PHOENIX – The eighth-ranked Sun Devil Baseball team came out hot and rallied down the stretch to take a 4-3 victory in the series opener over 2019 Mountain West Champion, Fresno State, on Friday night at Phoenix Municipal Stadium.
Hunter Jump record the go-ahead RBI with two outs and down 0-2 in the count in the bottom of the eighth, ripping a single to center to score Spencer Torkelson and put the Sun Devils on top.
RJ Dabovich shook off a leadoff error and a walk in the ninth to pick up his Pac-12 leading fourth save of the season. Cooper Benson overcame a shaky opening frame to go 5.2 innings with a career high 9 strikeouts and just two runs allowed while Cam Dennie was solid in middle relief for the Devils.
Drew Swift continued to rack up numbers, recording two RBIs on sac flies in the contest. Alika Williams posted the team's lone multi-hit effort while Torkelson added his 10th extra base hit on 14 total base hits this season with a double in the first.
The Big Moment
After Fresno State rallied from a 3-0 deficit to tie things in the seventh, the Sun Devils looked in good shape in the bottom of the eighth with a pair of leadoff walks moving into scoring position on a FSU wild pitch. But a strike out and a great defensive play at the plate quickly left ASU with two outs and just runners on the corners. Jump stepped to the plate and quickly fell into an 0-2 hole, ripping the third pitch foul. Jump, who has struck out just five times this season, laced the next pitch in the sequence right back where it came from for the go-ahead RBI single.
Dab On 'Em
RJ Dabovich shook off an infield error to put the leadoff batter at first and then advancing to second on a stolen base. A walk put the go-ahead run on the basepath with just one out. But the junior closer mixed in some beautiful off-speed stuff to go with his mid-90s heater to keep the top of the Bulldog order off balance, recording back-to-back swinging Ks to pick up his fourth save of the season.
The Big Number
9. Cooper Benson struck out a career-high nine batters in 5.2 innings of work while he allowed just two runs in the process. Benson overcame a shaky first inning in which he got a leadoff strikeout before loading the bases with just one out. The freshman remained cool under pressure, striking out the side and going on to record a solid outing – at one point retiring 11 straight batters.
Keep 'Em Grounded
Fresno State's three-hole hitter Zach Presno has been the hot hitter in the Bulldog lineup this year, entering the weekend batting a team-high .381 with six homers and 14 RBIs. Presno didn't hurt the Devils at all on Friday, striking out three times while recording a walk and no other stats.
Notables
INNING-BY-INNING
First inning
Benson record a leadoff strikeout but loaded the bases behind a single and a pair of walks with just one out. The freshman was cool under pressure with a pair of swinging strikeouts to escape the game. The first three Sun Devils batters recorded a hit with Trevor Hauver plating Alika Williams with an RBI single and Spencer Torkelson scoring on a Drew Swift sac fly as ASU took an early 2-0 lead.
Second inning
Both sides went down in order as Benson picked up two more strikeouts.
Third inning
Benson recorded another 1-2-3 frame while Swift recorded another sac fly to score Alika Williams and put ASU on top 3-0.
Fourth inning
Benson faced the minimum thanks to a sweet backpick from Nick Cheema to Torkelson. ASU went down in order as well.
Fifth inning
Fresno State finally broke through with a two-out, two RBI double while ASU went down in order and a 3-2 lead.
Sixth inning
Cam Dennie spelled Benson to cap the freshman's day at 5.2 innings, 9 strikeouts, 2 walks and 2 runs. Dennie picked up the final out of the sixth to strand a baserunner. The Devil bats remained cool.
Seventh Inning
Theatrics ensued with Fresno State plating the tying run but Dennie limited the damage by inducing a double play and a ground out. Gage Workman was called out of a pickoff in which it seemed clear the first baseman was obstructing the plate and first base coach David Greer and manager Tracy Smith were ejected for pleading their case on the matter.
Eighth inning
Dennie limited the drama by stranding a one out single. Back-to-back walks from Williams and Torkelson led off the bottom of the frame and both moved to scoring position on a wild pitch. But strikeout and a fielder's choice play at the plate put the Devils with runners on the corners and two outs. Jump stepped to the plate and fouled off a couple pitches before recording the go-ahead run.
Ninth inning
Dabovich shook off a leadoff error and a one-out walk with a pair of swinging to record his fourth save of the season.
Up Next
The Sun Devils continues its three-game non-conference series against last year's Mountain West champions, Fresno State, on Saturday at 6:30 p.m. AZT. The weekend series will be streamed live through the Pac-12 Network Live Stream.
Hunter Jump record the go-ahead RBI with two outs and down 0-2 in the count in the bottom of the eighth, ripping a single to center to score Spencer Torkelson and put the Sun Devils on top.
