(Photo: Joshua Eaton/WCSN)
PHOENIX – Arizona State baseball looked like it was going to be in an offensive shootout with Houston, with the teams trading a pair of one-run innings to start the game. Then the floodgates opened for ASU, scoring five runs in the third and breaking away from the Cougars.
The Sun Devils would never look back as they scored six more runs while shutting down the Houston offense. ASU (33-18, 17-9 Big 12) had a dominant day to even the series with Houston (28-21, 11-14 Big 12), winning 13-3.
“We lose a Friday game, but there’s no panic throughout the locker room,” senior shortstop Matt King said. “We’re gonna come back and win these next two games, that’s how we believe in each other.”
The Sun Devils bullpen mowed down the Houston batters only allowing four hits in five innings, after senior righty Jack Martinez gave up three runs in the first four innings. Sophomore righty Jaden Alba, who had been the Sunday starter until late April, had another solid performance from the bullpen, going three scoreless while giving up two hits.
“It’s going out with a mindset of dominating every hitter,” Alba said. “We’re picking up the guy in front of us, and the guy behind us is gonna pick us up.”
Alba pitched three innings of shutout baseball, the second consecutive time that he held an opponent scoreless while pitching at least three innings. The California native has a sub-two ERA from the bullpen in three appearances, but allowed a season high four walks on Saturday.
“Way too many walks for my liking and we threw a lot of pitches,” ASU head coach Willie Bloomquist said. “We’re getting to too many three ball counts.”
Sophomore right hander Derek Schaefer and freshman lefty Max Arlich each pitched a scoreless inning. Schaefer did not allow a baserunner. Schaefer has been a solid arm for ASU this year and currently sits at 3.54 ERA.
Compared to the rest of his outings, Arlich had a rockier inning with three baserunners. Like Alba and Schaefer, Arlich is a capable arm for ASU to use from the bullpen as the postseason looms as he sits at a 1.29 ERA on the season and 0.00 ERA in Big 12 play.
“We’re trying to give (Arlich) some landing spots where he can be successful and continue to grow his confidence,” Bloomquist said.
Offensively, all positions of the Sun Devil lineup reached base safely twice. After going 0-12 in the opener, the first three batters went 6-13 on the day setting the tone for the rest of the order. Redshirt junior second baseman Kyle Walker had a huge day from the leadoff spot going three for five, with his sixth homer of the season. Walker, who lost his on base streak in the opener, made his presence felt by having three runs scored and knocking in a season high three RBI’s.
Freshman left fielder Landon Hairston reached base three times as well. Hairston reached three different ways in the game with a hit, a walk and a hit by pitch. He scored one and drove in one. King had two hits and drove in two on the day.
The middle of the order kept the lineup moving by going 5-13. Senior first baseman Jacob Tobias kept the momentum moving along by going two-for-five with an RBI and a run scored. Junior right fielder Kien Vu had another great game, extending his on-base streak to 15 games by going two for four with two runs scored. Vu has scored in nine of the last ten games, making his presence felt.
Redshirt sophomore Brandon Compton knocked a two-run homer, his seventh of the season, his first since April 1st. Compton has had a good last trio of games going 5-16. He needs to get going as his average sits at .274, 80 points lower than last season. A hot Compton would be a massive boost to a streaky ASU lineup as they head in to postseason play.
The bottom of the ASU lineup delivered as well, reaching in six of the group’s 15 plate appearances. Sophomore third baseman Jax Ryan got a hit and two RBIs and scored. Freshman infielder Beckett Zavorek pinch hit for Ryan and recorded a hit. Zavorek now sits at a .500 average as those two players will see playing time in junior third baseman Nu’u Contrades’ spot who is out of the year with a hand injury.
“Whenever he gets his opportunity, he seems to find ways to go in and do something positive,” Bloomquist said.
Junior center fielder Isaiah Jackson slugged his 12th homer of the year, tied most on the team, and sixth in eight games. Jackson scored twice on the day. Freshman outfielder Ky McGary flew out to center in his pinch hit appearance for Jackson.
The only ASU starter to fail to reach base was sophomore catcher Brody Briggs, who walked twice and scored on both occasions. This is a complete lineup that opposing pitchers will have to bring their a-game to if they want to be successful.
The only player who had a disappointing performance was Martinez who allowed three runs in four innings on 92 pitches. Martinez joined junior lefty teammate Ben Jacobs in triple digit strikeouts, the first set of teammates to do so during Bloomquist’s tenure as head coach.
ASU looks to win the rubber match against Houston and win its fourth consecutive series in the Big 12. Arizona State’s 33 wins sets the record of wins in the Bloomquist era beating the 2023 and 2024 seasons by one.
“There hasn’t really been a message other than continue to play baseball,” Bloomquist said. “Be ready to go tomorrow, gotta try to win a series tomorrow.”
