TEMPE – A pair of fielding errors in the bottom of the 11th inning would undo the Sun Devil Baseball team in a tough 5-4 loss in the team's series opener at USC in Los Angeles on Friday evening.
Andrew Shaps went 3-for-4 with an RBI while Carter Aldrete finished with two RBIs as seven different Sun Devils posted a hit in the contest. The Sun Devil relief pitching staff was exceptional, not allowing a single earned run in over five innings of work on the evening.
Left-handed pitcher Eli Lingos toed the rubber to open the contest, going 5.0 innings with three strikeouts and a walk with four runs allowed. Jake Godfrey was exceptional in relief, going 3.2 innings while allowing no runs on three hits with three strikeouts.
The Sun Devils played a clean game in the field until the decisive final frame, where two errors proved to be too much to overcome after ASU was unable to field a force out with the bases loaded that would have kept the game alive.
The beginning of the contest marked by small ball from both squads as each team manufactured runs in the early portions of the game.
USC got on the board first in the bottom of the second, pushing a run across following a leadoff double that advanced on a wild pitch and scored on a sacrifice fly for an early 1-0 advantage.
The Devils quickly responded in the top half of the third with a manufactured run of their own following Zach Cerbo's leadoff double. A Jeremy McCuin sacrifice bunt moved Cerbo to third and the Devils plated him on Gage Canning's RBI groundout to make it 1-1.
The tie-game was short-lived, however, as the Trojans promptly brought two more across in the bottom of the third to retake a 3-1 advantage in the contest.
After a scoreless fourth from both teams, there was plenty of excitement in the top of the fifth as ASU picked away at the lead. A McCuin double led to a play at the plate on the very next at bat after an outfield fielding error but the sophomore was on the wrong end of the bang-bang play.
Shaps followed that play with a liner up the middle that looked like it would lead to another play at home but the relay was cut off with Shaps getting thrown out at second in another close call but not before Gage Canning scored from second on the play to cut the Trojan advantage to 3-2.
The Devils evening things up in the top of the sixth with Lyle Lin reaching on a leadoff double and coming across two batters later as Carter Aldrete put the ball into play in the infield to make it 3-3.
Again, however, USC had an answer in the bottom half of the frame. A leadoff walk followed by a double put two runners in scoring position with no outs. That would bring an end to Lingos' night as ASU brought in Godfrey in relief. The junior escaped the jam with only one run allowed, keeping the Devils within striking distance, trailing 4-3.
The Sun Devils had no intention of going quietly into the night, again manufacturing a run in the top of the eighth to tie things up. Shaps drew a walk to lead off the inning. Back-to-back strikeouts put ASU in danger of not capitalizing but Shaps stole second and took third on a wild pitch, setting the table for Carter Aldrete to deliver with a two-out single right down main street to bring Shaps across and even things at 4-4.
A leadoff single from USC in the bottom of the eighth was followed by the first of two errors in the frame on a sac bunt, putting runners one first and second with no outs. Another sacrifice bunt moved both runners to scoring position with one out.
The Devils intentionally walked the bases loaded and the strategy looked to pay off with Ryan Hingst entering the game and quickly inducing a force play at home for the second out. USC was able to push the final run across on the second fielding error of the frame, however, avoiding the force out at third to take home the victory in the series opener.
NOTES: Andrew Shaps has now reached base in 14 of 15 games that he has played this season and has a base hit in 11 of the last 12 games…Despite missing five games, Shaps is second of the team with five multi-hit games on the year…Lyle Lin has reached based in all but one of ASU's 20 games this season…After giving up four earned runs in just 1.1 innings in three appearances to start the season, Connor Higgins has not allowed an earned run in 3.2 innings pitched over his last three appearances…In two of his last three appearances, Jake Godfrey has gone 3.2 innings without a run allowed…Eli Lingos has gone over 5.0 innings pitched in each of his six appearances this season…
UP NEXT: he Sun Devils continue the series against the Trojans tomorrow at 7 p.m. PT at Dedeaux Field. Saturday's contest will both be broadcast live on the Pac-12 Networks. Jim Watson and Andy Lopez will be on the call. The Sun Devil Sports Radio Network is scheduled to broadcast all the remaining games this weekend NBC Sports Radio AM 1060 and 100.7 HD 2. Each game will also be available through the TuneIn app on TheSunDevils.com.
