(Photo: Jack Simon/WCSN)
PHOENIX – As Arizona State entered its second game of fall baseball, it had questions to answer. Questions such as who would replace Cole Carlon and Kole Klecker as the Sun Devils weekend starting pitchers–even who would step in the lineup behind third-year outfielder Landon Hairston.
The Sun Devils started their quest to answer those questions on Tuesday in two scrimmage matches against Chandler-Gilbert Community College. ASU was victorious in both, winning the first match 9-0 and the second 11-1. Although both matchups were scrimmages intended primarily for practice and player development, ASU showed a strong offense, pitching depth, and the ability to limit its opponent’s scoring opportunities.
The Sun Devils started with an instant two runs in the first inning, while keeping Chandler-Gilbert off the board. Throughout the first game, the Sun Devils pitching staff found themselves in trouble. Despite struggling to turn opportunities into runs, Chandler-Gilbert managed to put runners in scoring position multiple times. The team reached third base more than five times but were unable to bring those runners home. ASU was able to make more than a stand, racking up five runs in the first five innings, and finally winning by a score of 9-0.
Pitching was a major takeaway from the opening game, with the two teams combining for 18 strikeouts. ASU showed their ability to limit Chandler-Gilbert’s offensive drive and gave the Sun Devils a strong start to the day.
The second game began with another fast start from ASU, as the Sun Devils scored three runs in the opening inning. Several early walks helped to create opportunities for the ASU offense, putting pressure on Chandler-Gilbert’s defense and pitchers. In the fourth inning, ASU’s second-year infielder Brenden Lewis added a home run, serving as crucial run support. Although not every hit resulted in runs, ASU constantly kept up the pressure, racking up multiple singles and even a double in the 7th inning. The second game ended in an 11-1 ASU win, with both teams coming away with valuable information and practice.
ASU cycled multiple pitchers throughout these games, including fourth-year pitcher James Hays, first-year pitcher Declan Fitzgerald, second-year pitcher Jett Wright and fourth-year pitcher Luke Wiltrakis. While ASU cycled through many pitchers within the two games, Chandler-Gilbert kept utilizing one main pitcher. Cycling pitchers gave new pitchers on both teams an opportunity to prepare for a new season. The teams combined for 18 strikeouts in the first game and 16 in the second, for a total of 34 across both scrimmages. The high total served as a glimmer of hope for both teams’ pitching staffs, even as ASU’s offense produced 20 runs over the two games.
After the game, Arizona State head coach Willie Bloomquist spoke about the preparation and mentality as the Sun Devils approached a new season of fall baseball, especially with postseason expectations soaring high.
“We’re trying to fine-tune and get ready for the regular season,” Bloomquist said. “These fall games are important just to evaluate our players and see who’s going to step up and rise to a certain occasion.”
