PHOENIX – Sam Romero gave ASU a quality start and freshman slugger Spencer Torkelson logged his 19th multi-hit effort of the campaign, but Sun Devil baseball could not withstand a two-run California ninth, in a 6-4 loss to the Golden Bears Friday night at Phoenix Municipal.
Recording his 13th start of the season, Romero impressed allowing just two earned runs while striking out five in 7.0 innings of work. The effort marked his fourth quality start of the campaign.
Logging a pair of singles, while accounting for two of Arizona State's four runs on the evening, Torkelson extended his reached base streak to 38 consecutive games - the 10th-longest active streak in the nation. Entering the night he had scored five more runs than any other Pac-12 player in league games and added two courtesy of the effort to his team-best total of 59.
The Sun Devils continued to put pressure on opponents in the first inning of games, against logging a first inning run behind a Gage Canning RBI groundout to plate Spencer Torkelson and give ASU and early 1-0 lead.
Torkelson knocked a single and used head's up base-running to put himself into position to score after advancing to third behind a wild pitch and a passed ball.
ASU gifted Cal with a trio of runs in the top of the third with the Bears clearing the bases on a hit followed by a throwing error to go ahead 3-1. But Cal returned the gift in the bottom of the frame, allowing ASU to score two runs on consecutive wild pitches to net things up at 3-3.
ASU reclaimed the lead in the bottom of the fourth behind the small ball, utilizing three bunts in the frame – a single, a sac bunt and a sac bunt fielder's choice – to go back ahead on Drew Swift's 12 sacrifice bunt of the season for a 4-3 advantage.
Cal would tie it up in the top of the seventh behind a sac fly, setting up late-inning theatrics for the second consecutive evening.
Entering the game in relief, freshman right-hander Brady Corrigan pitched a scoreless top half of the eighth, keeping the game knotted up at 4-4.
After failing to plate a run in the bottom half of the frame, the Sun Devils would see the night shift in the Golden Bear's favor. A couple of free passes would load the bases with two outs for Cal and the Golden Bears got the hit they needed off of Boyd Vander Kooi, pushing a two-RBI single through the left side for a 6-4 advantage they wouldn't relinquish in the bottom half of the frame.
Up next, Arizona State will honor its senior class while playing host to California in the 2018 regular season finale on Saturday. First pitch is slated for 6 p.m. PT. The outing will be broadcast through the Pac-12 Network and also available at pac-12.com/live. Daron Sutton and Andy Lopez will remain on the call.
Recording his 13th start of the season, Romero impressed allowing just two earned runs while striking out five in 7.0 innings of work. The effort marked his fourth quality start of the campaign.
Logging a pair of singles, while accounting for two of Arizona State's four runs on the evening, Torkelson extended his reached base streak to 38 consecutive games - the 10th-longest active streak in the nation. Entering the night he had scored five more runs than any other Pac-12 player in league games and added two courtesy of the effort to his team-best total of 59.
The Sun Devils continued to put pressure on opponents in the first inning of games, against logging a first inning run behind a Gage Canning RBI groundout to plate Spencer Torkelson and give ASU and early 1-0 lead.
Torkelson knocked a single and used head's up base-running to put himself into position to score after advancing to third behind a wild pitch and a passed ball.
ASU gifted Cal with a trio of runs in the top of the third with the Bears clearing the bases on a hit followed by a throwing error to go ahead 3-1. But Cal returned the gift in the bottom of the frame, allowing ASU to score two runs on consecutive wild pitches to net things up at 3-3.
ASU reclaimed the lead in the bottom of the fourth behind the small ball, utilizing three bunts in the frame – a single, a sac bunt and a sac bunt fielder's choice – to go back ahead on Drew Swift's 12 sacrifice bunt of the season for a 4-3 advantage.
Cal would tie it up in the top of the seventh behind a sac fly, setting up late-inning theatrics for the second consecutive evening.
Entering the game in relief, freshman right-hander Brady Corrigan pitched a scoreless top half of the eighth, keeping the game knotted up at 4-4.
After failing to plate a run in the bottom half of the frame, the Sun Devils would see the night shift in the Golden Bear's favor. A couple of free passes would load the bases with two outs for Cal and the Golden Bears got the hit they needed off of Boyd Vander Kooi, pushing a two-RBI single through the left side for a 6-4 advantage they wouldn't relinquish in the bottom half of the frame.
Up next, Arizona State will honor its senior class while playing host to California in the 2018 regular season finale on Saturday. First pitch is slated for 6 p.m. PT. The outing will be broadcast through the Pac-12 Network and also available at pac-12.com/live. Daron Sutton and Andy Lopez will remain on the call.