(Photo: Reece Andrews/WCSN)
In Pullman, Washington State used a five-run fifth inning to take a 7-4 lead that it would never give back as IT took a second-straight game from Arizona State Baseball on Friday night by a score of 10-6.
Most of the damage from that five-run inning was done on one swing. Senior outfielder Justin Van de Brake ended an eight pitch at-bat by smoking a Christian Bodlovich pitch over the left field wall for a grand slam that turned a 4-2 ASU lead into a 6-4 Washington State lead.
The Cougars would add one more on a sacrifice fly from freshman catcher Will Cresswell to push the lead to 7-4.
ASU redshirt junior left-handed pitcher Adam Tulloch got the start for the Sun Devils and his season-long struggles continued. After a walk and a single, he was able to wiggle out of danger in the first inning. But Tulloch’s line did not end well: four innings pitched, seven hits, five earned runs and two walks allowed. It pushed his season ERA to 8.22.
However, he was unable to work out of trouble in the second inning. Another walk and single followed by a sacrifice bunt netted Washington State runners on second and third base. Freshman infielder Elijah Hainline singled home the game’s first run, then, on the next pitch, junior infielder Kodie Kolden suicide-squeezed, bringing home sophomore outfielder Nate Swarts to make it 2-0 Cougars.
ASU was able to manufacture a run back thanks to a sacrifice fly from freshman outfielder Will Rogers to make it 2-1 Washington State. In the fourth inning, redshirt sophomore outfielder Joe Lampe began a new hitting streak by singling up the middle, tying the contest at two apiece.
The Sun Devils’ string of unanswered runs continued in the top of the fifth inning. A walk to redshirt sophomore utility player Nate Baez with one out gave ASU a baserunner. Rogers then recorded his second hit of the night: a two-run homer to push the Sun Devils ahead 4-2.
Following Washington State’s five-run bottom of the fifth inning, ASU wasted no time getting two of those runs back. Trailing 7-4, ASU redshirt sophomore infielder Sean McLain singled home freshman infielder Cam Magee to cut the deficit to two. Three pitches later, freshman catcher Ryan Campos grounded out, which scored Lampe to all of a sudden make it a one-run game.
As they had done all night, the Cougars had a response. Seeing their lead cut to one meant they needed to get one to give them some breathing room. Kolden singled through the left side and then senior infielder Jack Smith singled through the right side to get aboard the base paths. With Kolden on third base, sophomore outfielder Bryce Matthews singled him home to give the Cougars an 8-6 lead.
ASU was shut down in the final three-and-one-third innings by redshirt junior right-handed pitcher Caden Kaelbear. With the score 7-6 in favor of Washington, Kaelbear inherited runners on second and third base with two out and struck out Baez to end the inning.
Over the final three innings, he would allow just three hits and no runs while striking out a pair of Sun Devils.
In the bottom of the eighth, Washington would get itself a four-run lead. Kolden got to second base after a single and a productive out. Junior outfielder Jacob McKeon singled, bringing home Kolden. Three pitches later, Matthews doubled down the right field line to get the Cougars into double digits for the ninth time this season.
Washington State will go for the sweep over ASU on Saturday afternoon in the regular season finale for both squads. This will be the final game before the inaugural Pac-12 Conference Tournament begins next Wednesday in Scottsdale.
