PHOENIX - The new era in Sun Devil Baseball opened in dramatic fashion Friday night as sophomore shortstop Colby Woodmansee hit a walk-off home run in the bottom of the 10th inning to give Arizona State a 4-3 win over No. 5 Oklahoma State in front of 4,253 fans in its season opener at Phoenix Municipal Stadium.
Woodmansee’s 10th inning homer punctuated the Sun Devils’ (1-0) first game at Phoenix Muni since 1974 and gave first-year head coach Tracy Smith a win in his debut at ASU.
Junior right-hander Ryan Burr (1-0) took over in the ninth inning and struck out five of the six batters he faced in the final two frames to earn the win. Burr issued a leadoff walk and a double to open the top of the ninth, but struck out three consecutive batters to strand runners at second and third. He walked the first batter he faced in the 10th, but induced a lineout and struck out the next two Cowboys to end the inning.
Woodmansee finished the night with two hits, two RBI and two runs scored, and junior third baseman Dalton DiNatale added a pair of hits, including a RBI double. Junior center fielder Johnny Sewald singled to lead off the bottom of the first – the Devils’ first hit in the Phoenix Muni era – and went 3-for-4 with a run scored.
Sophomore right-hander Hever Bueno tossed 2 1/3 scoreless frames to keep it a one-run game before Burr took over in the top of the ninth. Junior starting left-hander Brett Lilek allowed a pair of runs on three hits and four walks, and struck out six in 4 2/3 innings. He struck out the first batter he faced on three consecutive strikes and retired the side in the top of the first.
Woodmansee drove in the first run of the game on a full-count single in the bottom of the fourth inning. Senior first baseman Joey Bielek reached on a leadoff hit and stole second before he came home on Woodmansee single. DiNatale followed with a double to right field in the next at-bat to score Woodmansee and push ASU’s advantage to a pair.
The Cowboys (0-1) took a 3-2 lead in the top of the sixth on a two-out single and threatened to extend its advantage to a pair, but ASU senior right fielder Trever Allen threw Cowboys first baseman Kevin Bradley out at the plate to end the frame.
Junior second baseman Jordan Aboites laced a RBI double off the left-field wall in the bottom of the eighth inning to tie the game at three runs apiece. Sewald registered his third hit of the game one at-bat earlier and scored from first on Aboites’ extra-base hit.
OSU right-hander Koda Glover (0-1) conceded the game-winning home run to take the loss. Staring left-hander Tyler Nurdin was chased with one out in the top of the fourth after he gave up the first two runs of the game on three hits. He struck out four and allowed a pair of runs on six hits and a walk in 3 1/3.
Notes
Allen record the 19th outfield assist of his career in the top of the sixth inning…Serven caught two runners stealing and now has caught 17 in his career…ASU moved to 44-12-1 all-time in season openers…baseball and football freshman student-athlete Coltin Gerhart made his first career start in left field.
Up Next
The Devils host No. 5 Oklahoma State in game two of its weekend series on Saturday at 1 p.m. at Phoenix Municipal Stadium. The game will be live streamed via thesundevils.com and broadcast by Blaze Radio.
Saturday’s Pitching Matchup
OSU: RHP Jon Perrin (8-5, 2.38)*
ASU: LHP Ryan Kellogg (8-3, 3.76 ERA)*
*2014 stats