Categories: Baseball

ASU Baseball: Sun Devils drop series to USC

(Photo:Blaine McCormick/WCSN)

Arizona State completed its first road trip in more than a month Sunday afternoon, dropping the final game of a three-game series with the USC Trojans 7-4. The Sun Devils lost two out of three over the weekend, lowering their conference record to 1-5.

Let’s take a look at how the weekend fared for Tracy Smith and Co.

GAME 1

Arizona State battled back from deficits of 1-0, 3-1 and 4-3 to force extra innings in the series opener from Dedeaux Field. Junior Eli Lingos took the mound and battled his way through five innings, allowing eight hits, four runs and striking out three.

For USC, Chris Clarke turned in 5 and 2/3 innings allowing seven hits, three runs (one earned) while walking and striking out one.

However, junior Jake Godfrey was the star on the mound for ASU on this night. The LSU transfer hurled 3 and 2/3 innings of three-hit scoreless relief on Lingos, departing with one out to go in the ninth.

On the offensive side, freshman Carter Aldrete knocked in two runs, the latter coming with two out in the top of the eighth as he singled home junior Andrew Shaps to tie the game at four.

The game would slip away from ASU in the bottom of the tenth as Connor Higgins (0-1) departed with the bases loaded with one out, with the game ending on a two-out bases-loaded error when senior third baseman Jackson Willeford booted a ground ball needing to only step on third base to end the inning.

USC took the first game of the series 5-4.

GAME 2

The middle game of the series perhaps provided a glimpse of the future for ASU, as freshman left-hander Chaz Montoya (2-1) made his first career start. The Glendale, AZ native worked 5 and 2/3 innings and allowed only two hits combined with just two walks and six strikeouts.

Montoya’s night was eased by the fact that his offense was able to get on the board in the top of the first courtesy of a Tyler Williams RBI single. The lead was doubled Williams’ next time up in the third with Williams reaching on a fielder’s choice that allowed Shaps to score.

The win was secured for ASU in the top of the fifth as they scored five runs, with Williams picking up his third RBI of the night in the process.

After the Sun Devils ballooned the lead to 7-0, it provided plenty of cushion for senior Eder Erives. Still trying to get his season back on track, the 10-save man from 2016 finished off the Trojans and gave the rest of his bullpen the night off.

Erives closed out the final 3 and 2/3 innings, allowing two hits and striking out six.

GAME 3

In the rubber match of the series, freshman Spencer Van Scoyoc took the mound, and the Sun Devils were hoping for another stud performance from one of their impact freshman to bring the series win back to Phoenix. The Trojans had other plans.

Van Scoyoc didn’t make it out of the third, giving up three hits, two earned runs and allowing two walks. Reagan Todd (1-2) came on in relief of Van Scoyoc and proceeded to allow five runs over 3 and 2/3 innings, three of them earned.

The Sun Devil offense was unable to put up a multi-run inning, as Trojan starter Marrick Crouse and three relievers held them to four runs and eight hits total for the finale.

Arizona State dropped the final game of the series 7-4 and lost the series two games to one.

The Sun Devils will return home on March 28th for a midweek game against the UNLV Runnin’ Rebels, with former Sun Devil great Barry Bonds scheduled to throw out the first pitch. Game time is set at 6:30 PM.

Bobby Kraus is a baseball beat reporter for the Walter Cronkite Sports Network. You can follow him on Twitter @bobbykraus22