PULLMAN – For the second straight game, a five-run fifth inning proved to be ASU's undoing in a 10-3 loss in the series finale at Washington State.
ASU had 10 hits on the day, but struggled to get big ones with runners in scoring position.
Joe Lampe went 4-for-5 with his team-leading 12th home run of the year and all three of ASU's RBIs on the day. Sean McLain and Will Rogers added two hits as well.
Tyler Meyer struck out six in 4.0 innings of work with just three runs allowed. Boyd Vander Kooi had a scoreless 1.1 innings of work as well.
Sun Devil Baseball hits the reset button now, preparing for the Pac-12 Tournament that will begin this Wednesday, May 25. Arizona State will be the 8-seed and take on top-seeded Stanford in the first round with the game scheduled to begin 45 minutes after Game 1 of the tournament between the fourth and fifth-seeded Oregon and Arizona, which is set to begin at 9 a.m. AZT. TURNING POINT
Joe Lampe tied the game with his 12th homer of the year in the fifth inning, making it 3-3. McLain followed with a one-out single but was easily caught stealing for the third out of the inning and it was all Cougars from there. BIG MOMENT
With two runners on and two outs in the bottom of the fifth, ASU exchanged Ethan Long for Will Levine. A hit batter was followed by a two-RBI single. Two more RBI singles would bring three more across as WSU plated five in the fifth for the second straight day and took a commanding 8-3 lead. FINAL STRAW
The Sun Devils simply couldn't find the big hit despite finishing with 10 on the day, going scoreless over the final four innings. NOTABLES
First Inning
ASU got a leadoff single from Lampe and a walk from McLain but a double play quickly wiped two off the board and a groundout stranded a runner at third. Tyler Meyer struck out the side to lead off his half of the inning.
Second Inning
ASU mounted a nice two-out rally behind a single from Murphy, Haas reaching on an error and Andrew Lucas drawing a full-count walk to load the bases. Lampe laced the first pitch he saw to center for his second hit of the game, plating two runs and giving ASU the early lead.
Third Inning
The Sun Devils went down in order. Meyer ran into his first trouble of the game with a leadoff walk and a infield single moving into scoring position on a sac bunt. A groundout allowed one to score but Kai Murphy saved the game from being tied with a nice diving catch in right to keep ASU on top 2-1.
Fourth Inning
Rogers led the inning off with a single but that was the extent of the offensive action. WSU drew a one-out walk, moving to second on a wild pitch and third on a groundout before the Cougars got their first hard-struck ball of the game, riding the airstream to right center for a two-run homer and 3-2 lead.
Fifth Inning
ASU wasted little time squaring things back up as Joe Lampe launched his team-leading 12th homer of the year on a rope to right field to net things at 3-3. WSU plate five-two out runs in the bottom of the inning, it's second five-run fifth inning in as many games
Sixth Inning
Will Rogers doubled and Jacob Tobias drew a one-out walk and ASU had runners on the corners with one outs but was unable to do anything about it. Vander Kooi had some traffic on the basepath in the sixth with runners on second and third with one out but Hunter Haas made two nice plays at third to keep the Cougs off the scoreboard in the inning.
Seventh Inning
ASU went down in order with a pair of strikeouts. Josh Hansell gave up two leadoff walks on full counts before he followed with two strikeouts but an RBI single made it 9-3.
Eighth Inning
ASU had runners on the corners with a Campos walk and two-out Tobias single but a strikeout ended the threat. WSU added a two-out, two-RBI single in the bottom half to make it 10-3.
Ninth Inning
Lampe and McLain had two-out singles but that was the extent of the action.
ASU had 10 hits on the day, but struggled to get big ones with runners in scoring position.
Joe Lampe went 4-for-5 with his team-leading 12th home run of the year and all three of ASU's RBIs on the day. Sean McLain and Will Rogers added two hits as well.
Tyler Meyer struck out six in 4.0 innings of work with just three runs allowed. Boyd Vander Kooi had a scoreless 1.1 innings of work as well.
Sun Devil Baseball hits the reset button now, preparing for the Pac-12 Tournament that will begin this Wednesday, May 25. Arizona State will be the 8-seed and take on top-seeded Stanford in the first round with the game scheduled to begin 45 minutes after Game 1 of the tournament between the fourth and fifth-seeded Oregon and Arizona, which is set to begin at 9 a.m. AZT. TURNING POINT
Joe Lampe tied the game with his 12th homer of the year in the fifth inning, making it 3-3. McLain followed with a one-out single but was easily caught stealing for the third out of the inning and it was all Cougars from there. BIG MOMENT
With two runners on and two outs in the bottom of the fifth, ASU exchanged Ethan Long for Will Levine. A hit batter was followed by a two-RBI single. Two more RBI singles would bring three more across as WSU plated five in the fifth for the second straight day and took a commanding 8-3 lead. FINAL STRAW
The Sun Devils simply couldn't find the big hit despite finishing with 10 on the day, going scoreless over the final four innings. NOTABLES
- ASU reached double digit hits for the 25th time in the last 31 games and the 34th time in 55 games this year.
First Inning
ASU got a leadoff single from Lampe and a walk from McLain but a double play quickly wiped two off the board and a groundout stranded a runner at third. Tyler Meyer struck out the side to lead off his half of the inning.
Second Inning
ASU mounted a nice two-out rally behind a single from Murphy, Haas reaching on an error and Andrew Lucas drawing a full-count walk to load the bases. Lampe laced the first pitch he saw to center for his second hit of the game, plating two runs and giving ASU the early lead.
Third Inning
The Sun Devils went down in order. Meyer ran into his first trouble of the game with a leadoff walk and a infield single moving into scoring position on a sac bunt. A groundout allowed one to score but Kai Murphy saved the game from being tied with a nice diving catch in right to keep ASU on top 2-1.
Fourth Inning
Rogers led the inning off with a single but that was the extent of the offensive action. WSU drew a one-out walk, moving to second on a wild pitch and third on a groundout before the Cougars got their first hard-struck ball of the game, riding the airstream to right center for a two-run homer and 3-2 lead.
Fifth Inning
ASU wasted little time squaring things back up as Joe Lampe launched his team-leading 12th homer of the year on a rope to right field to net things at 3-3. WSU plate five-two out runs in the bottom of the inning, it's second five-run fifth inning in as many games
Sixth Inning
Will Rogers doubled and Jacob Tobias drew a one-out walk and ASU had runners on the corners with one outs but was unable to do anything about it. Vander Kooi had some traffic on the basepath in the sixth with runners on second and third with one out but Hunter Haas made two nice plays at third to keep the Cougs off the scoreboard in the inning.
Seventh Inning
ASU went down in order with a pair of strikeouts. Josh Hansell gave up two leadoff walks on full counts before he followed with two strikeouts but an RBI single made it 9-3.
Eighth Inning
ASU had runners on the corners with a Campos walk and two-out Tobias single but a strikeout ended the threat. WSU added a two-out, two-RBI single in the bottom half to make it 10-3.
Ninth Inning
Lampe and McLain had two-out singles but that was the extent of the action.