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TEMPE, Ariz. – The 24th-ranked Arizona State University baseball team had the tying run on second base in the ninth inning, but their late rally fell short in a 6-5 loss to No. 19 Tennessee on Saturday night in front of 2,859 fans at Packard Stadium in Tempe, Ariz.
The Sun Devils (7-5) trailed 6-4 going into the bottom of the ninth, but a walk, a bunt single and a fielding error by Tennessee allowed one run to score and put the potential game-tying run just two bases away.
Redshirt senior pinch hitter Kyle Bilbrey took a four-pitch walk with one out in the ninth inning and redshirt junior right fielder Trever Allen followed with a bunt single. Allen was tagged out at second on sophomore catcher RJ Ybarra’s grounder up the middle in the next at-bat, but Tennessee second baseman Will Maddox threw the ball away in an attempt to turn the double play, which allowed Bilbrey to score and Ybarra to advance to second. That brought junior designated hitter Nate Causey to the plate trailing 6-5 with two outs, but he flew out to left field to end the game.
Starting left-hander Ryan Kellogg (1-2) took the loss after he allowed three runs on eight hits and struck out five in seven innings of work. He did not issue a walk for the eighth time in his career, including the second this season.
Causey scored two runs off a pair of leadoff doubles, once in the second and again in the eighth, and four other Devils tallied a pair of hits as ASU out-hit the Volunteers (13-1) 13-11 in the loss.
The Sun Devils took an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning behind a leadoff double by Causey and an RBI single by sopohomore first baseman David Graybill.
The Volunteers countered with a pair of runs in the top of the fourth to take its first lead of the series, 2-1. Designated hitter Nick Senzel’s RBI single capped off three straight base hits for UT and an RBI groundout by center fielder Vincent Jackson scored the second run of the inning.
An RBI double by sophomore shortstop Jordan Aboites and an RBI single by sophomore center fielder Johnny Sewald put the Devils back on top, 3-2, in the bottom of the fifth. Redshirt junior second baseman Tucker Esmay reached on a fielder’s choice and scored from first in the next at-bat on Aboites’ double to left-center field, and Sewald followed with a base hit up the middle to bring Aboites home.
UT went ahead, 5-3, in the top of the seventh as they notched three runs on a trio of two-out hits and three Sun Devil errors. An RBI double by third baseman Taylor Smart knotted the game at three runs apiece before fielding errors by Esmay and Aboites brought home two more runs.
Left fielder Christian Stewart tripled in the top of the eighth and scored two batters later on an RBI double by first baseman Nathaniel Maggio to extend the Vols’ advantage, 6-3.
Sophomore third baseman Dalton DiNatale cut ASU’s deficit to two, 6-4, in the bottom of the eighth with an RBI single that scored Causey, who began the inning with a double. The Devils then brought the tying run to the plate three times, but a pair of strikeouts and a fielder’s choice ended their scoring threat.
Freshman right-hander Eder Erives pitched the eighth and ninth innings for ASU and struck out a career-high four as he conceded one run on three hits.
Right-hander Hunter Martin (2-0) earned the win after he scattered three hits across 2 2/3 scoreless innings and left-hander Drake Owenby (4) recorded the three-out save.
UT starting right-hander Andrew Lee allowed three runs on seven hits and two walks over 4 1/3 innings in a no-decision.
Notes
Coach Esmay moved to 79-21-1 in non-conference games at ASU…the Devils moved to 14-3 all-time against Tennessee…Coach Esmay moved to 45-36 against ranked teams at ASU…Ybarra extended his team-leading hitting streak to nine games with a two-out single in the first inning…the Sun Devil pitching staff did not issue a walk for the first time since April 12, 2013, against USC.
Up Next
The Sun Devils finish their three-game series against Tennessee on March 9 at 12:30 p.m. MT at Packard Stadium. The game will be live streamed via Pac-12.com and also broadcast online by Blaze Sports.
Pitching Matchup
UT: RHP Kyle Serrano (2-0, 3.29)
ASU: RHP Darin Gillies (1-1, 6.75)
Promotions
Commemorative Tip Your Cap to the 1990s posters and 2014 Sun Devil Baseball Trading Card sets are still available at Packard Stadium.
Ballots for the All-Packard Team are available now on gamedays at Packard Stadium, so be sure to mark your picks for the best to play at Packard Stadium, or visit azcentral.com to vote online.
Tip Your Cap To Packard Celebration – 1990-99
Former center fielder and 1991 Golden Spikes Award winner Mike Kelly (1989-91) saw his No. 24 jersey honored prior to the game on Saturday, March 8. Kelly joins 16 other members of the Sun Devil Family on the prestigious Wall of Fame on the outfield of Packard Stadium.
Sun Devil Legend and 11-year Major League veteran Paul Lo Duca (1993) threw the ceremonial first pitch on Friday, March 7.
Dave Brown and Barbara Harshfield, Sun Devil Baseball’s Legacy Supporters from 1990-99, will be honored on the field prior to the game on Sunday, March 9.
Season tickets starting at $99, single-game tickets and Mini Packs are on sale now. Admission for ASU students is free with a valid Sun Card. Purchasing season tickets will also give fans first opportunity and priority at selecting seats at Phoenix Municipal Stadium in 2015. Ariz.
Join the conversation all season using the hashtag #OccupyPackard
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