No. 24 Sun Devils Avoid Sweep in 8-4 Win Over Arizona

(Photo: Maya Diaz/WCSN)

PHOENIX – It was gut-check time for the Sun Devils. They trailed 4-0 in the bottom of the fifth to in-state rivals Arizona, not only on the verge of a series sweep but also a season sweep.

Senior shortstop Matt King stepped into the batter’s box with the hope of creating a spark. King had been without a home run during the season until that at-bat, when he deposited a fastball from Arizona starter Smith Bailey over the left-field fence, cutting the Wildcats’ lead in half with the two-run shot.

“Picking each other up, trying to get some more energy in the dugout. When you feel like the guys are behind you and pick each other up you take off,” King said.

No. 24 Arizona State baseball’s (21-10, 8-4 Big 12) offense looked to be on an upward trajectory, getting on base at least once in each of the first four innings. However, the Sun Devils’ situational hitting struggled, grounding into three double plays in the first four frames. The Arizona (22-9, 8-4 Big 12) pitching staff had clearly placed emphasis on pitching to contact with runners on base and it was paying off.

Sophomore right-handed starter Jaden Alba got the start for ASU and cruised through the first three innings striking out five batters in the process. Then in the fourth inning, Alba ran into trouble. Junior catcher Adonys Guzman ripped a ball into the right-center gap and junior designated hitter Maddox Mihalakis followed it up slapping one into right, scoring Guzman. A double down the line followed by a three-run shot from sophomore infielder Andrew Cain would spell the end of the day for Alba.

Sophomore left-handed pitcher Cole Carlon then entered the game and would become the story of it. Carlon preceded to pitch the next 4.1 innings perfect, striking out 10 of the 13 batters he faced in the process. A mammoth performance that would keep the Sun Devils in the game while the bats were quiet

“I’m really just filling up the zone and trusting all my pitches, mainly my slider, just overall, throwing everything with intent over the plate,” Carlon said.

With Carlon shoving on the mound, the sixth inning saw the ASU bats finally picked up, and its offense returned the caliber that has been on display for most of the season. A pair of walks and a single from junior third basemen Nu’u Contrades loaded the bases for King.

The Wildcats countered with junior right-hander Garrett Hicks who promptly plunked King with his first pitch bringing the Sun Devils within one. Then, junior center-fielder Isaiah Jackson came through with a lead-taking two-RBI single. Sophomore catcher, Brody Briggs capped off the four-run inning with a single and Sun Devils ended the sixth inning with a commanding 6-4 lead.

“[Seemed] every time we got a runner on we hit into a double play to demolish any type of rally, and finally in the fifth and sixth there today we were able to break through and get some hits with guys in scoring position and hits with guys on base, and string something together,” Bloomquist said.

After two more perfect innings of work from Carlon, ASU added two more insurance runs in the eighth. Junior designated hitter Kien Vu picked an opportune time to grab his first hit of the evening, slapping a single into left that would score King. A perfect Briggs bunt combined with a throwing error from Guzman would score the Tuscon native, Jackson, and bring the lead to 8-4.

“The last couple days have been kind of rock bottom, really,” manager Willie Bloomquist said. “You don’t like losing games at home, especially to those guys. … To get down 4-0 today and not show a whole lot of signs of offense, but to be able to come back and steal one there and fight the last half of that game and come back come away with the win was, hopefully [something] we can use as momentum.”

For the manager of a Top-25 ball club to feel like rock bottom is being hit after two consecutive losses is a testament to both the expectations held by the locker room and the passion of a rivalry series. At least for now, the Sun Devils salvaged a bit of the weekend and avoided the most embarrassing outcome, a sweep at home against the Wildcats. However, the team knows it can hit a higher gear and reach the ceiling it and manager believe is possible.

“If we can get these guys playing to their best possible selves and their best possible team we can, then I like where this team is going to be at the end of it,” Bloomquist said.