ASU Baseball: Tyler Thornton impresses, No. 9 Sun Devils win series against Villanova

(Photo: Karli Matthias/WCSN)

Following a Saturday showing which saw the Sun Devils produce just one run over the course of their losses to Villanova and No. 13 Michigan, No. 9 Arizona State (2-2) bounced back Sunday afternoon with a 6-4 victory over Villanova (1-2).

A double to right center by Hunter Jump started the Sun Devils’ seventh inning rally which regained the ASU lead. With the game tied at four, Arizona State scored its go-ahead run via passed ball when Sean McLain – pinch-running for Jump – scored with one out.

The Sun Devils scored three runs via wild pitch or passed ball Sunday. They manufactured the other three runs via sacrifice flies from catcher Sam Ferri, third baseman Gage Workman and designated hitter Nate Baez.

“We’re still not in rhythm offensively,” said head coach Tracy Smith following the win. “We’ve got some really good hitters that are still trying to find that early season groove.”         

Without the expected offensive power that Smith and others around the ASU program expected heading into the season, Smith said the Sun Devils executed well situationally in creating their offense, taking care of the opportunities the Wildcats provided them.

Tyler Thornton’s first start for the Sun Devils helped ASU get back on track Sunday.         

Early on, the sophomore transfer from Saint Mary’s found himself in a 3-1 count against Villanova’s Chris Rotundo before working his way out of it with a strikeout. Thornton was able to find corners and locate effectively in the first two innings, striking out four of the first Wildcat hitters he faced.           

“Our approach today was just to go at them with fastballs,” said Thornton, who threw 6.2 innings, allowing two earned runs. “Stay in the zone and throw as many strikes as possible.”        

After a clean trip through the Villanova order the first time around, Thornton allowed a two-out walk and a double from Ryan Toohers which scored two runs for the Wildcats after a relay throw from ASU second baseman Drew Swift went out of play.       

“A couple things hurt when you’re in a tight ball game like that,” Smith said. “[Thornton] still has things to improve on, I think he had two or three two-out walks and I know that’s something that he’s not pleased with.          

“I like the fact that he battled back a couple times and missed a lot of barrels and gave us a chance to win, so that’s a really good start for him.”       

Thornton was relieved with two outs in the seventh inning after another two-out walk. Freshman Graham Osman – who appeared in three of the Sun Devils’ four games this weekend – allowed a two-run home run to Dylan McNary on the second pitch of the at-bat, tying the game at 4-4.          

With a leadoff walk in the top of the eighth inning, the Sun Devils brought in RJ Dabovich for a six-out save. Dabovich walked the first Villanova hitter he faced before a sac bunt gave the Wildcats two runners in scoring position with one out.          

The Sun Devils escaped that jam by catching Sam Margulis trying to score on a wild pitch as Dabovich raced home to apply the tag and get the second out of the inning.          

“Anytime you get an out in any way, it takes the pressure off you a little bit,” Dabovich said.

From there, the Sun Devils’ junior closer struck out Nick Lorusso and got through the ninth inning with a double play and a strikeout, securing his second save of the season.      

“I feel like it’s huge,” Dabovich said of the trust of the coaching staff to give him a six-out save. “Not just me, the whole bullpen we all threw well this weekend and having that bullpen at the back end of game really shortens the game for us and helps when things aren’t going 100 percent for the offense.           

“We all know they can hit better, but when we have to, the bullpen can take over and end a game if we have to.”           

The Sun Devil offense hit .171 during an opening weekend which saw them score 11 runs in four games, going 2-2 overall. As the Sun Devils get set for No. 22 Oklahoma State Tuesday night at Phoenix Municipal Stadium, Smith said he believes some of the bigger question marks entering the season are being answered.         

“If you’re looking at the facets of the game that you’d say are your question marks, offense was not one of them,” Smith said. “We struggled offensively, so I’ve gotta believe and I’m pretty confident that’ll come around.       

“The question marks were more on the pitching side… so we’re going to take every experience as a learning one and get that offense rolling a little bit to let our guys pitch with a little bit more of an ease.”

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