PHOENIX – Ryan Lillard drove a one-out single into left field in the ninth inning to complete a late rally by Sun Devil Baseball, and solidify a 3-2 win and three-game series sweep against UC Davis on Sunday at Phoenix Municipal Stadium.
The Sun Devils (13-3) have won eight straight games, the program’s longest winning streak since May 2014 and tied for the longest since 2010.
Arizona State trailed 2-0 with just six outs to go, but used three consecutive hits, including a single from center fielder Andrew Shaps, a double from first baseman David Greer, and a two-run single from shortstop Colby Woodmansee to knot the game through eight innings.
Right-hander Ryan Hingst (2-0), who earned his second win of the season in as many days, threw a scoreless ninth to set the stage for ASU’s third consecutive walk-off win. Second baseman Andrew Snow led off the bottom of the frame with a single and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt from right fielder Coltin Gerhart before Lillard, who entered the game in the eighth as a pinch-hitter, plated Snow with a base hit to left field.
Starting left-hander Reagan Todd scattered four hits across a career-long six innings and gave up just one run with three strikeouts in a no-decision. He has conceded just three earned runs across 23 1/3 innings this season, and has not allowed more than one earned run in each of his four starts.
ASU found itself trailing for the first time in 58 innings after the Aggies (5-10) went ahead 1-0 in the fourth inning on a walk, single and sacrifice fly.
The top of the eighth inning included four pitchers for ASU, a long fly ball by UC Davis that was initially ruled a home run but overturned and deemed foul, and the Aggies’ second run of the game on two walks and a single. Three pitchers faced one batter each as right-hander Grant Schneider walked the leadoff man, right-hander Eric Melbostad recorded an out on a sacrifice bunt, and left-hander Tucker Baca issued a walk, before Hingst entered the game with two runners on and one out. UC Davis pinch hitter Cameron Olson drove a 0-1 pitch over the wall in left field that the umpires eventually decided landed foul, and Hingst struck him two pitches later. Third baseman Ryan Anderson notched the second run of the game with a single to left field before a pop fly in foul territory ended the frame.
Notes: Woodmansee extended his reached base streak to 16 games with a two-out single in the bottom of the third…RJ Ybarra recorded his first hit of the season with a two-out, pinch-hit single in the bottom of the seventh…ASU moved to 6-0 in one-run games this season.
Up Next
The Devils host Meiji University from Japan in an exhibition game March 15 before opening Pac-12 play with a three-game against Oregon State March 18-20 in Corvallis, Ore. First pitch on March 15 is set for 6:30 p.m. PT and will be televised on Pac-12 Networks. The conference opener against the Beavers on March 18 is slated for a 5:35 start, with Saturday and Sunday set for 1:35 p.m. and 12:30 p.m., respectively (all times PT).
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