Free Bases on the cost Arizona State in 10-9 loss to UC Irvine

(Photo: Xavier Littman/WCSN)

PHOENIX — Junior right-hander Owen Stevenson stands on the mound in the top of the eighth inning with hopes to keep Arizona State’s baseball deficit to one. But, Stevenson proceeded to hit the following two batters and then walk the third to load the bases with two outs. Stevenson just needed one more out to escape the inning and keep ASU within striking distance.

That’s not what happened.

On a 1-0 count, sophomore outfielder Chase Call smashed a grand slam over the right field wall to put the final nail in the coffin for the Sun Devils. ASU made a late rally in the bottom of the ninth to bring the game within one, but despite those best efforts, it wasn’t enough as the Sun Devils lost 10-9 to the Anteaters, as well as losing the three-game series.

That homer was the only hit Stevenson allowed in the eighth, but after giving ICU three consecutive free bases, it turned into four runs. It was a common theme for the ASU pitching staff to give up free bases throughout Saturday’s contest.

“The bottom line is we gave up 13 free bases today between hit guys and walks. You can’t expect to win games that way,” Head coach Willie Bloomquist said. “I know I sound like a broken record because I’ve preached on it before [but] bottom line, our pitchers got to get better.”

The Sun Devils lacked command over the mound, hitting numerous batters. ASU had four pitchers on the bump Saturday, and all of them hit two or more batters. Bloomquist has harped on limiting self-inflicted wounds, but again the club struggles to execute that ideology.

Junior right-hander Khristian Curtis got the start on the bump and had a challenging outing. Curtis started five frames and, before the end of each, had a UCI runner in scoring position. The former Aggie struggled with his control and, while throwing 94 MPH across the plate, couldn’t find the zone with his heater leading to early base runners.

The Anteaters would strike first in the second innings. After an infield error and a hit-by-pitch saw runners on first and second, junior catcher Abraham Garcia-Pacheco sliced one to left field to make it 1-0 UCI. That was Garcia-Pacheco’s first of four RBIs on the day against the Sun Devils as he caused the pitching staff mighty trouble.

“UCI has got a lineup that makes you earn every out, and if you’re not hitting your locations, they’re not going to strike out much,” Bloomquist said. “It all goes without saying Khristian Curtis has electric stuff. If we can execute better and hit our spots a little bit more, keep our pitch count down, and be more efficient early in the games.”

Curtis looked to be in for a rough inning, but after the first run crossed home plate, the junior right-hander locked in and got out of the frame with a nasty pitch in the dirt to get the strikeout. That was a common theme for Curtis that he continued in the third and fourth inning.

The Groves, Texas native allowed early runners via lack of control, but after allowing a single run, he seemed to lock in and show his composure in high-pressure situations. Curtis stranded five runners in scoring position in the first four frames, only allowing three runs to cross home plate during that span.

“He’s going to be able to extend much longer, but [UCI] make you earn it,” Bloomquist said. “So, it’s putting on your chin strap and being ready for the challenge. That’s what type of team they are.”

Meanwhile, ASU bats were silent, unable to string along good appearances at the dish. Some of the young Sun Devil’s batters chased pitches out of the zone and looked to have the lineup all out of sync.

“I feel like we just need to bring the intensity from the jump right when that first pitch is thrown,” junior infielder Ethan Long said. “That’s got to be our main goal right from the first pitch.”

ASU woke up in the fourth after back-to-back singles leading into a two-RBI triple by sophomore infielder Jacob Tobias, who now leads active players in triples with three, to cut the deficit to 3-2. Saturday’s game is a huge boost of confidence for the sophomore that has begun the new year on a rough patch.

“[Tobias] got off to a little bit of a slow start, but we’re 10 games in…10 games is kind of a blip on the radar,” Bloomquist said. “He wasn’t hot right out of the box, but he’s starting to find his swing a little bit. When a guy gets off to a little bit of a slow start, it’s magnified, but I got confidence that Tobias is going to find his swing.”

Curtis continued to struggle in early-inning situations, as in his fifth and final inning walked the bases loaded to end his night. Bloomquist tried to salvage the frame by bringing in junior right-hander Brock Peery to get the final out, but it proved to be futile.

Peery, within three pitches, allowed all three inherited base runners to cross home plate to bring the deficit back to three runs. The first run came with Peery on his first pitch hitting Anteaters batters and illustrating the lack of handle from Sun Devils pitchers.

“I botched the call on bringing in Peery against a lefty right there,” Bloomquist said. “But at the end of the day, hitting the guy on the first pitch, things unraveled a little bit.”

The Sun Devils’ bats didn’t let the top of the frame fluster them at the plate, coming right back at the Anteaters. UCI struggled giving up free bases, and after two straight walks, it set up senior outfielder Wyatt Crenshaw to smash an RBI double to center field. Crenshaw continues to be the shining light in the ASU’s lineup, having multiple timely hits within only a few weeks, rocking the maroon and gold.

Entering the sixth frame, Sun Devils’ emotions were high as they cut the deficit to 6-5, looking to erase the second 3-run hole of the game. Tension was so high that after a pitch clock violation gave Stevenson a ball, Bloomquist had to argue the call. The confrontation started off mild before third base umpire Darren Hyman suddenly tossed Bloomquist out of the game.

“It’s been played this way for many years, and then some guru is going to come and change our game. It’s a disgrace,” Bloomquist said. “Do I blame the umpire? No, absolutely not. He’s doing his job, and for me, I think the rule is a joke.”

After the ejection, Sun Devil fans in Phoenix Municipal Stadium tried to get the club back into the game with their energy. However, the fateful grand slam surrendered in the eighth by Stevenson put a hush over the crowd.

“Eighth inning, we hit two guys to lead off the inning, walk the next guy,” Bloomquist said. “Live dangerously. Eventually, you’re going to get burned. That stuff can’t happen. We got to be better than that.”

Following the two-run fifth inning, ASU failed to record a hit in the following three frames.

In an ironic twist, ICU struggled with its control on the mound in the final frame. In a similar fashion to Stevenson, redshirt junior Jacob King gave five of ASU’s first six batters in the ninth free bases to cut the deficit to three with bases loaded. Head coach Sean Dermott elected to go with freshman right-hander Max Martin to get the final two outs.

“It’s good to see other teams struggle with that as well,” Bloomquist said. “It’s a good learning tool for our guys and [say] ‘Hey, man, it doesn’t just happen to us.’ How do we put up our crooked innings? It’s a walk. It’s a guy that can’t find the zone. We have to be patient and let him hang himself.”

Martin did stop that trend, but not in the way Dermott would’ve liked, as Long stepped up and sliced a two-run RBI single to right field, making it 10-9 UCI. A miracle was brewing in Tempe with two runners on and only one out remaining. ASU had life and was fingertips away from making a historic comeback at home. However, the dream was killed on a hard-hit groundout to first that would finish the Sun Devils comeback losing 10-9.

The series is already decided, but for ASU, it doesn’t take any of the motivation heading in the series finale against UCI.

“[Bloomquist] told us from the jump that the tougher team wins on Sunday,” Long said. “Once you get to Sunday, you have to be mentally tougher than the other team and come out ready to go. Then, it’s just sticking together with the guys. We’ve been through a lot through the fall and worked our butt off. It’s staying together and staying a family.”