(Photo: Allyson Cummings/WCSN)
Offense reigned supreme Wednesday night as the Arizona State Sun Devils (10-9) fell to the Wichita State Shockers (12-7), 12-9.
The offense was immediate on both sides, as the Shockers scored one in the top of the first and ASU got three across the plate in the bottom of the first. Wichita State stayed hot, putting up three in the second and two in the third as the Sun Devils struggled to get anything going until the fourth, where they scored three more.
“We treated these two games, for our guys not only to go out and play well against Wichita State, but we treated it as ‘this is what we have to do as an offense to get going in the Pac-12,’” ASU head coach Tim Esmay said after the game.
The Shockers used a five-run fifth inning to push the lead to 11-6. Chase Simpson grounded out to lead off the inning, but Tyler Baker and Micah Green had back-to-back singles followed by four consecutive walks, three given up by ASU pitcher Nick Diamond and the fourth by Mark Lambson. Wichita State also got a two-RBI double from Garrett Bayliff before Simpson took his second at bat of the inning and struck out.
The Sun Devils loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the seventh, and Chris Beall scored on Jake Peevyhouse’s RBI. Tucker Esmay, pinch running for RJ Ybarra, then scored on a wild pitch before Colby Woodmansee flew out to end the threat, but not before ASU was able to cut the Shockers lead to three.
Foster Vielock stayed in for the bottom of the ninth for the Shockers, and made quick work of the Sun Devil lineup. The game had combined runs on 26 combined hits. The Sun Devils used six different pitchers, and the Shockers five.
ASU will next begin a three-game series against Oregon State in Corvallis on Friday.