Andrew Shaps went 3-for-4 with an RBI while Carter Aldrete finished with two RBIs as seven different Sun Devils posted a hit in the contest. The Sun Devil relief pitching staff was exceptional, not allowing a single earned run in over five innings of work on the evening.
Left-handed pitcher Eli Lingos toed the rubber to open the contest, going 5.0 innings with three strikeouts and a walk with four runs allowed. Jake Godfrey was exceptional in relief, going 3.2 innings while allowing no runs on three hits with three strikeouts.
The Sun Devils played a clean game in the field until the decisive final frame, where two errors proved to be too much to overcome after ASU was unable to field a force out with the bases loaded that would have kept the game alive.
The beginning of the contest marked by small ball from both squads as each team manufactured runs in the early portions of the game.
USC got on the board first in the bottom of the second, pushing a run across following a leadoff double that advanced on a wild pitch and scored on a sacrifice fly for an early 1-0 advantage.
The Devils quickly responded in the top half of the third with a manufactured run of their own following Zach Cerbo's leadoff double. A Jeremy McCuin sacrifice bunt moved Cerbo to third and the Devils plated him on Gage Canning's RBI groundout to make it 1-1.
The tie-game was short-lived, however, as the Trojans promptly brought two more across in the bottom of the third to retake a 3-1 advantage in the contest.
After a scoreless fourth from both teams, there was plenty of excitement in the top of the fifth as ASU picked away at the lead. A McCuin double led to a play at the plate on the very next at bat after an outfield fielding error but the sophomore was on the wrong end of the bang-bang play.
Shaps followed that play with a liner up the middle that looked like it would lead to another play at home but the relay was cut off with Shaps getting thrown out at second in another close call but not before Gage Canning scored from second on the play to cut the Trojan advantage to 3-2.
The Devils evening things up in the top of the sixth with Lyle Lin reaching on a leadoff double and coming across two batters later as Carter Aldrete put the ball into play in the infield to make it 3-3.
Again, however, USC had an answer in the bottom half of the frame. A leadoff walk followed by a double put two runners in scoring position with no outs. That would bring an end to Lingos' night as ASU brought in Godfrey in relief. The junior escaped the jam with only one run allowed, keeping the Devils within striking distance, trailing 4-3.
The Sun Devils had no intention of going quietly into the night, again manufacturing a run in the top of the eighth to tie things up. Shaps drew a walk to lead off the inning. Back-to-back strikeouts put ASU in danger of not capitalizing but Shaps stole second and took third on a wild pitch, setting the table for Carter Aldrete to deliver with a two-out single right down main street to bring Shaps across and even things at 4-4.
A leadoff single from USC in the bottom of the eighth was followed by the first of two errors in the frame on a sac bunt, putting runners one first and second with no outs. Another sacrifice bunt moved both runners to scoring position with one out.
The Devils intentionally walked the bases loaded and the strategy looked to pay off with Ryan Hingst entering the game and quickly inducing a force play at home for the second out. USC was able to push the final run across on the second fielding error of the frame, however, avoiding the force out at third to take home the victory in the series opener.
NOTES: Andrew Shaps has now reached base in 14 of 15 games that he has played this season and has a base hit in 11 of the last 12 games…Despite missing five games, Shaps is second of the team with five multi-hit games on the year…Lyle Lin has reached based in all but one of ASU's 20 games this season…After giving up four earned runs in just 1.1 innings in three appearances to start the season, Connor Higgins has not allowed an earned run in 3.2 innings pitched over his last three appearances…In two of his last three appearances, Jake Godfrey has gone 3.2 innings without a run allowed…Eli Lingos has gone over 5.0 innings pitched in each of his six appearances this season…
UP NEXT: he Sun Devils continue the series against the Trojans tomorrow at 7 p.m. PT at Dedeaux Field. Saturday's contest will both be broadcast live on the Pac-12 Networks. Jim Watson and Andy Lopez will be on the call. The Sun Devil Sports Radio Network is scheduled to broadcast all the remaining games this weekend NBC Sports Radio AM 1060 and 100.7 HD 2. Each game will also be available through the TuneIn app on TheSunDevils.com.