TUCSON, Ariz. – Spencer Torkelson launched his 23rd home run of the season, but defensive miscues late in the game would lead to a tough 6-4 loss for Sun Devil Baseball on the road at Arizona on Thursday night in Tucson, Ariz.
Torkelson's two run shot in the fifth inning gave the Sun Devils a chance as the freshman recorded his team-leading 13th multi-RBI game of the season and reached base for a team-best 34th consecutive game. With the home run, Torkelson again stands alone in first place in the NCAA this season with 23 home runs.
Hunter Jump and Lyle Lin also added two hits in the game and Carter Aldrete had two RBIs, but it was the tough plays on defense that undid the Sun Devils.
Chaz Montoya took the tough loss in relief, though the game-winning run proved to be unearned and did not come while Montoya was on the mound. The sophomore went 3.0 innings with two strikeouts and no walks with two hits allowed in an otherwise solid performance from the bullpen.
Arizona State didn't have a baserunner through the first three innings of the game and it took until the fourth inning for ASU to get a hit on the board with Jump leading off the frame with a double.
Arizona intentionally walked Canning to the free base with one out and followed that with a Lyle Lin walk to load the bases with one out for Aldrete. The sophomore delivered on a full-pitch count, lacing one into center to bring across two and give ASU the early 2-0 lead.
Some shoddy defense in the bottom half of the frame led to four UA double but ASU largely limited the damage with just three runs allowed in the frame to remain within striking distance, trailing 3-2 at the end of the frame.
That set the table for Torkelson in the fifth, who tagged Wildcat starter Cody Deason for just his second home run allowed all season, this one coming on a two-run moonshot that scored Drew Swift as well and put ASU back up, 4-3.
The defensive miscues again reared their ugly head in the bottom of the seventh inning, however, as a pair of Sun Devil errors led to a trio of Wildcat runs to put Arizona up 6-4 – a lead it wouldn't relinquish in the final two innings.
The two teams will square off in the second game of the series tomorrow at 7 p.m. PT on the Pac-12 Network.
Torkelson's two run shot in the fifth inning gave the Sun Devils a chance as the freshman recorded his team-leading 13th multi-RBI game of the season and reached base for a team-best 34th consecutive game. With the home run, Torkelson again stands alone in first place in the NCAA this season with 23 home runs.
Hunter Jump and Lyle Lin also added two hits in the game and Carter Aldrete had two RBIs, but it was the tough plays on defense that undid the Sun Devils.
Chaz Montoya took the tough loss in relief, though the game-winning run proved to be unearned and did not come while Montoya was on the mound. The sophomore went 3.0 innings with two strikeouts and no walks with two hits allowed in an otherwise solid performance from the bullpen.
Arizona State didn't have a baserunner through the first three innings of the game and it took until the fourth inning for ASU to get a hit on the board with Jump leading off the frame with a double.
Arizona intentionally walked Canning to the free base with one out and followed that with a Lyle Lin walk to load the bases with one out for Aldrete. The sophomore delivered on a full-pitch count, lacing one into center to bring across two and give ASU the early 2-0 lead.
Some shoddy defense in the bottom half of the frame led to four UA double but ASU largely limited the damage with just three runs allowed in the frame to remain within striking distance, trailing 3-2 at the end of the frame.
That set the table for Torkelson in the fifth, who tagged Wildcat starter Cody Deason for just his second home run allowed all season, this one coming on a two-run moonshot that scored Drew Swift as well and put ASU back up, 4-3.
The defensive miscues again reared their ugly head in the bottom of the seventh inning, however, as a pair of Sun Devil errors led to a trio of Wildcat runs to put Arizona up 6-4 – a lead it wouldn't relinquish in the final two innings.
The two teams will square off in the second game of the series tomorrow at 7 p.m. PT on the Pac-12 Network.