Sun Devils’ Strong Pitching Frustrates St. John’s and Preserves Undefeated Record

(Photo: Maya Diaz/WCSN)

PHOENIX – A great performance is defined by the emotions it evokes. Saturday, Arizona State’s pitching staff brought its fans relief while delivering frustration to the St. John’s fans who had made the cross-country trip to see their squad in action.

Even St. John’s head coach Mike Hampton appeared to be frustrated to the point of hostility, earning him his first ejection of the season. As his team trailed 3-1 in the eighth inning, Hampton argued against a strike near the edge of the strike zone.

Umpire Angel Campos heard his comments and tossed him out of the game. After throwing his papers down, Hampton came all the way to home plate to yell at the umpire before walking off the field for the final time on Saturday.

Without the guidance of their head coach, the Red Storm were unable to generate a comeback and fell 3-1 at Phoenix Municipal Stadium. In two games against ASU (6-0), St. John’s (1-5) has generated two runs and nine hits.

Josh Butler was on the mound in the eighth inning when Hampton was ejected, but did not last much longer. He entered in the sixth inning and pitched 2.1 scoreless innings, a little less than Butler said he expected but just what the team needed.

“It’s really not up to me to make those decisions,” Butler said. “But I just have to be able to go up there and take the ball and give these guys as many outs as possible. If it’s long, if it’s short, I’ll do whatever it takes.”

While Butler did not surrender any runs, ASU coach Willie Bloomquist felt it was time to pull him after he issued his first walk. The junior threw 21 strikes on 32 pitches for a 65.6% strike thrown rate, higher than any of the St. John’s pitchers.

As ASU transitioned Butler off the mound, it once again turned to Derek Schaefer in a late-game situation. The right-handed junior gave up a double to his first batter before settling down and earning five scoreless outs.

Bloomquist praised Schaefer’s professionalism, especially in the ninth inning.

“It takes a different breed to come out of the pen and close games,” Bloomquist said. “The toughest three outs are the ninth inning, and it is like he is calmer when he comes in in the ninth. To have that demeanor and have that late-inning guy that can do that is extremely valuable.”

The Sun Devils have surrendered five runs in the ninth inning of the three games Schaefer did not pitch in. In the three games he pitched, that number dropped to zero. Schaefer said he approaches every inning the same, whether the game hangs in the balance or not.

“Pitching is pitching,” Schaefer said. “Whenever they have me pitch, I’ll throw the ball over the plate. Again, if that role ever changes, I’m a Swiss Army knife. I can do whatever, but I love the closer role.”

Schaefer has not surrendered a run all season and delivered another elite performance on Saturday. While Schaefer thrived, Bloomquist said that starting pitcher Colin Linder did not bring “his best stuff.”

However, best is relative. The right-handed pitcher surrendered just one run in his second start of the year. Linder led the game with five strikeouts while allowing two hits.

Linder’s third inning was as tumultuous as it gets. He gave up a leadoff home run to Adam Agresti before resetting and forcing an infield groundout. He earned consecutive strikeouts for the only time all game to end the inning. Bloomquist acknowledged that his performance was enough to win but expects more overall.

“He was able to make pitches when he needed to, but I think there’s a lot more in there with him,” Bloomquist said.

Bloomquist’s disappointment likely stemmed from the fifth inning. Linder had walked his second batter of the frame, loading the bases with two outs. Bloomquist turned to a trusted name in the bullpen to save the inning.

When Sean Fitzpatrick was named a captain in the preseason, it raised the expectations for him to excel in the most clutch moments. Facing loaded bases in a one-run game certainly qualifies as a clutch moment.

Fitzpatrick was more than ready, needing just three pitches to strike out St. John’s Jayder Raifstanger. Bloomquist named those three strikes as the most important in the game, stating that games are often won and lost in the middle innings.

“That was kind of in my mind the game right there,” Bloomquist said. “Fitz, he came in, did the job and got us out of that inning.”

ASU came into the game sixth in the Big 12 in team ERA. That number will drop again after back-to-back one-run performances from the pitching staff. On Friday with nine runs, surrendering a single run was a luxury. On Saturday it was a necessity.

“Big performance on the mound,” Bloomquist said. “They picked our offense up big time today, because our offense was dismal at best.”

The Sun Devils will have one more home game against St. John’s on Sunday before taking to the road against five consecutive SEC teams. They’ll need the pitchers to continue to perform to stay undefeated through February.