(Photo: Blaine McCormick/WCSN)
Arizona State (19-22, 6-12 Pac-12) was unable to secure its second Pac-12 series win of the 2017 season by dropping Sunday’s rubber match against the Oregon Ducks (25-14, 8-10 Pac-12) 3-2, losing the series two games to one.
After falling victim to Duck starter David Peterson and his 20-strikeout performance paving the way for a 2-0 loss to open the series on Friday, the Sun Devils were able to bounce back on Saturday behind 6 and 2/3 innings from starter Eli Lingos.
The Sun Devils jumped in front on Saturday in the top of the third courtesy of a solo home run for Taylor Lane and an RBI double from Andrew Shaps. After a fielder’s choice and an RBI in the bottom half of the fourth Oregon cut the lead in half, but ASU would get the run back plus an insurance score in the top of the seventh with another solo home run from Lane and an RBI single from Gage Canning.
On the defensive side Lingos pitched very effectively, scattering eight hits and striking out four while only allowing two runs in picking up his sixth win of the season.
For the Sunday rubber match head coach Tracy Smith handed the ball to freshman Chaz Montoya, whose role has fluctuated in his short time on campus. In his sixth start of the season, Montoya fell two outs shy of the fifth inning, after allowing seven hits and three earned runs. He departed after 71 pitches.
The three runs came on an RBI double by Matthew Dyer in the third inning and a two-run double off the bat of Jak Bennett in the fourth.
That was just enough breathing room of the Oregon pitching staff, anchored by 5 and 2/3 innings from Cole Stringer while allowing just three hits and one run, a Carter Aldrete sacrifice fly.
Hunter Bishop would homer in the seventh to pull ASU within one, but that would be as close as they would get as they fell to 6-12 in the Pac-12 standings, tied with Washington State and USC for last.
Arizona State will return home for a three-game series at Phoenix Municipal Stadium against the Stanford Cardinal. First pitch for Friday and Saturday is set for 6:30 PM, with Sunday scheduled for 12:30.
