretch hit.
That would be all the Maroon team could muster however, as redshirt junior Drew Swift would tag on another run for the Gold team in the eighth inning giving the Gold team a 6-4 favor. Long would later come on in the top of the ninth to seal the deal in fashion by striking out the side. With the 6-4 victory the Gold team grabbed a 2-1 grip on the series and will look to carry on their success thus far with another Maroon and Gold scrimmage on Friday November 13, 2020 at Phoenix Municipal Stadium.
