PHOENIX – Baseball always seems to find a way to be poetic, and the poetry was certain in motion on Saturday evening as Sun Devil Baseball evened its Pac-12 series against the Oregon Ducks with a 6-4 victory on a night when the team recognized the 40th (plus one) Reunion of the 1981 National Championship team.
With First Lady of Sun Devil Baseball, Patsy Brock on hand, alongside over 20 players, coaches, staff members and even bat girls from that historic team, the pre-game ceremony represented everything that is great about this program.
It was only fitting then, that the No. 33 would pick up the final three outs of the contest and that the player who was named after the legendary coach of that 1981 team, Brock Peery - a player whose father played for Coach Jim Brock and who received special permission from Mrs. Brock simply to have the honor of being the first player to don the number since - picked up his ninth save of the season to force a rubber match tomorrow against the Ducks.
After seeing an early 3-0 lead evaporate into a 4-3 deficit, the Sun Devils rallied behind a three-run sixth inning to take a lead it would not relinquish en route to the victory.
Conor Davis recorded the game-tying RBI double on his second hit of the game, Kai Murphy recorded a go-ahead RBI single and Will Rogers tacked on some insurance with an RBI double to make it a 6-4 Sun Devil advantage and letting the pitching staff handle the rest.
Kyle Luckham shook off a rocky fifth inning - his only inning in which he allowed any runs - to give ASU 7.0 innings and earn his seventh victory of the season in the process. Blake Pivaroff tied the team lead with his fourth hold of the year and then covered first base and recorded the final out of the contest as well. Brock Peery earned his ninth save of the year - tying the Pac-12 lead in the process - and gave ASU a chance to leapfrog the Ducks in the Pac-12 standings with a win and series victory in tomorrow's series finale.
Sean McLain and Joe Lampe each added two hits with the latter extending his hitting streak to 20 games - just the fourth Sun Devil to accomplish that since 2010 - as ASU put together another double-digit hitting performance. TURNING POINT
The Sun Devils were in the driver's seat for four innings due to the offense combining for three runs in the first two innings. Two runs were put on the board as a result of Ryan Campos doubling, bringing home Sean McLain. Then, with two outs, Conor Davis singled up the middle to send Campos home. Luckham held the Ducks to a second scoreless inning. After two strikeouts leading up to Joe Lampe, ASU's center fielder sent a ball way up in the air for a solo shot. Lampe's eleventh home run gave the Sun Devils a three- run lead, and ownership of the top home run spot for the Sun Devils. THE BIG MOMENT
Luckham had done well to keep the Ducks at bay for the first four innings, but the fifth was when things got hairy. Oregon put four runs on the board to put them ahead by one. Nothing went for the Sun Devils in the inning immediately following the realization they were now trailing, but they were able to strike in the sixth. Nate Baez kickstarted the inning, getting on base due to a hit-by-pitch after falling behind on a 1-2 count. Davis, once again, delivered, this time with a double in the gap to tie the game. Davis hustled home on a Kai Murphy single to put the Sun Devils up by one. Will Rogers would add a third run of the inning, and a second run to the lead, with a double, bringing Murphy home. This very efficient inning of three hits and three runs decided the game, as the Sun Devils' pitching held the Ducks' bats. THE FINAL STRAW
Blake Pivaroff made way for Brock Peery to close the game, stranding a pair of runners in the eighth to earn his fourth hold of the season. The Sun Devils were working with a narrow lead of two, so the game was anything but out of reach for the Ducks. Peery got his first batter to fly out, but the second singled. A fly out to Lampe kept the runner at first, however a stolen base put him in scoring position, with the Duck at the plate signifying the tying run. The Duck fouled off four straight foul balls, then watched two balls go by, for a full count. The eighth pitch of the at bat was fouled off and caught by Pivaroff for the final out of the game. NOTABLES
FIRST INNING
Kyle Luckham completed a scoreless first inning, getting a flyout and a three-pitch strikeout. A weak grounder to Sean McLain stranded a two-out double and ended the top half of the frame. On the other end, McLain knocked a one-out double past the first baseman, taking second. Ryan Campos came through with a double that just stayed fair down the left field line, driving in McLain. Nate Baez had a hit taken away, due to an unlucky bounce off the top of the mound, finding the second baseman to put him away for a second out. Conor Davis struck one past the shortstop for a second run. Jacob Tobias prolonged the inning with a single past second base, but a groundout from Murphy would signify the two runs would be all the Sun Devils would get.
