(Photo: Paige Cook/WCSN)
The 1998 season featured Willie Bloomquist as a player for Arizona State Baseball. At the time, the Sun Devils and USC were playing for a College World Series. USC beat Bloomquist and the Sun Devils 21-14.
However, on Thursday night, in ASU’s 14-12 win over the Trojans, Bloomquist was on the right side of the 14.
“For me as a coach it gives me some deeper feelings playing USC,” he said.
Following the 21-0 massacre that ASU committed against Santa Clara on Monday afternoon, the Sun Devils’ bats got off to a hot start against USC on Thursday night.
The Sun Devils’ offense has mustered 35 hits over their last two games.
“I think hitting is contagious, when we start to hit everyone will start to hit,” redshirt sophomore shortstop Sean McLain said.
ASU sophomore right-handed starting pitcher Tyler Meyer made his first start since March 26th due to shoulder soreness.
The Sun Devils put up four runs in the first inning, which included an RBI single from freshman catcher Ryan Campos. With two runners aboard, sophomore second baseman Nate Baez cleared the bases as he launched his third home run of the season over the left-center field wall to give the Sun Devils an early 4-0 lead.
After only needing eight pitches to escape the first inning, Meyer faced trouble to begin the second.
The Trojans responded in a big way. After a single and walk, junior designated hitter Tyler Lozano hit a towering home run over the left-field wall as the Trojans cut the deficit to 4-3.
After a two-out double by sophomore center fielder Joe Lampe, McLain helped the Sun Devils extend their lead as he singled up the middle to bring home Lampe and give ASU a 5-3 advantage.
Meyer escaped a huge jam in the top half of the third inning. Despite the bases being loaded with nobody out, Meyer trusted himself and his defense as only one run came home for USC. Meyer and the Sun Devils held onto a 5-4 lead going into the bottom half of the third.
The top half of the fourth started with a loud eruption from the Sun Devil faithful. USC senior left fielder Trevor Halsema hit a towering fly ball that looked like a surefire home run, however, ASU freshman left fielder Will Rogers made a spectacular catch up against the left-field wall to prevent the Trojans from reaching base and scoring.
“Not bad for a backup catcher,” Bloomquist said of Rogers.
Rogers added: “Coach Buck has done an amazing job helping me.”
Following his run-saving catch, Rogers sent a screeching line drive over the left-field wall as he extended the Sun Devils’ lead to 6-4 in the bottom of the fourth.
ASU extended its lead in the bottom of the fifth inning thanks to sophomore right-fielder Kai Murphy’s RBI single. Graduate first baseman Conor Davis came into score as the Sun Devils held a 7-4 lead going into the sixth inning.
USC responded in a big way in the top half of the sixth inning. After the Trojans chased Meyer out of the game with runners on first and second base, ASU redshirt junior right-handed pitcher Will Levine came in attempting to limit the damage from the Trojans.
USC had other plans.
Lozano hit a game-tying two-run home run to straightaway dead center, good for his second home run of the evening as USC completed its comeback and knotted things up at seven.
In a game full of back and forth scoring, the trend continued in the bottom half of the sixth inning after a leadoff single from ASU freshman third baseman Cam Magee and McLain getting hit by a pitch.
Then, sophomore designated hitter Ethan Long hit a three-run opposite-field moonshot way over the right-field wall, and the Sun Devils took a 10-7 lead.
“Ethan came up big with the three-run homer to punch them right back,” Bloomquist said.
The Sun Devils’ bullpen imploded yet again, allowing USC to fight their way back in the game time after time.
In the top of the seventh, the Trojans were able to string together quality at-bats, getting to score two runs via a single and double from the top of their lineup.
The Sun Devils still led 10-9 going into the bottom of the seventh inning.
With a chance to extend their lead and add insurance runs, the Sun Devils had the bases loaded with just one out in the seventh. After a Lampe strikeout, the Sun Devils were able to score a run thanks to a USC wild pitch.
Following the wild pitch, with two runners in scoring position, McLain hit a big two-run single into left field, scoring two more for the Sun Devils.
After the two-run single, USC sophomore right-handed pitcher Matt Keating had considerable command issues as he threw another wild pitch, allowing McLain to come in and score.
The Sun Devils led 14-9 going into the eighth inning.
Each time the Sun Devils would score the Trojans would do the same for the rest of the game. In the top of the eighth inning, USC added a run two runs thanks to junior first baseman Nick Lopez’s RBI double.
The Sun Devils led 14-11 going into the bottom of the eight as the Trojans had only three outs left to mount a comeback.
The bottom of the ninth went just as one would expect it to given the night. Lozano hit a leadoff solo home run to bring USC closer at 14-12.
Lozano finished the game going 3-4 with three home runs and six RBIs.
USC had a prime opportunity in the top of the ninth to either tie the game or take the lead as they had runners on first and third base with two outs.
“One of those games you go back and forth, toe to toe,” Bloomquist said.
Despite the leadoff home run and runners on the corners, ASU sophomore right-handed pitcher Brock Perry was able to get the job done and collect the final three outs for the Sun Devils.
“It feels good to beat USC, whenever we tee it up with USC, there’s a little extra adrenalin,” Bloomquist said.
With the win, the Sun Devils now improve to 16-19 on the season and 6-7 in Pac-12 Conference play. They will look to continue their dominance hitting the rest of the series on Friday night at 6:00 p.m. MST.
