Sun Devils dominate Oral Roberts in 9-2 win, clinch series victory

(Photo: Nickolas Montei/WCSN)

PHOENIX — The classic saying that it’s not about how you start but rather how you finish can’t be truer in sports. Arizona State watching a two-run lead evaporate in the bottom of the ninth on Friday to allow Oral Roberts to hand the team its first loss of the season could’ve easily defined the remainder of the series.

Instead, the Sun Devils evened the score by cruising to a 12-5 victory the next day. With momentum swinging back in their favor, ASU chose to finish what it had started.

Sunday’s game at Phoenix Municipal Stadium saw the Sun Devils put together the most complete performance on both sides of the ball this season. Scoring nine runs on eight hits including five home runs on top of outstanding pitching from start to finish helped Arizona State (6-1) win 9-2 and clinch the weekend series over Oral Roberts (4-2).

“It was a tough one on Friday obviously, but our team has a lot of heart and we’re not going to go down without giving our best foot forward,” junior third baseman Nu’u Contrades said. “We have a good group of guys that won’t back down, so it was fun.”

The series as a whole, especially the final two games, was a display of how potent ASU’s offense can be when playing up to full potential. One through nine on the Sun Devils’ lineup card combined for 29 hits, 29 runs and eight home runs over the last 27 innings.

Home run power was the weapon of choice throughout the game with Contrades getting things started right away. The third baseman rode the first pitch he saw 406 feet over the center field wall for a solo shot to put ASU up 1-0.

With the Sun Devils up 7-2 in the bottom of the eighth inning, Contrades struck again. He took two pitches before smoking a ball deep into left field to score two more after redshirt junior second baseman Kyle Walker led off with a walk then stole second.

After being held to two walks and no hits on Friday, Contrades’ five knocks, five RBIs and three home runs from the leadoff spot over the next two days set the tone for his teammates to follow.

“Just knowing that if you don’t get the job done then the guy after you will get it done really puts you at ease,” Contrades said. “Knowing that everyone in our lineup can hit and just going up there with the confidence that you just do your job and good things will happen.”

Senior first baseman Jacob Tobias was next in the home run parade, putting one of redshirt sophomore left fielder Brandon Compton’s four walks to good use on a no-doubter to right-center field in the bottom of the fifth.

Next to join in on the fun during the sixth inning was junior left fielder Kien Vu who channeled his inner Babe Ruth and called his shot to manager Willie Bloomquist before hitting a solo shot to left field.

“I asked him what his approach is, and he said, ‘I’m going to hit a homer to left-center’, and I said, ‘Okay,'” Bloomquist said.

Vu also enjoyed an excellent series performance on the back of five hits, four RBIs and two home runs total.

Graduate catcher Josiah Cromwick entered his name as the final entry to the home run club after hitting a rocket to left field that found its way into the Oral Roberts’ bullpen and gave ASU a five-run lead in the bottom of the seventh inning.

However, the lineup’s plate patience and ability to capitalize off mistakes also made a major impact. The Sun Devils drew ten walks and stole four bases as a result of turning the opposing pitcher’s focus on picking off runners. Upping the intimidation factor resulted in four throwing errors on top of junior third baseman Matthew Brandt booting a ground ball that scored ASU’s third run of the game.

“It makes it better on the hitters,” Tobias said. “They just leave us cookies because all they can think about is how they’re going to stop the running game. It’s just unbelievable. Lefties, righties, everybody gets in the pitcher’s head and it’s really cool to see. It’s probably my first time in four years that I’ve really seen us be uber aggressive on the basepaths, and it’s a fun sight to see.”

Sophomore right-handed pitcher Jaden Alba, who started his second Sunday game of the year, found himself in a jam in his first inning of work after consecutive walks and a line-drive single loaded the bases with no outs. After Contrades snagged a line drive to give his teammate some breathing room, Alba tossed back-to-back strikeouts to escape the frame unharmed.

The righty picked up two more strikeouts in a scoreless second before being tagged for an RBI double in the third and fourth innings that cut the team’s lead down to one. In a game-defining moment, Bloomquist sent Alba back out for the fifth inning whilst unaware that his pitch total sat at 84 mph. Luckily, he only needed 12 pitches to notch two strikeouts and a ground out to close out another quality start.

“I didn’t realize his pitch count had gotten that high,” Bloomquist said. “I ran him back out there for the fifth then he got the first out. (Pitching coach) Jeremy (Accardo) said, ‘You want to go get him?’, and I’m like,‘Why? Why are we going to get him?’.

“He’s like, ‘He’s starting to get up there pitch count wise’, which usually I’m right on there with the number of pitches he’s thrown. But he was creeping up there. Matter of fact, the last guy that he got out would’ve been his last hitter regardless if he got him out or not. So I was really excited that he was able to get through and get the W from a selfish perspective. He deserved it and gutted it out so that was neat for him.”

What truly pushed the Sun Devils toward the finish line was a perfect performance from the bullpen. Right-handed pitcher Derek Schaefer relieved Alba at the top of the sixth inning and threw up a scoreless frame. Left-handed pitcher Cole Carlon recovered from putting his first two batters on base by striking out four of the next six batters he faced in the seventh and eighth. To close it out, freshman righty Eli Buxton tossed a 1-2-3 inning on 12 pitches.

“The main thing was just filling up the zone, a lot of confidence in our stuff, and just going right after the hitters because we got great defenders behind us,” Carlon said.