PHOENIX – The No. 8 Sun Devil Baseball program took the series against Nebraska behind a 14-1 rout on Saturday night at Phoenix Municipal Stadium.
With 14 hits and nine walks, ASU scored 14 runs, a season-high, and limited Nebraska to just one run between three pitchers.
Tyler Thornton picked up his second win in yet another quality start – his third of the season. Thornton went six innings, striking out eight batters while giving up just one earned run.
Hunter Jump and Trevor Hauver, who hit his third homer of the season tonight, each had three RBIs of their own.
The Turning Point
Arizona State gave up the lead early after a solo home run in the second inning, but two runs in the fourth and five in the fifth gave the Sun Devils a commanding lead the rest of the way.
How It Happened
Trevor Hauver got the scoring going in the fourth inning with a leadoff home run. Jump later hit a double and was brought home by an Erik Tolman sac-fly. The Sun Devils continued scoring in the fifth inning, loading up the bases in four at-bats. Hauver drew a walk to bring one run in, and then a bases-clearing double by Jump to score three. Drew Swift then hit an RBI-double to give ASU a total of five runs in the inning and a commanding 7-1 lead for the Devils.
Notables
- Spencer Torkelson was intentionally walked twice tonight and drew another on his own. He now has 13 intentional walks on the year and 24 total walks to lead the nation. His 13 intentional walks are the most by any Sun Devil in a SEASON since the start starting being consistently recorded in 1998.
- Behind Torkelson in most walks in the NCAA is Trevor Hauver, who drew three walks as well tonight for a total of 17. Following the last seven intentional walks of Torkelson, Hauver has gone 2-for-3 with 8 RBIs, drawing two walks and recording a home run.
- After a 3-of-3 hitting performance, Drew Swift is 7-of-8 for the series.
- Dating back to last season with Saint Mary's, Tyler Thornton has gone at least 6.0 innings in 8 of his last 9 starts and allowed 3 or fewer runs in each of those 8 games.
- ASU has not allowed more than 5 runs in a game through the first 11 games of the season, the longest such streak to start a year since having 12 games under fewer runs during the 2009 campaign.
- Alex Helmin recorded his first career hit and RBI in the eighth inning while fellow freshman Brian Kalmer logged his first career multi-RBI game and extra base hit with a two-RBI double in the frame.
INNING-BY-INNING
First inning
Tyler Thornton took out the Huskers quickly to start the game, striking two out. After two outs for Arizona State, Trevor Hauver drew a walk but then was caught stealing to end the inning.
Second inning
Nebraska took a leadoff home run to get the first run of the game. Thornton gave up a double as well but kept the Huskers from scoring by getting another two strikeouts. ASU stranded two on base as Nebraska held on to their lead.
Third inning
The Huskers got another hit and but were caught stealing by Nick Cheema and the top of the inning was ended on a double play. Alika Williams and Torkelson both hit one deep to the warning track that ended in flyouts.
Fourth inning
The fourth inning was the inning for the Sun Devils. Trevor Hauver started with a leadoff homer to tie the game. Hunter Jump hit a double and advanced to third on a Drew Swift single. A sac-fly from Erik Tolman gave ASU the 2-1 lead.
Fifth inning
Again in the fifth inning, it was all Devils. Loading up the bases, Hauver drew a walk to bring in a run. Jump then hit a bases-clearing double that was followed up by a Drew Swift double to score Jump. Arizona State scored five runs in the inning to take a 7-1 lead.
Sixth inning
Thornton struck out two more to keep Nebraska at one run. Hauver hit a sac-fly to bring in one more run for the Sun Devils.
Seventh Inning
Boyd Vander Kooi came into the game as Thornton's day was over. Arizona State scored two more runs in the bottom of the seventh to reach 10 runs for the game.
Eighth inning
Vander Kooi got his second 1-2-3 inning as the Huskers went down quickly. The Sun Devils had three hits and drew two walks to score four more runs for a season-high 14 runs.
Ninth inning
After giving up a walk, Bryce Barnett struck out three batters, all swinging strikeouts, to end the game.
