(Photo: Gabrielle Mercer/WCSN)
After a downpour of rain in the middle of the game, a flurry of runs from Washington was too much for ASU, as it fell to Huskies 6-1 in Sunday’s series finale at Phoenix Muni.
The game was delayed for two hours and 25 minutes due to the rain after the third inning.
With the loss, the Sun Devils have now dropped two straight games – their conference record, however, still sits at 5-7 after going 4-4 over their last eight games coming into Sunday.
Aside from an uncharacteristic lackluster start from Friday night starter Seth Martinez, the starting pitching has been both durable and productive. On Saturday night, starter Eder Erives pitched seven innings of two-run ball, while Sunday’s starter Chris Isbell was able to whether the early storm and pitch 3.1 shutout innings before the delay.
In addition, the 10 pitchers who toed the rubber hurled a combined 27 strikeouts in three games.
Arizona State will look to earn its sixth conference win against in-state rival Arizona (20-12) on Tuesday, before welcoming California (19-9) to Phoenix Muni for a three-game set next weekend.
Player of the game: C Joey Morgan, Washington
Morgan chased ASU left-hander Reagan Todd from the game in the fifth inning, driving in two of the Huskies three runs in the frame. He finished the day with a hit and two RBI.
Flew under the radar: P Troy Rallings, Washington
Rallings took over following the delay in the fourth inning and didn’t look back, holding the Sun Devils to just two hits and a run over six innings.
You knew it was over when:
Todd walked four batters in the fifth inning and gave up a two-run single to Morgan before being pulled in favor of Eli Lingos. Todd gave up three earned runs, walked four batters and struck out two in 1.1 inning pitched.
Biggest concern for ASU: Command on the mound
While there were points in this series where the command was a strong suit, there were also points where walks doomed the Sun Devils. In three games, 10 pitchers combined to post 27 strikeouts, but also distributed 14 free passes. The staff needs to become a bit more consistent in that respect.
Stat of the night: Sun Devils tally two hits
The Washington pitching stifled the Arizona State offense all day – Ryan Lillard, who entered as a pinch hitter in the fourth inning, was the only hitter who was able to solve the puzzle. Lillard finished with the only two Arizona State hits of the day and scored the Sun Devils’ lone run of the afternoon on a wild pitch.
