Photo: Nicholas Badders/WCSN
Inconsistency was Arizona State’s biggest enemy in their 10-3 loss to the UNLV Runnin’ Rebels on Tuesday night, specifically inconsistency on the mound. ASU allowed nine walks in the loss, five from their bullpen, in the process of losing their three-game winning streak.
UNLV came into Phoenix Municipal Stadium with a team batting average of .336 and 255 hits. With an offense that is already that productive coming in, the last thing a coach wants to see from his pitching staff is inconsistent control.
“You give up nine free passes, you’re probably gonna lose a baseball game,” head coach Tracy Smith said.
Coming off a sweep of the Oregon Ducks in the conference schedule opener for both teams, it seemed like Arizona State might’ve finally turned the corner Smith and his staff have been waiting for, but tonight’s game only proved further that there is still progress to be made for this young team.
“We have got to get more consistent in throwing it over the plate, and let’s see what they do. Particularly in the midweek stuff,” Smith said.
The Sun Devil bullpen gave up seven runs on five hits and walked five relieving starting pitcher Alec Marsh, who walked four batters of his own. While the Rebels only had seven hits, two against Marsh, they were able to capitalize on the free base runners.
UNLV center fielder Kyle Isbel opened the scoring in the third with a three-run home run after Marsh walked Seth Mullis and Dillon Johnson in front of him. In the eighth, Nick Ames worked a walk against Chaz Montoya to load the bases and Max Smith tripled immediately after to clear them.
The Sun Devil offense had their chances to pull closer to the Rebels, but stranded 9 runners on base. No player in the starting lineup had more than one hit.
The Sun Devils are now 11-10 on the year with their next series against a UCLA team that is 13-4 and also 3-0 in Pac-12 conference play.
It is a tough challenge for the Sun Devils but one they can win if all the right pieces come together in the games.
“The good part about that, we’re 3-0 now rolling over to UCLA. You don’t like coming off of a loss but I feel good about our starters,” Smith said. “I will say this, the guys are confident. I don’t think anybody’s lost any confidence.”
