by Tony Thai, Sun Devil Athletics
PHOENIX – A big four-run fifth inning with the game tied up lifted No. 23 Arizona State baseball over Xavier, 8-3, on Saturday night at Phoenix Municipal Stadium.
Hunter Bishop and Lyle Lin both went 2-for-4 with an RBI. Bishop knocked his team-leading seventh home run of the season in the process while Lin added to his Pac-12 leading RBI total. Only two starters failed to record at least a hit tonight for ASU while six Sun Devils registered an RBI.
ASU moved to 14-0 on the season, remaining one of three unbeaten teams in the nation alongside N.C. State and Tennessee after Florida State fell from the ranks earlier this afternoon.
Alec Marsh earned his fourth win of the season, shaking off some defensive miscues in the second inning to go 5.0 innings with six strikeouts and just one earned run against him. ASU also got four flawless innings of action from relievers Erik Tolman and Sam Romero, who retired the final 12 batters of the game as ASU held Xavier scoreless over the final seven innings after a three-run second.
ASU did all of its first inning damage with two outs on the scoreboard. Bishop got things rolling with his seventh home run on the season with a solo shot to right field. A Lin double, Carter Aldrete RBI single and Gage Workman RBI double tacked on two more to give ASU an early 3-0 advantage.
Xavier got right back in the top of the second with their own solo home run and then capitalized a passed ball and defensive error to score two more runs to tie it right back up at 3-3.
After two scoreless innings, the game picked up again in the bottom of the fifth inning with Arizona State scoring four runs to pull back in front of Xavier. Sam Ferri got the rally started with a leadoff double before scoring on a Spencer Torkelson RBI single to put ASU back on top for good at 4-3.
Head's up baserunning led to two more runs as Torkelson scored on a Lin RBI single along with Bishop, who scored after a throwing error by the center fielder. Lin took advantage of two free bases on an error and a passed ball to make it 7-3 in favor of the Devils
Trevor Hauver added another run for the Sun Devils on his lone hit of the day in the sixth inning with a solo bomb to right field – his fifth home run of the season.
Tolman entered in the sixth and did what he has done all season by pounding the zone and keepers batters off balance with some filthy off-speed stuff. Tolman went 3.0 innings, retiring all nine batters he faced and striking out four to set the table for Romero in the ninth. The senior needed just eight pitches to retire the side and send the Sun Devils back to the clubhouse as victors.
The Sun Devils have a chance to sweep another series as they play the final game against Xavier tomorrow at 12:30 a.m. Arizona time. The game will be viewable on the ASU Live Stream.
PHOENIX – A big four-run fifth inning with the game tied up lifted No. 23 Arizona State baseball over Xavier, 8-3, on Saturday night at Phoenix Municipal Stadium.
Hunter Bishop and Lyle Lin both went 2-for-4 with an RBI. Bishop knocked his team-leading seventh home run of the season in the process while Lin added to his Pac-12 leading RBI total. Only two starters failed to record at least a hit tonight for ASU while six Sun Devils registered an RBI.
ASU moved to 14-0 on the season, remaining one of three unbeaten teams in the nation alongside N.C. State and Tennessee after Florida State fell from the ranks earlier this afternoon.
Alec Marsh earned his fourth win of the season, shaking off some defensive miscues in the second inning to go 5.0 innings with six strikeouts and just one earned run against him. ASU also got four flawless innings of action from relievers Erik Tolman and Sam Romero, who retired the final 12 batters of the game as ASU held Xavier scoreless over the final seven innings after a three-run second.
ASU did all of its first inning damage with two outs on the scoreboard. Bishop got things rolling with his seventh home run on the season with a solo shot to right field. A Lin double, Carter Aldrete RBI single and Gage Workman RBI double tacked on two more to give ASU an early 3-0 advantage.
Xavier got right back in the top of the second with their own solo home run and then capitalized a passed ball and defensive error to score two more runs to tie it right back up at 3-3.
After two scoreless innings, the game picked up again in the bottom of the fifth inning with Arizona State scoring four runs to pull back in front of Xavier. Sam Ferri got the rally started with a leadoff double before scoring on a Spencer Torkelson RBI single to put ASU back on top for good at 4-3.
Head's up baserunning led to two more runs as Torkelson scored on a Lin RBI single along with Bishop, who scored after a throwing error by the center fielder. Lin took advantage of two free bases on an error and a passed ball to make it 7-3 in favor of the Devils
Trevor Hauver added another run for the Sun Devils on his lone hit of the day in the sixth inning with a solo bomb to right field – his fifth home run of the season.
Tolman entered in the sixth and did what he has done all season by pounding the zone and keepers batters off balance with some filthy off-speed stuff. Tolman went 3.0 innings, retiring all nine batters he faced and striking out four to set the table for Romero in the ninth. The senior needed just eight pitches to retire the side and send the Sun Devils back to the clubhouse as victors.
The Sun Devils have a chance to sweep another series as they play the final game against Xavier tomorrow at 12:30 a.m. Arizona time. The game will be viewable on the ASU Live Stream.