PHOENIX – The second-ranked UCLA Bruins outlasted No. 9 Sun Devil Baseball, 11-5, in a 17-inning game that went five hours and 50 minutes on Saturday night at Phoenix Municipal Stadium.
Arizona State took a 4-0 lead into the eighth inning behind starting left-hander Ryan Kellogg, but the Bruins (36-11, 18-5) tied the game with four runs in the frame. The two teams were held scoreless for the next six innings before they exchanged runs in the 15th inning. The Sun Devils (29-17, 14-9) used an inning-ending double play to end a threat in the 16th, but UCLA tallied six runs in the 17th to secure the series win.
It marked ASU’s longest game, in terms of innings, since the Devils won a 17-inning game at Cal on April 21, 2011, and the longest home game since an 18-inning affair with UCLA on Feb. 23, 1990, that ASU won, 6-5.
Center fielder Johnny Sewald set a career high with five hits and his leadoff double in the bottom of the first set the tone early for Arizona State’s offense as they tallied seven hits and four runs through the first four innings.
Kellogg conceded just three hits through the first seven innings before his shutout was broken up in the eighth. He went nine innings for the fifth time in his three-year career, including his second this season, and issued seven strikeouts and just one walk in a no-decision.
Five ASU relievers combined to hold the Bruins to one run over 6 1/3 innings, including three scoreless from right-hander Ryan Burr in his longest outing of the season. Burr threw a perfect 10th inning, struck out center fielder Christoph Bono in the 11th inning with runners on second and third, and recorded a scoreless 12th.
Right-hander Jordan Aboites (2-3), who played the first 15 innings at third base, was credited with the loss after he allowed six runs, including four earned, on four hits in the 17th. He took the mound with one out in the 16th inning and helped the Devils escape a jam with an inning-ending double play that five different Sun Devils played a part in.
Third baseman David Greer tied his career high with three hits, and shortstop Colby Woodmansee recorded his team-high 10th multi-RBI game of the season and had 11 assists.
Woodmansee drove in the Devils’ first two runs of the game after leadoff hits in both the first and third innings. Sewald opened the first with a double and advanced home via a pair of groundouts from left fielder Jake Peevyhouse and Woodmansee to plate the Devils’ first run of the series. Second baseman Andrew Snow began the third with a single and scored after a single from Sewald and a pair of sacrifice hits, including a bunt by Peevyhouse and a fly ball by Woodmansee.
Kellogg stranded runners at second and third in the top of the fourth as he recorded back-to-back strikeouts to work out of a jam. The Devils’ offense responded in the bottom of the frame as they extended their lead, 4-0, with a pair of runs on four singles. Right fielder Trever Allen and Sewald each notched a RBI single, and Greer and Aboites each added a base hit.
UCLA scored four runs on five hits in the top of the eighth to erase ASU’s lead. The Bruins used four consecutive singles to plate a pair before third baseman Christian Keck punctuated the rally with a two-out, two-run double to right field.
Both teams registered hits in the 11th inning, but neither one could break the 4-4 tie. UCLA right fielder Brett Stephens drove a two-out single up the middle and moved to third on a stolen base and a throwing error by ASU catcher Brian Serven. Designated hitter Sean Bouchard then took a walk and stole second, but Burr issued a swinging strikeout to Bono to strand both runners in scoring position. Greer knocked a single to right-center field in the bottom of the frame, but was thrown out at second trying to stretch the play. First baseman Joey Bielek followed with a base hit, but a groundout in the next at-bat sent the game to the 12th inning.
Right-hander Eder Erives stranded two in the top of the 13th and retired the side in the 14th, before the two teams exchanged runs in the 15th inning. UCLA first baseman Luke Persico singled and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt and a wild pitch, and scored on a wild pitch from left-hander Andrew Shaps to take their first lead of the game. The Devils countered in the bottom of the frame as Sewald led off with a single, advanced to third on a single and a fielder’s choice, and was plated on a RBI fielder’s choice from Serven.
UCLA right-hander David Berg scattered one run on six hits in six relief innings, and rght-hander Grant Dyer (3-0) tossed two scoreless innings to earn the win. Starting left-hander Grant Watson conceded four runs on eight hits in 6 2/3 innings. He struck out a pair and walked one, and took a no-decision after he was chased with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning.
Up Next
The Sun Devils close out their three-game series with No. 2 UCLA on May 10 at Phoenix Muni. First pitch is set for 12:30 p.m., and will be streamed live via thesundevils.com and broadcast on NBC Sports Radio AM 1060.
Sunday’s Pitching Matchup
UCLA: RHP Griffin Canning (7-1, 2.97 ERA)
ASU: LHP Brett Lilek (3-2, 3.97 ERA)
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