(Photo: ASU Athletics)
Nearly a year ago to the day, Brett Lilek sustained an elbow injury that rendered him useless for three months, resulting in a disappointing freshman season.
After tonight’s performance, that now seems like a century ago.
Lilek fired seven innings of four-hit baseball to give the Sun Devils (9-6) a 4-1 win over the Washington Huskies (10-5-1) to open up Pac-12 conference play.
The sophomore pitcher racked up five strikeouts in the first two innings, silencing a streaking Washington Huskies team that had won seven games in a row. Lilek finished the evening with six strikeouts, one earned run and eight initiated ground-ball outs.
Lilek did run into trouble in the third inning, as a leadoff single and two walks loaded the bases for the Huskies with one out. But as the left-hander has done time and time again, Lilek escaped the jam and induced an inning-ending double play to extend his scoreless streak to 17 innings.
Against Tennessee, the bottom half of the Sun Devil order hit just .189 (7-for-37). It was a different story on Friday night, as they propelled ASU to a three-run third inning.
Left fielder Christopher Beall and shortstop Colby Woodmansee led the inning off with consecutive singles. Beall advanced to third on an exceptional display of speed and athleticism to avoid the tag, allowing Woodmansee to take second.
Second baseman David Greer, the ninth hitter in the lineup, hit a ground-out RBI to give the Sun Devils a 1-0 lead. Johnny Sewald continued his tear with runners on base as he doubled to the wall in left-center to score Woodmansee.
Brian Serven then notched his sixth RBI of the season, singling past a diving Erik Forgione at shortstop, and Sewald crossed home for ASU’s third run.
The Sun Devils added another run in their half of the fourth.
In the seventh inning, Lilek’s scoreless streak would come to an end at 20.2 straight innings pitched, as Washington shortstop Erik Forgione belted an RBI triple past the outstretched glove of first baseman Nate Causey to give Washington its lone run.
Regardless of the one speedbump, Lilek notched his third win of the season and still boasts a Clayton Kershaw-esque ERA of 0.96.
Lilek departed after seven innings of brilliant work and the bullpen was just as dominant.
Eder Erives pitched a flawless eighth inning, and Ryan Burr set Huskies down with ease to earn his fourth save of the season.
Jared Fisher took his second loss of the year for Washington. He threw all eight innings for the Huskies, in which the Sun Devils tagged him for nine hits, three doubles and four runs.
Ryan Kellogg (1-2, 4.30 ERA) will take the mound as the starter for the Sun Devils tomorrow night. First pitch is slated for 6:30 p.m.
You can reach Jacob Garcia on Twitter @Jake_M_Garcia or via email at Jacob.M.Garcia@asu.edu
