No. 16 Sun Devils falter on Senior Night

(Photo: Elijah Longoria/WCSN)

PHOENIX – As Arizona State entered the fourth inning, an irksome feeling spread across the stands at Phoenix Municipal Stadium. The Sun Devils were trailing 8-3 and had missed on multiple opportunities to close the gap.

Then, that irksome feeling blew away into the Arizona wind for just a second.

The fans in attendance all stood and cheered as the ASU Softball team, which had just won the Big 12 Tournament just hours prior, walked into the stadium. The energy in the stadium felt as if maybe the champions would bring a favorable bounce that the Sun Devils had not yet gotten.

However, unfortunately for the fans in attendance, the softball team’s win on Saturday morning became the only thing to latch on to, as the Sun Devils(33-17, 16-10 Big 12) were thrashed by Oklahoma State(33-17, 16-10 Big 12) 13-6 as some familiar situational hitting issues crept up on them.

“We have to lock in and focus better than we’re doing right now because it is not good enough,” head coach Willie Bloomquist said. “We just have to be better. Situations are coming up, and we’re putting ourselves in good situations. There’s nothing more we can preach. It’s just a matter of executing better.”

Situational hitting has been an issue for the Sun Devils all season long, with the team going 29-for-143 with runners in scoring position in their losses. Saturday night was no different, as ASU went 1-for-13 with RISP in its loss to the Cowboys.

The offense as a whole wasn’t even struggling, with the Sun Devils coming up with 14 hits on the night, and even loading the bases four separate times. Unfortunately for ASU, it was unable to capitalize on any of those opportunities, grounding into double plays on three of the occasions. Bloomquist said he believes his team may be trying to make too many of those big plays, causing the missed opportunities.

“We did a great job setting the table,” Bloomquist said. “But then we chase below the zone when it’s time to cash in and hit into double plays or get jammed and chase pitches off the plate. We didn’t get into those situations by doing that. Why all of a sudden do we get runners in scoring position? Do we do something different? I think everyone is trying too hard.”

Even the Sun Devils’ leader in nearly every hitting category, sophomore center-fielder Landon Hairston, got his opportunity to make something happen with the bases loaded. Instead, Hairston grounded out to the first baseman to end the inning, which was met with groans from a frustrated crowd.

It was that kind of night for the Sun Devils.

“We did a great job of getting runners on base,” Bloomquist said. “We did a poor job of getting them in, especially early. We had a chance to set the tone early with the bases loaded, nobody out in the first. One out in the second. We just weren’t able to come up with big hits to put up crooked numbers.”

The pitching didn’t help pick the offense up as they have on other nights, allowing seven home runs to the Cowboys. Junior pitcher Jaden Alba, who was making his second weekend start, began strong but faltered in the fourth inning, allowing three home runs and seven runs. When he was relieved, the Cowboys added a fourth home run in the frame, putting the game seemingly out of reach.

Saturday night was also senior night. Two captains, redshirt junior second baseman Nu’u Contrades and senior pitcher Sean Fitzpatrick, were among those honored. The pair were the first to be named captains in the Bloomquist era and will be looked upon to get the Sun Devils through their struggles and postseason tests.

“I think that’s where those guys shine through,” Bloomquist said. “I just reminded them that they are the glue that has to hold this together. The coaches can sit up here and preach all day long and give messages. But those two guys are the glue in that locker room.”

While it is just its second series loss of the season, ASU’s struggles against Oklahoma State bring about a similar problem to last season. The Sun Devils got swept by the Cowboys to end the regular season, setting them on a cold streak that would continue into their first-round Big 12 Tournament loss to BYU.

That cold streak left the Sun Devils in a position in which they had to stress on Selection Monday, and eventually got ASU eliminated in the regional after just three postseason games. Bloomquist and his squad will try to take the lessons from last season’s failures and turn them into late success.

“Not to get caught up in all of the bulls**t,” Bloomquist said. “Just focus on our players. That’s what I’ve learned. I will focus on our players and what we do together as a team and let the results happen the way they should.”

The Sun Devils will return to the field on Sunday at 1:05 p.m. MST to try to avoid getting swept for the first time this season, along with a repeat of last season against the Pokes.

“These first two games have not gone as planned against them,” Bloomquist said. “Talking to the guys, playoff baseball starts tomorrow. We’re in the position where every game is a playoff game, and we have to start playing as such. We have no more cushion. We have no more leeway.”