SECOND INNING
Two Ducks hits up the middle put early pressure on Luckham, but he managed his way out of it with a strikeout and a grounder for the 6-4-3 double play. Will Rogers and Cam Magee struck out, but with two outs Joe Lampe took a pitch for a ride on 2-2 count to make it a 3-0 lead, his team-leading 11th homer of the year and extending his hit streak to 20 straight games.
THIRD INNING
A leadoff single proved to be no issue for Luckham, as he breezed through the next three with a groundout and two strikeouts, stranding the man in scoring position after taking second base on the first out. The Sun Devil bats were unable to produce any runs, as Campos was unlucky to see his hard hit ball get caught by the second baseman and a ball that looked good off Davis' bat turned out to be a fly out.
FOURTH INNING
While Luckham had carried out his task of keeping the Sun Devils lead and avoiding an early deficit, this was the first inning the pitcher would see a one, two, three inning. Luckham threw eight pitches, seeing two groundouts and a flyout to close his fourth inning of pitching. The Sun Devils' bats were not able to get anything on the board, as Tobias, Murphy and Rogers went down one, two, three.
FIFTH INNING
A single and ground rule double put runners in scoring position with no outs. The Sun Devils traded a run for an out with a groundout, getting another groundout for a second out. Looking to get out of the inning giving up one, Luckham saw a single to center allow another run to trot home. The next batter's swing put the Ducks on top by one run, hitting a two-run home run to left center. Now down by one, the Sun Devils looked to get something going. Lampe got a solid hit, but was caught stealing. Following the blow, McLain dropped a single to left field, advancing to second on a low throw from the pitcher. With two outs and two strikes, Campos had a third strike called on him for delaying the game, ending the ASU threat and keeping it a 4-3 game in favor of the opposition.
SIXTH INNING
The Ducks looked to tack on a few more runs with a leadoff single right back up the middle, whizzing by Luckham, but a good play from Magee on the next play saw the lead runner out at second. Another fielder's choice gave ASU a second out and a fly out to right ended the top of the sixth. Baez got the inning started, getting hit by a pitch on an unfavorable 1-2 count. Davis would make the Ducks pay, with a gapper to right center, scoring Baez, albeit with a close play at home. Jacob Tobias flied out for the first out. Murphy picked the Sun Devils' offense back up with a single dropping in front of the Ducks' centerfielder. The single saw Davis score from second. Will Rogers went down to hit a low ball for a great hit over the second baseman's head, going all the way to the right center wall for an RBI double, plating Murphy and putting ASU back on top, 6-4.
SEVENTH INNING
With one out, Luckham made a barehanded play to gather a bouncer and throw to first for a second out. A single found a way underneath a diving Magee, but Luckham sent the next batter down looking for the final out. McLain, Campos and Baez went three up, three down to keep the lead at 6-4.
EIGHTH INNING
Blake Pivaroff came in to pitch for Luckham. A leadoff single would mean no harm to the Sun Devils. Pivaroff got his next two batters to flyout and ground out. A walk stalled the inning, but ultimately ended on a pop up to McLain to complete the hold - his team-leading fourth of the season. Andrew Lucas pinch ran for Tobias after he walked, moving to second on another throwing error from the Ducks, but would move no further, as Rogers fouled out to bring around the final inning.
NINTH INNING
Brock Peery closed the game. The first hitter took a ball to the warning track, but Murphy came down with it. Peery gave up a single on the next play, but would work through the man on base with a fly out and foul out to earn his team-leading ninth save of the year. ON DECK
ASU will look to leapfrog Oregon in the Pac-12 standings with a win and series victory tomorrow. The rubber match will get underway at 12 p.m. AZT on Pac-12 Arizona and can be listened to over the airwaves on KDUS 1060 AM.
With First Lady of Sun Devil Baseball, Patsy Brock on hand, alongside over 20 players, coaches, staff members and even bat girls from that historic team, the pre-game ceremony represented everything that is great about this program.
