Sun Devils do just enough in 4-3 victory over Utah

(Photo: ASU Athletics)

The Arizona State Sun Devils got off to a hot start but had to fight off a late rally on their way to a 4-3 win over the Utah Utes on Friday night.

The No. 7 Sun Devils (37-6, 11-3 Pac-12) recorded five of their seven hits in the first two innings as Sammy Cordova struggled early on for the Utes (16-18,3-10 Pac-12). Cheyenne Coyle got things going with a two-run home run over the scoreboard in left field in the second at-bat of the game for the Sun Devils. The Sun Devils would take a 3-0 lead in the second inning as Alix Johnson’s double to right-center field scored Bailey Wigness from first.

The Sun Devils appeared on their way to another run-rule victory, however after the second inning, Cordova settled down and allowed only two more hits the rest of the game.

“They definitely made some adjustments with how they were pitching us after the first couple innings,” Sun Devil head coach Craig Nicholson said. “I thought [Cordova] settled in and did a nice job. However, I did think we had some pretty poor at-bats in the middle innings. We had some really good ones too, we just didn’t string them together.”

“[Cordova] was doing a good job mixing speeds and bringing a lot of change-ups, obviously,” Coyle said. “But, like coach was saying, we got ourselves out a lot and swung at bad pitches early in the count.”

The Sun Devils only stranded five runners on base in the game but missed opportunities in the first, second, fifth and sixth innings to increase their lead. They added a run in the fifth inning when Coyle drove in Chelsea Gonzales with an RBI single off the top of the left-field wall.

While the Sun Devils struggled at times to even get on base, the Utes had at least one base runner in every inning. Starting pitcher Mackenzie Popescue struggled a bit allowing seven hits, all singles, three walks and hitting two batters. Despite the number of base runners allowed, Popescue was able to work around most them and not give up any big innings.

“I didn’t quite have my stuff like I usually do,” Popescue said. “My defense had my back the whole way. They carried me a little bit tonight.”

The Utes first run came in the third inning when shortstop Anissa Urtez drove in Chalese Hadley, who led the inning off with a walk. The Utes did not score again until the sixth inning when they loaded the bases with only one out. However only one run scored when Bella Secaira’s groundout drove in Shelbi Everette.

“I like that adrenaline and that pressure,” Popescue said. “It usually helps me perform a little bit better. I was really just thinking about keeping the ball low and a groundball gets me out of that inning.”

The Utes had an opportunity in the seventh inning to take the lead after a potential game-winning double-play ball went through the legs of Sun Devil first basemen Bethany Kemp. Utah left fielder Kate Dickman scored on a sacrifice fly to make the score 4-3. Uretz was thrown at home plate trying to score from second base on a grounder that got away from Popescue but bounced directly to second basement Nikki Girard.

“In every three game series there’s that game that you don’t play your best and you escape with a win, if you’re going to be successful. That was tonight for us. We didn’t play great,” Nicholson said.

The Sun Devils will look to make some adjustments and complete the series sweep on Saturday afternoon. First pitch of game 3 between the Sun Devils and Utes is scheduled for noon Saturday at Farrington Stadium in Tempe.