LOS ANGELES – A three-run homer in the fifth inning proved to be the difference as No. 12 Sun Devil Baseball fell to No. 17 USC, 6-3, in the regular season finale on Sunday at Dedeaux Field in Los Angeles.
The Sun Devils finished the regular season in a three-way tie for third place in the Pac-12 with an overall record of 34-21, including 18-12 in conference. They will learn their postseason destination during the 2015 NCAA Division I Baseball Championship Selection Show on Monday, May 25, at 9 a.m. PT on ESPNU.
Arizona State held a 2-1 lead with two outs in the fifth inning, but a single and a walk led to a three-run homer by left fielder Bobby Stahl and pushed the Trojans (37-19, 18-12) ahead by two, 4-2. The Devils pulled back within one in the top of the ensuing inning, but they were held scoreless over the final third of the game and USC added two insurance runs in the seventh to secure the series win.
Right fielder Trever Allen went 3-for-4 with a RBI and a run scored, and finished the three-game series at USC with seven hits, including a home run and a double, two RBI and five runs scored.
Starting right-hander Seth Martinez (2-2) began his outing with three scoreless frames before he allowed one run in the fourth and the three-run homer in the fifth in the loss. He gave up eight hits and four walks, and struck out two, in six innings.
Both teams were retired in order in the first inning before the Sun Devils used sacrifice flies in both the second and third frames to take a 2-0 lead. Designated hitter RJ Ybarra drove in the first run of the game after Allen and first baseman Joey Bielek each singled and advanced a base on a wild pitch, and center fielder Johnny Sewald brought home the second behind base hits from catcher Zach Cerbo and second baseman Andrew Snow.
Allen punctuated a trio of singles in the sixth as ASU countered in the top half of the frame to close its deficit to one, and Martinez escaped a bases-loaded jam with a fly ball to left field in a scoreless bottom half.
ASU used three pitchers in the seventh inning as the Trojans needed just two hits to score two runs and stretch its lead to three. Martinez gave up a leadoff single and was replaced by Friday night starting pitcher Brett Lilek, who made his first relief appearance since March 2, 2014. Lilek allowed four of the six batters he faced to reach base, including a RBI single and bases-loaded walk. Right-hander Ryan Burr took over with the bases loaded and two outs, and issued a looking strikeout to end the inning.
Allen and first baseman Joey Bielek led off the ninth with a pair of singles to put the tying run at the plate, but the next three Devils were retired in order to end the threat. Ybarra struck out swinging and Cerbo grounded into a potential double play, but beat out the throw at first to put runners at the corners. Second baseman Jordan Aboites drove the first pitch of his at-bat to deep left-center field, but Stahl made a diving catch at the wall to record the final out of the series.
Notes
Sewald has reached base in 36 of the past 37 games…Allen has multiple hits in three of the past five games...Burr tossed a scoreless eighth inning.
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