It was only fitting then, that the No. 33 would pick up the final three outs of the contest and that the player who was named after the legendary coach of that 1981 team, Brock Peery - a player whose father played for Coach Jim Brock and who received special permission from Mrs. Brock simply to have the honor of being the first player to don the number since - picked up his ninth save of the season to force a rubber match tomorrow against the Ducks.
After seeing an early 3-0 lead evaporate into a 4-3 deficit, the Sun Devils rallied behind a three-run sixth inning to take a lead it would not relinquish en route to the victory.
Conor Davis recorded the game-tying RBI double on his second hit of the game, Kai Murphy recorded a go-ahead RBI single and Will Rogers tacked on some insurance with an RBI double to make it a 6-4 Sun Devil advantage and letting the pitching staff handle the rest.
Kyle Luckham shook off a rocky fifth inning - his only inning in which he allowed any runs - to give ASU 7.0 innings and earn his seventh victory of the season in the process. Blake Pivaroff tied the team lead with his fourth hold of the year and then covered first base and recorded the final out of the contest as well. Brock Peery earned his ninth save of the year - tying the Pac-12 lead in the process - and gave ASU a chance to leapfrog the Ducks in the Pac-12 standings with a win and series victory in tomorrow's series finale.
Sean McLain and Joe Lampe each added two hits with the latter extending his hitting streak to 20 games - just the fourth Sun Devil to accomplish that since 2010 - as ASU put together another double-digit hitting performance. TURNING POINT
The Sun Devils were in the driver's seat for four innings due to the offense combining for three runs in the first two innings. Two runs were put on the board as a result of Ryan Campos doubling, bringing home Sean McLain. Then, with two outs, Conor Davis singled up the middle to send Campos home. Luckham held the Ducks to a second scoreless inning. After two strikeouts leading up to Joe Lampe, ASU's center fielder sent a ball way up in the air for a solo shot. Lampe's eleventh home run gave the Sun Devils a three- run lead, and ownership of the top home run spot for the Sun Devils. THE BIG MOMENT
Luckham had done well to keep the Ducks at bay for the first four innings, but the fifth was when things got hairy. Oregon put four runs on the board to put them ahead by one. Nothing went for the Sun Devils in the inning immediately following the realization they were now trailing, but they were able to strike in the sixth. Nate Baez kickstarted the inning, getting on base due to a hit-by-pitch after falling behind on a 1-2 count. Davis, once again, delivered, this time with a double in the gap to tie the game. Davis hustled home on a Kai Murphy single to put the Sun Devils up by one. Will Rogers would add a third run of the inning, and a second run to the lead, with a double, bringing Murphy home. This very efficient inning of three hits and three runs decided the game, as the Sun Devils' pitching held the Ducks' bats. THE FINAL STRAW
Blake Pivaroff made way for Brock Peery to close the game, stranding a pair of runners in the eighth to earn his fourth hold of the season. The Sun Devils were working with a narrow lead of two, so the game was anything but out of reach for the Ducks. Peery got his first batter to fly out, but the second singled. A fly out to Lampe kept the runner at first, however a stolen base put him in scoring position, with the Duck at the plate signifying the tying run. The Duck fouled off four straight foul balls, then watched two balls go by, for a full count. The eighth pitch of the at bat was fouled off and caught by Pivaroff for the final out of the game. NOTABLES
- Joe Lampe extended his hitting streak in a big way with his second-inning home run to make it 20 straight games with a hit. In doing so, he becomes just the fourth Sun Devil since 2010 to record a 20-game hit streak in a season (2010 Riccio Torrez (26), 2021 Sean McLain (23) and 2019 Spencer Torkelson (21))
- ASU has reached double digits in 22 of the last 27 games and 31 times in 451games.
- Entering the weekend fifth in the nation in doubles, ASU added four tonight, including a game-tying one from Conor Davis in the sixth and a insurance-adding RBI double a couple batters later from Will Rogers to make it 6-4.
