PHOENIX, Ariz. -- Five ASU pitchers combine to allow just four runs in 11 innings and designated hitter Sebastian Zawada capped a two-run bottom of the 11th with a walk-off single through the left side to push the Sun Devils to a 5-4 victory against Eastern Michigan in Game 2 of the series on Saturday night at Phoenix Municipal Stadium.
Redshirt freshman left-hander Reagan Todd (1-1) got his third start of the season, striking out three, allowing two runs, including just one earned, across 4 2/3 innings.
The middle of the lineup, consisting of David Greer, Colby Woodmansee, Brian Serven, and Zawada, drove in all five of ASU’s runs, including two in the bottom of the 11th to give the Sun Devils the 5-4 walk-off victory. Woodmansee’s game-tying RBI double in the inning gives him 15 RBI on the season, which leads the Pac-12 conference.
Andrew Shaps collected three hits to pace the offense, his fourth three-hit game of the season. Andrew Snow and Brian Serven contributed with two hits each, both notching their third multi-hit game of the season. Freshman Jeremy McCuin got his second consecutive start at third base, tallying a hit in his first two games as a Sun Devil.
The Sun Devils (7-3) used four pitcher in relief of Todd to keep the Eagles (5-6) bats quiet. Freshman right-hander James Ryan, sophomore left-hander Tucker Baca, and senior right-hander Eric Melbostad combined to throw 2 1/3 scoreless innings of relief. Junior right-hander Eder Erives earned his first win of the season, pitching the final four innings, allowing two runs (one earned), while tying a season-high with five strikeouts.
Todd struggled to find a rhythm early, allowing three consecutive singles to lead off the game as the Eagles jumped out to a 1-0 lead. The Eagles would plate another run in the second, this one unearned, giving them a 2-0 lead through two innings. That would be all they could muster off Todd, as he settled down nicely and kept the Eagles off the board into the fifth.
The offense got it going in the third inning thanks to back-to-back two-out singles from Coltin Gerhart and Andrew Shaps putting runners on the corners. David Greer would drive in the Sun Devils first run of the night on an RBI fielder’s choice, cutting the deficit to 2-1.
Todd allowed two baserunners in the fifth, ending his night. James Ryan would take over for Todd, immediately getting out of the jam in the fifth. Ryan would throw a scoreless inning before giving way to Tucker Baca, who would record the final out in the sixth. Eric Melbostad through one scoreless inning in relief of Baca.
The Eagles would remain in front 2-1 until the seventh inning, when two singles and a walk loaded the bases for the Devils. The next batter, Brian Serven tied the game up at two with a single driving in Shaps. Sebastian Zawada would give ASU its first lead of the game with an RBI fielder’s choice scoring Greer and giving ASU a 3-2 lead.
Eder Erives (1-0) would take over for Melbostad, throwing a 1-2-3 scoreless eighth inning. Erives would come back out for the ninth trying to close things out. A dropped third strike, a walk, and a two hit by pitches would push a run across for the Eagles, tying the game at three. Erives prevented any more damage, stranding the go-ahead run on third base.
The fans were treated to some free baseball at Phoenix Municipal Stadium as this one would go to extra innings.
Neither team would score in the 10th inning, both having a chance to take the lead, leaving the go-ahead run on base.
Erives would take the mound in the top of the 11th for his fourth inning of relief. After a walk, a single, and a hit by pitch loaded the bases, the go-ahead run lied just 90 feet away. An Eagles sac fly pushed across a run, giving Eastern Michigan a 4-3 lead. Erives would get out of the inning, keeping the deficit at one run.
The Sun Devils headed to the bottom of the 11th needing one run to extend the game. After David Greer reached base on a fielder's choice, Colby Woodmansee drove a double into the right-center field gap, scoring Greer and tying the game at four. After a Brian Serven infield single advanced Woodmansee to third, Designated Hitter Sebastian Zawada had a chance to end the game. The junior came up big with a rocket through the left side of the infield, scoring Woodmansee and giving the Sun Devils the 5-4 walk-off victory.
Quotes from Head Coach Tracy Smith:
On winning on a walk off…
"We needed that. We had a million opportunities to get the big hit so it was bound to happen sooner or later. Great players do things at the opportune time but the biggest hit was the Woody hit to get it going there. It was a good win because you had a little bit of everything in there. It seemed like every time we looked up they had two or three guys on base so it was kind of a struggle all night. So to do that and still find a way to win in spite of almost giving it away, as crazy as it sounds, I like that. We didn’t panic, we just kept playing."
On Reagan keeping the Devils in the game…
"It was a gutty performance, it wasn’t his sharpest performance. At some point, we got to put guys away. I give them credit, they swing the bat. You throw a fastball around the plate and they’re going to hit it. We have to do a better job of putting guys away with two strikes. Reagan didn’t do that tonight but he battled and performed but we have to get to a point because our measuring stick is, ‘What’s it going to be in the Pac-12?’ In the Pac-12, you have to be able to put guys away because if they didn’t make a couple baserunning mistakes earlier, we don’t win this baseball game. It’s got to be much better than that."
On seeing Woody coming through after struggling…
It’s good. He’s a good player. You just want you guys to be steady. You want your guys to be a steady stream all night because we couldn’t get the big hit. We had a million opportunities late but with a punch out and a punch out in two consecutive innings with the winning run at second base, it’s easy to get down on that and then they come back and score. I think a lesser player or a lesser man would’ve given into that right there. He doesn’t do it, he plays the game professionally. So for him to step up and get the big hit does not surprise me.
EMU: RHP Augie Gallardo (1-0,1.50 ERA)
ASU: LHP Eli Lingos (1-1, 5.40 ERA)
Up Next
The Devils host game three against Eastern Michigan at Phoenix Muni on March 6. First pitch is set for 12:30 p.m. and will be live streamed via thesundevils.com. All times AZ/MT.
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