Up next
Arizona State will look to sweep Nebraska in the final game of the series tomorrow at 12:30 p.m. AZT. This game can be viewed on the ASU Live Stream.
With 14 hits and nine walks, ASU scored 14 runs, a season-high, and limited Nebraska to just one run between three pitchers.
Tyler Thornton picked up his second win in yet another quality start – his third of the season. Thornton went six innings, striking out eight batters while giving up just one earned run.
Hunter Jump and Trevor Hauver, who hit his third homer of the season tonight, each had three RBIs of their own.
The Turning Point
Arizona State gave up the lead early after a solo home run in the second inning, but two runs in the fourth and five in the fifth gave the Sun Devils a commanding lead the rest of the way.
How It Happened
Trevor Hauver got the scoring going in the fourth inning with a leadoff home run. Jump later hit a double and was brought home by an Erik Tolman sac-fly. The Sun Devils continued scoring in the fifth inning, loading up the bases in four at-bats. Hauver drew a walk to bring one run in, and then a bases-clearing double by Jump to score three. Drew Swift then hit an RBI-double to give ASU a total of five runs in the inning and a commanding 7-1 lead for the Devils.
Notables
- Spencer Torkelson was intentionally walked twice tonight and drew another on his own. He now has 13 intentional walks on the year and 24 total walks to lead the nation. His 13 intentional walks are the most by any Sun Devil in a SEASON since the start starting being consistently recorded in 1998.
- Behind Torkelson in most walks in the NCAA is Trevor Hauver, who drew three walks as well tonight for a total of 17. Following the last seven intentional walks of Torkelson, Hauver has gone 2-for-3 with 8 RBIs, drawing two walks and recording a home run.
- After a 3-of-3 hitting performance, Drew Swift is 7-of-8 for the series.
- Dating back to last season with Saint Mary's, Tyler Thornton has gone at least 6.0 innings in 8 of his last 9 starts and allowed 3 or fewer runs in each of those 8 games.
- ASU has not allowed more than 5 runs in a game through the first 11 games of the season, the longest such streak to start a year since having 12 games under fewer runs during the 2009 campaign.
- Alex Helmin recorded his first career hit and RBI in the eighth inning while fellow freshman Brian Kalmer logged his first career multi-RBI game and extra base hit with a two-RBI double in the frame.
INNING-BY-INNING
First inning
Tyler Thornton took out the Huskers quickly to start the game, striking two out. After two outs for Arizona State, Trevor Hauver drew a walk but then was caught stealing to end the inning.
Second inning
Nebraska took a leadoff home run to get the first run of the game. Thornton gave up a double as well but kept the Huskers from scoring by getting another two strikeouts. ASU stranded two on base as Nebraska held on to their lead.
Third inning
The Huskers got another hit and but were caught stealing by Nick Cheema and the top of the inning was ended on a double play. Alika Williams and Torkelson both hit one deep to the warning track that ended in flyouts.
Fourth inning
The fourth inning was the inning for the Sun Devils. Trevor Hauver started with a leadoff homer to tie the game. Hunter Jump hit a double and advanced to third on a Drew Swift single. A sac-fly from Erik Tolman gave ASU the 2-1 lead.
Fifth inning
Again in the fifth inning, it was all Devils. Loading up the bases, Hauver drew a walk to bring in a run. Jump then hit a bases-clearing double that was followed up by a Drew Swift double to score Jump. Arizona State scored five runs in the inning to take a 7-1 lead.
Sixth inning
Thornton struck out two more to keep Nebraska at one run. Hauver hit a sac-fly to bring in one more run for the Sun Devils.
Seventh Inning
Boyd Vander Kooi came into the game as Thornton's day was over. Arizona State scored two more runs in the bottom of the seventh to reach 10 runs for the game.
Eighth inning
Vander Kooi got his second 1-2-3 inning as the Huskers went down quickly. The Sun Devils had three hits and drew two walks to score four more runs for a season-high 14 runs.
Ninth inning
After giving up a walk, Bryce Barnett struck out three batters, all swinging strikeouts, to end the game.
Up next
Arizona State will look to sweep Nebraska in the final game of the series tomorrow at 12:30 p.m. AZT. This game can be viewed on the ASU Live Stream.