(Photo: Nicholas Badders/WCSN)
After an impressive 9-1 win over the Oklahoma State Cowboys on Friday night, the Arizona State Sun Devils went into game two Saturday night hoping to secure a series win.
Eli Lingos got the start for the Sun Devils and came into the game sporting a 4.63 ERA and one win in two starts, having given up six runs on 13 hits in 11.2 innings of work.
Joe Lienhard took the mound for the Cowboys, his first start of the season. After watching the Sun Devil lineup crack the code of the Friday pitchers, the Cowboy pitching staff hoped for different results behind Lienhard. Coming into the game, he had one win and a 1.80 ERA, having allowed seven hits and seven walks, while striking out six and winning one game.
Things started off slower Saturday, but ASU once again opened up the scoring, as Spencer Torkelson led off the bottom of the fourth with a single up the middle, later scoring on a deep single from Gage Workman.
The Sun Devils added on insurance runs in the fifth as Alika Williams doubled to lead off the inning, coming around to score on a Gage Canning triple. Drew Swift then singled home Canning and scored on a Spencer Torkelson sacrifice fly.
Lienhard was pulled from the game after allowing those four runs.. He pitched 4.1 innings and allowed six runs on nine hits, while striking out three and walkin two. He was relieved by Reza Aleaziz.
Aleaziz allowed a single to Workman that scored one of Lienhard’s batters, Lyle Lin. Hunter Bishop would then double in Aldrete and Workman, later coming around to score on a sacrifice fly out by Luke Leisenring to give the Sun Devils a 8-0 lead after the fifth.
Lingos was relieved by Jake Godfrey in the sixth inning. He allowed one run on two hits, while walking two and striking out seven in 5.2 innings pitched. The Cowboys got on the board in the sixth when Daniel DeSimone singled off Lingos and scored on a Matt Kroon single that was allowed by Godfrey.
Godfrey relieved by Connor Higgins in the seventh, having pitched 0.1 innings and allowing one hit, no runs and a walk.
Ben Leeper relieved Aleaziz to start off the bottom on the seventh. Aleaziz pitched 1.2 innings and allowed two runs on three hits and struck out one. Torkelson doubled to start the inning and scored on a Workman double. Williams walked in Aldrete for the game’s 10th run, but Canning continued the scoring with a bases-clearing double that plated Workman, Leisenring and Williams. Canning then came home on a single up the middle from Swift.
In the top of the eighth, Trevor Boone scored OSU’s second run of the game, but the Cowboys were unable to plate more, putting the score at 14-2 heading to the ninth.
Ryan Hingst pitched the ninth inning for the Sun Devils, relieving Higgins, who threw two innings and allowed one run on three hits, while walking one and striking out out one. The Sun Devils won the game 14-2 and secured the series win.
Player of the Game: Gage Canning. He went 3-5 with two triples and a double. He scored a run and had four RBIs. His two triples gives him to five for the season and 19 in his career.
Unsung Hero: Gage Workman. He went 3-4, scoring a run and driving in three. He also stole a base.
You Knew It Was Over When: Williams walked in Aldrete for the game’s 10th run in the seventh inning.
Stat of the Day: All nine Sun Devils in the starting lineup had at least one hit and scored at least one run. This comes after Friday’s game when eight of the starting nine had at least one hit.
Biggest Concern: The high scoring games have not helped the Sun Devil coaching staff figure out their plan for the bullpen. The team still does not have a set closer or set up man and these past two games did not give the staff a chance to truly address this situation.
What’s Next?: The Sun Devils take on the Cowboys for the final game of the series for a Sunday matinee at 12:00 p.m.