FIRST INNING
Kyle Luckham completed a scoreless first inning, getting a flyout and a three-pitch strikeout. A weak grounder to Sean McLain stranded a two-out double and ended the top half of the frame. On the other end, McLain knocked a one-out double past the first baseman, taking second. Ryan Campos came through with a double that just stayed fair down the left field line, driving in McLain. Nate Baez had a hit taken away, due to an unlucky bounce off the top of the mound, finding the second baseman to put him away for a second out. Conor Davis struck one past the shortstop for a second run. Jacob Tobias prolonged the inning with a single past second base, but a groundout from Murphy would signify the two runs would be all the Sun Devils would get.
SECOND INNING
Two Ducks hits up the middle put early pressure on Luckham, but he managed his way out of it with a strikeout and a grounder for the 6-4-3 double play. Will Rogers and Cam Magee struck out, but with two outs Joe Lampe took a pitch for a ride on 2-2 count to make it a 3-0 lead, his team-leading 11th homer of the year and extending his hit streak to 20 straight games.
THIRD INNING
A leadoff single proved to be no issue for Luckham, as he breezed through the next three with a groundout and two strikeouts, stranding the man in scoring position after taking second base on the first out. The Sun Devil bats were unable to produce any runs, as Campos was unlucky to see his hard hit ball get caught by the second baseman and a ball that looked good off Davis' bat turned out to be a fly out.
FOURTH INNING
While Luckham had carried out his task of keeping the Sun Devils lead and avoiding an early deficit, this was the first inning the pitcher would see a one, two, three inning. Luckham threw eight pitches, seeing two groundouts and a flyout to close his fourth inning of pitching. The Sun Devils' bats were not able to get anything on the board, as Tobias, Murphy and Rogers went down one, two, three.
FIFTH INNING
A single and ground rule double put runners in scoring position with no outs. The Sun Devils traded a run for an out with a groundout, getting another groundout for a second out. Looking to get out of the inning giving up one, Luckham saw a single to center allow another run to trot home. The next batter's swing put the Ducks on top by one run, hitting a two-run home run to left center. Now down by one, the Sun Devils looked to get something going. Lampe got a solid hit, but was caught stealing. Following the blow, McLain dropped a single to left field, advancing to second on a low throw from the pitcher. With two outs and two strikes, Campos had a third strike called on him for delaying the game, ending the ASU threat and keeping it a 4-3 game in favor of the opposition.
SIXTH INNING
The Ducks looked to tack on a few more runs with a leadoff single right back up the middle, whizzing by Luckham, but a good play from Magee on the next play saw the lead runner out at second. Another fielder's choice gave ASU a second out and a fly out to right ended the top of the sixth. Baez got the inning started, getting hit by a pitch on an unfavorable 1-2 count. Davis would make the Ducks pay, with a gapper to right center, scoring Baez, albeit with a close play at home. Jacob Tobias flied out for the first out. Murphy picked the Sun Devils' offense back up with a single dropping in front of the Ducks' centerfielder. The single saw Davis score from second. Will Rogers went down to hit a low ball for a great hit over the second baseman's head, going all the way to the right center wall for an RBI double, plating Murphy and putting ASU back on top, 6-4.
SEVENTH INNING
With one out, Luckham made a barehanded play to gather a bouncer and throw to first for a second out. A single found a way underneath a diving Magee, but Luckham sent the next batter down looking for the final out. McLain, Campos and Baez went three up, three down to keep the lead at 6-4.
EIGHTH INNING
Blake Pivaroff came in to pitch for Luckham. A leadoff single would mean no harm to the Sun Devils. Pivaroff got his next two batters to flyout and ground out. A walk stalled the inning, but ultimately ended on a pop up to McLain to complete the hold - his team-leading fourth of the season. Andrew Lucas pinch ran for Tobias after he walked, moving to second on another throwing error from the Ducks, but would move no further, as Rogers fouled out to bring around the final inning.
NINTH INNING
Brock Peery closed the game. The first hitter took a ball to the warning track, but Murphy came down with it. Peery gave up a single on the next play, but would work through the man on base with a fly out and foul out to earn his team-leading ninth save of the year. ON DECK
ASU will look to leapfrog Oregon in the Pac-12 standings with a win and series victory tomorrow. The rubber match will get underway at 12 p.m. AZT on Pac-12 Arizona and can be listened to over the airwaves on KDUS 1060 AM.