(Photo: Joey Plishka/WCSN)
After a 4-3 loss in the series opener to UC Irvine, Arizona State Baseball looked to end its two-game losing streak and split the two-game series against the Anteaters.
Unfortunately for the Sun Devils, they suffered a 3-2 loss in 12 innings on Wednesday night as they were swept in the two-game series with UC Irvine.
With the loss, the Sun Devils now fall to 0-5 in one-run games and 0-2 in extra innings games.
ASU’s offense was kept in check for a majority of the ball game, as they were only able to muster five hits and score two runs.
The action picked up in the bottom of the first inning, when ASU redshirt senior right-handed pitcher Jacob Walker got into trouble right away. After giving up two consecutive singles, Walker induced a ground ball double play to minimize damage. However, he allowed UC Irvine to draw first blood and take a 1-0 lead.
The Sun Devils responded quickly in the top half of the second inning. Freshman designated hitter Jacob Tobias led off the inning with a single, and after a fielder’s choice and two costly UC Irvine errors, the Sun Devils were able to draw back even as Tobias came into score on the error.
It was quite the pitcher’s duel through the early stages of the game in Irvine.
Walker came into the matchup with a troublesome 7.82 ERA, but he pitched his best game of the season on Wednesday night, inducing a large amount of ground balls and making big pitches when he needed to.
While Walker found himself in early trouble, the Phoenix native settled in nicely. After surrendering four hits in the first two innings, Walker was flawless going forward. In 6.1 innings, he allowed two earned runs on six hits.
Aside from the Tobias single, UC Irvine starting pitcher redshirt sophomore Cameron Wheeler was dialed in early.
Through the first five innings, Wheeler held the Sun Devils’ offense to just one hit and collected three strikeouts.
ASU’s offense got going in the top half of the sixth inning, as redshirt sophomore shortstop Sean McLain and graduate first baseman Conor Davis got back-to-back singles which led to a Tobias sacrifice fly to give the Sun Devils a 2-1 lead.
Tobias accounted for both ASU runs on Wednesday.
Redshirt sophomore right-handed pitcher Christian Bodlovich came in to relieve Walker with runners on first and second base and after a base hit, Bodlovich found himself in trouble with the bases loaded and only one out.
Sophomore catcher Thomas McCaffery tied the game at two for the Anteaters as he singled into right field to bring UC Irvine back into the ball game.
With the bases still loaded, junior right-handed pitcher Chase Webster came in to relive Bodlovich. Webster executed phenomenally, picking up back-to-back strikeouts to keep the game tied at two apiece.
Freshman left-fielder Will Rogers saved the game for the Sun Devils in the bottom of the ninth inning. With runners on first and second base for UC Irvine, sophomore right-handed pitcher Brock Perry surrendered a base hit to left field. UC Irvine sent the runner from second home and a perfect one-hop throw from Rogers was just in time as the Sun Devils recorded the second out of the inning.
With runners on second and third redshirt, junior right-handed pitcher Will Levine recorded a huge strikeout to keep the Anteaters off the board and take the game to extra innings.
Levine pitched his heart out in extra innings, tossing three innings while allowing one earned run on three hits.
After three consecutive scoreless innings, drama ensued in the bottom half of the 12th.
Levine surrendered a leadoff single then, and after a groundout and intentional walk, the Anteaters tried a double steal that worked out in the Sun Devils’ favor as redshirt sophomore catcher Nate Baez threw out the lead runner at third base for the second out of the inning.
Down to its last out and with a runner on second, sophomore catcher Abraham Garcia-Pacheo was the hero for UC Irvine as Pacheo sharply singled up the middle to bring home the winning run and give the Anteaters the series sweep and the 3-2 win.
After a third straight loss, the Sun Devils will return home on Friday evening as they host The University of San Francisco in what will be a four-game series.
