SALT LAKE CITY – Despite some promising innings from a pair of freshman arms seeing their first significant action of the season, the Sun Devil offense was unable to find the timely hit in a 6-3 loss in the series finale at Utah on Saturday afternoon.
After talking the first two games of the series, scoring 11 and 8 runs respectively, the bats went quiet until late on Saturday afternoon as the Utes got out to a quick start and never looked back.
The lack of offense was unfortunate after the efforts of starter Luke La Flam and then Will Levine in relief. After giving up a three-run shot in the first inning, La Flam was largely effective as he struck out two and allowed four runs in his first career start.
Will Levine was a bright spot, going 4.0 innings of relief in the longest outing of his career and his first appearance with multiple innings pitched. Levine allowed just one run, scattering six hits and striking out two while doing his part to escape several jams throughout. Levine stranded six batters and induced another inning-ending double play in the effort – keeping ASU within striking distance throughout.
Trevor Hauver was the only player to log multiple hits on Saturday, going 2-for-4 on the day. Gage Workman completed his solid series with a 1-for-2 effort with an RBI and two walks and a run scored.
Utah jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead in the contest behind a three-run shot in the bottom of the first that caught the benefit of the tailwind to leave the park. The Utes added to that lead in the third and fifth, scratching another pair of runs across to take a 5-0 lead.
The Sun Devil bats finally came to life in the seventh, with four straight singles leading to ASU's first run of the game and loading the bases with no outs. But ASU was unable to truly capitalize on the chance, bringing in just one more run on an RBI fielder's choice in the frame to make it 5-2.
ASU had chances in the eighth and ninth innings as well, getting the tie run to the plate in the eighth and a couple runners in scoring position in the ninth but only had a sac fly in the final frame to show for it en route to the loss.
The Sun Devils will return home for a midweek tilt against UNLV on Tuesday before heading back on the road for a three-game series against Washington next weekend in Seattle.