LONG BEACH, Calif. – Sun Devil Baseball mounted a late rally, but ultimately fell short in a 5-2 loss to Long Beach State on Saturday at Blair Field.
The Sun Devils (5-2) scored twice in the latter half of the game and put the tying run on deck in the ninth, but a double-play groundout evened the series at one game apiece.
Arizona State fell into an early 3-0 hole through three innings, but finally broke through for one run in both the sixth and seventh innings to pull within one. However, a pair of errors in the bottom of the eighth resulted in two runs for the Dirtbags (4-2) and stretched their lead back to three, 5-2.
Relievers Ryan Hingst, Eric Melbostad and Tucker Baca combined to hold the Dirtbags to just one earned run on three hits across the 6 2/3 innings. Hingst, who escaped a bases-loaded jam he inherited in the second inning, went 3 2/3 innings. He conceded one run on three hits and three walks with three strikeouts, and stranded seven runners. Melbostad did not allow a hit or a walk across consecutive scoreless frames in the sixth and seventh innings in his third appearance of the season. Baca entered the game with one out in the ninth and issued two outs that bookended a throwing error that cost the Devils two runs.
Starting left-hander Eli Lingos (1-1) was replaced with one out in the second inning after he allowed two runs on five hits in 1 1/3 frames in the loss.
The Dirtbags jumped on Lingos early in the first inning with three hits, including a leadoff double, to take their first lead of the series, 2-0. Shortstop Garret Hampson scored the first run of the game on a double, a throwing error on a failed pickoff attempt, and a groundout, and LBSU added a second run on a hit batter and two singles.
Hingst took over on the mound in the second inning after a pair of one-out singles gave Lingos the hook, and Hingst loaded the bases on a hit batter, but stranded all three runners with a strikeout and a fly ball to right field.
LBSU added one in the third on a bases-loaded walk to make it 3-0, but Hingst issued a looking strikeout to end the frame with the bases loaded for the second consecutive inning.
Third baseman Jordan Aboites put the Devils on the board in the top of the sixth with a single, a stolen base, a wild pitch and a balk to cut their deficit to two, 3-1.
The Devils moved within a run, 3-2, in the next inning as they added a run via a pair of singles from catcher Brian Serven and designated hitter Sebastian Zawada. Serven advanced to second on a balk and scored in the next at-bat on Zawada’s base hit, his fourth RBI of the series.
The leadoff batter for LBSU reached second on a throwing error by Aboites and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt before Baca took over. He struck out the first batter he faced and intentionally walked the next, but a throwing error by Aboites allowed two runs to score.
LBSU starting right-hander Chris Mathewson (1-1) struck out 12 and retired 16 in a row between a leadoff single in the first inning and a one-out base hit in the sixth. He allowed two runs on four hits and one walk in seven innings.
Notes: Daniel Williams has registered at least one hit in each of the Devils’ first seven games this season…Serven caught two runners stealing and now has seven this season.
Up Next
The Devils close out their three-game series against Long Beach State on Sunday at 1 p.m. PT/2 p.m. AZ. ASU’s student radio, The Blaze, will have the call at http://www.ustream.tv/channel/blaze-sports-2.
Sunday’s Pitching Matchup
ASU: LHP Reagan Todd (1-0, 0.00)
LBSU: RHP Darren McCaughan (1-0, 1.29)
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