RJ Dabovich shook off a leadoff error and a walk in the ninth to pick up his Pac-12 leading fourth save of the season. Cooper Benson overcame a shaky opening frame to go 5.2 innings with a career high 9 strikeouts and just two runs allowed while Cam Dennie was solid in middle relief for the Devils.
Drew Swift continued to rack up numbers, recording two RBIs on sac flies in the contest. Alika Williams posted the team's lone multi-hit effort while Torkelson added his 10th extra base hit on 14 total base hits this season with a double in the first.
The Big Moment
After Fresno State rallied from a 3-0 deficit to tie things in the seventh, the Sun Devils looked in good shape in the bottom of the eighth with a pair of leadoff walks moving into scoring position on a FSU wild pitch. But a strike out and a great defensive play at the plate quickly left ASU with two outs and just runners on the corners. Jump stepped to the plate and quickly fell into an 0-2 hole, ripping the third pitch foul. Jump, who has struck out just five times this season, laced the next pitch in the sequence right back where it came from for the go-ahead RBI single.
Dab On 'Em
RJ Dabovich shook off an infield error to put the leadoff batter at first and then advancing to second on a stolen base. A walk put the go-ahead run on the basepath with just one out. But the junior closer mixed in some beautiful off-speed stuff to go with his mid-90s heater to keep the top of the Bulldog order off balance, recording back-to-back swinging Ks to pick up his fourth save of the season.
The Big Number
9. Cooper Benson struck out a career-high nine batters in 5.2 innings of work while he allowed just two runs in the process. Benson overcame a shaky first inning in which he got a leadoff strikeout before loading the bases with just one out. The freshman remained cool under pressure, striking out the side and going on to record a solid outing – at one point retiring 11 straight batters.
Keep 'Em Grounded
Fresno State's three-hole hitter Zach Presno has been the hot hitter in the Bulldog lineup this year, entering the weekend batting a team-high .381 with six homers and 14 RBIs. Presno didn't hurt the Devils at all on Friday, striking out three times while recording a walk and no other stats.
Notables
- The Sun Devils have allowed five or fewer runs in 14 of the first 15 games this season.
- Spencer Torkelson has 14 hits on the season and 10 of them have gone for extra bases with his six homers and four doubles. He is slugging a gaudy .857 on the season.
- Torkelson was walked twice more on Friday night, bringing his NCAA-leading total to 29.
- Drew Swift has been on an unreal tear over his last five games, recording five-straight multi-hit efforts and two of those being four-hit contests. In the five-game stretch, Swift has gone 15-of-25 (.600) with a team-best 13 RBIs.
- Trevor Hauver has proven to be as dangerous protection for Spencer Torkelson in the lineup as he could in the last nine games. The junior tacked one his team-leading 20 RBI this evening.
- Hauver extended his team-best hitting streak to 13 games with his RBI single in the first inning.
INNING-BY-INNING
First inning
Benson record a leadoff strikeout but loaded the bases behind a single and a pair of walks with just one out. The freshman was cool under pressure with a pair of swinging strikeouts to escape the game. The first three Sun Devils batters recorded a hit with Trevor Hauver plating Alika Williams with an RBI single and Spencer Torkelson scoring on a Drew Swift sac fly as ASU took an early 2-0 lead.
Second inning
Both sides went down in order as Benson picked up two more strikeouts.
Third inning
Benson recorded another 1-2-3 frame while Swift recorded another sac fly to score Alika Williams and put ASU on top 3-0.
Fourth inning
Benson faced the minimum thanks to a sweet backpick from Nick Cheema to Torkelson. ASU went down in order as well.
Fifth inning
Fresno State finally broke through with a two-out, two RBI double while ASU went down in order and a 3-2 lead.
Sixth inning
Cam Dennie spelled Benson to cap the freshman's day at 5.2 innings, 9 strikeouts, 2 walks and 2 runs. Dennie picked up the final out of the sixth to strand a baserunner. The Devil bats remained cool.
Seventh Inning
Theatrics ensued with Fresno State plating the tying run but Dennie limited the damage by inducing a double play and a ground out. Gage Workman was called out of a pickoff in which it seemed clear the first baseman was obstructing the plate and first base coach David Greer and manager Tracy Smith were ejected for pleading their case on the matter.
Eighth inning
Dennie limited the drama by stranding a one out single. Back-to-back walks from Williams and Torkelson led off the bottom of the frame and both moved to scoring position on a wild pitch. But strikeout and a fielder's choice play at the plate put the Devils with runners on the corners and two outs. Jump stepped to the plate and fouled off a couple pitches before recording the go-ahead run.
Ninth inning
Dabovich shook off a leadoff error and a one-out walk with a pair of swinging to record his fourth save of the season.
Up Next
The Sun Devils continues its three-game non-conference series against last year's Mountain West champions, Fresno State, on Saturday at 6:30 p.m. AZT. The weekend series will be streamed live through the Pac-12 Network Live Stream.