SALT LAKE CITY – Defensive miscues would cost the Sun Devil Baseball team in a 7-4 loss at Utah on Saturday in Salt Lake City.
The Sun Devils (23-31, 8-21 Pac-12) committed four errors on the day, and a tough inning in the field in the fifth led to five Utah runs as the Utes (26-24, 14-15 Pac-12) rallied in the game to earn the victory.
Gage Canning was 2-for-4 for the Sun Devils while Taylor Lane had a three-RBI double in the first, but the Devil offense was held largely in check beyond that.
Eli Lingos earned the start for the Sun Devils and threw four innings of two hit ball before the defensive lapses behind him came back to haunt the team in a five-run fifth inning that proved to be the difference. Connor Higgins pitched 3.2 innings of relief with three strikeouts and just one earned run against to continue his solid streak of relief appearances this season.
The Sun Devils, who have struggled mightily in the first innings of games this year, bucked the norm on Saturday to get on the scoreboard first. ASU took advantage of some wild pitching from Utah starter Riley Otteson, loading the bases on two walks and a hit-by-pitch.
Lane needed just one swing of the bat to set a new career high in RBIs, clearing the bases with his double over the right fielder's head to give ASU an early 3-0 lead.
Lingos and Otteson held the opposing teams in check for the next three innings before the Utes batted around before Utah would bat around in the fifth inning, taking advantage of a series of fielding blunders from the ASU infield en route to a 5-3 advantage.
Utah would tag two more in the sixth after another Sun Devil error for a 7-3 advantage
The Devils would attempt to mount a ninth-inning rally, bring the tying run to the plate with two runners in scoring position after a wild pitch made it 7-4. ASU was unable to push anymore across however, leading to the final score.
The Sun Devils will conclude the 2017 season tomorrow against the Utes at 10:30 a.m. PT.
The Sun Devils (23-31, 8-21 Pac-12) committed four errors on the day, and a tough inning in the field in the fifth led to five Utah runs as the Utes (26-24, 14-15 Pac-12) rallied in the game to earn the victory.
Gage Canning was 2-for-4 for the Sun Devils while Taylor Lane had a three-RBI double in the first, but the Devil offense was held largely in check beyond that.
Eli Lingos earned the start for the Sun Devils and threw four innings of two hit ball before the defensive lapses behind him came back to haunt the team in a five-run fifth inning that proved to be the difference. Connor Higgins pitched 3.2 innings of relief with three strikeouts and just one earned run against to continue his solid streak of relief appearances this season.
The Sun Devils, who have struggled mightily in the first innings of games this year, bucked the norm on Saturday to get on the scoreboard first. ASU took advantage of some wild pitching from Utah starter Riley Otteson, loading the bases on two walks and a hit-by-pitch.
Lane needed just one swing of the bat to set a new career high in RBIs, clearing the bases with his double over the right fielder's head to give ASU an early 3-0 lead.
Lingos and Otteson held the opposing teams in check for the next three innings before the Utes batted around before Utah would bat around in the fifth inning, taking advantage of a series of fielding blunders from the ASU infield en route to a 5-3 advantage.
Utah would tag two more in the sixth after another Sun Devil error for a 7-3 advantage
The Devils would attempt to mount a ninth-inning rally, bring the tying run to the plate with two runners in scoring position after a wild pitch made it 7-4. ASU was unable to push anymore across however, leading to the final score.
The Sun Devils will conclude the 2017 season tomorrow against the Utes at 10:30 a.m. PT.