by Keenan O'Rourke, Sun Devil Media Relations
PHOENIX – The second walk-off of the season for Will Rogers and Sun Devil Baseball gave Arizona State the 10-9 victory over the North Dakota State Bison in a roller coaster affair that saw four lead changes - capped by Rogers' one-out solo shot in the ninth.
The Sun Devils fell into a 7-0 hole early, but a huge six-run fourth put them right back in the game. Jacob Tobias roped a two-run shot to give the Sun Devils their first lead of the game in the fifth. After a back-and-forth scoring affair with the Bison in the late linnings, it was Rogers in the end who provided the knockout punch for the Sun Devils.
THE TURNING POINT
After being down 7-0 heading into the bottom half of the fourth, The Sun Devils rallied to put up six from RBI's provided by Ethan Long, Luke Hill, Nu'u Contrades and Wyatt Crenshaw. This brought the Sun Devils back within a run at the time. Long got it going with a two-run shot and Crenshaw closed the gap with his two-run single later in the frame.
THE BIG MOMENT
Jacob Tobias completed the comeback with a two-run shot in the fifth to give the Sun Devils the 8-7 lead over the Bison at the time - his first homer of the year.
THE FINAL STRAW
In a 9-9 game in the bottom of the ninth after the Bison rallied for game-tying runs in both the eighth and ninth innings, Will Rogers delivered a first pitch walk-off home run, his second walkoff of the season, to give the Sun Devils the 10-9 victory.
NOTABLES
First Inning
North Dakota State flew out twice before hitting a solo home run in the top half. The Bison led 1-0 heading into the bottom half.
Luke Keaschall walked to get things going for the Sun Devils. A fielder's choice got him over to second and he stole third. Campos worked a walk, but an inning ending double play ended the Sun Devils threat. The Bison led 1-0.
Second Inning
The Bison got the inning started with a leadoff double. However, a groundout and two strikeouts from Josh Hansell stranded the runner on third to get out of the inning. The Bison led 1-0.
In the bottom half, the Sun Devils went down in order. The Bison still led 1-0.
Third Inning
The Bison led off the inning with a single followed by a stolen base to get into scoring position with no outs. After a strikeout from Hansell, he surrendered an RBI single to extend the Bison's lead to 2-0. The next batter hit a two-run shot to extend the Bison lead. Following a pitching change that ended Hansell's day, Christian Bodlovich entered the game and surrendered another two-run shot, the second of the inning. The Bison extended their lead 6-0.
The Sun Devils only base runner came from a leadoff walk from Isaiah Jackson, the rest of the Sun Devils went down via a popout and two strikeouts. The Bison still led 6-0.
Fourth Inning
A two-out hit-by-pitch and stolen base led to a Bison RBI single which extended their lead to 7-0. Nothing more came from the inning. The Bison led 7-0.
In the bottom half, The Sun Devils led off with a Ryan Campos single followed by a Ethan Long two-run home run which got the Sun Devils on the board. Jacob Tobias followed with a single and a double from Luke Hill which put the two runners into scoring position. An RBI error brought home the Sun Devil's third run of the inning. An Isaiah Jackson walk loaded the bases. A pitching change ensued. An RBI sac-fly from Nu'u Contrades gave the Sun Devils their fourth run of the inning. A two-out two-rbi single brought this game to within a run, but a pickoff ended the inning. The Bison still led 7-6.
Fifth Inning
The Bison started the inning with a hit-by-pitch and a walk put another on by the new Sun Devil pitcher Brock Peery. However, a couple of strikeouts and a pop out ended the threat. The Bison still led 7-6.
In the bottom half, Ethan Long was hit-by-pitch to start the traffic on the bases. Jacob Tobias quickly cleared them with a two-run shot home run which gave the Sun Devils their first lead of the game. A couple of singles from Luke Hill and Isaiah Jackson followed, but to no avail. The Sun Devils led 8-7.
Sixth Inning
A quick 1-2-3 inning from new pitcher Blake Pivaroff kept the Bison quiet. The Sun Devils led 8-7.
A walk and a hit by pitch put the Sun Devils at the corners, and a stolen base brought two into scoring position. However, the Sun Devils were unable to capitalize. The Sun Devils still led 8-7.
Seventh Inning
A lone single from the Bison capped off the offense in the top half. The Sun Devils still led 8-7.
In the bottom half, the Sun Devils only offense came from a Isaiah Jackson single. The rest of the inning remained quiet. The Sun Devils still led 8-7.
Eighth Inning
A leadoff hit-by-pitch put a man on for the Bison to start the inning. He advanced to second on a ground out. With two-outs, the Bison hit an RBI triple to tie the game at eight all. The game was tied 8-8.
The Sun Devils quickly got to work in the bottom half. Wyatt Crenshaw roped a triple in the right center gap to get the inning going, and Ryan Campos brought him in with a RBI groundout. THe Sun Devils took a 9-8 lead into the ninth.
Ninth Inning
In the ninth, the Bison hit a one-out double to put the tying run on second. Another double ensued to tie the game back to nine all. The game was tied 9-9.
In the bottom of the ninth, Will Rogers walked the game off with a solo home run. The Sun Devils won the game 10-9.
PHOENIX – The second walk-off of the season for Will Rogers and Sun Devil Baseball gave Arizona State the 10-9 victory over the North Dakota State Bison in a roller coaster affair that saw four lead changes - capped by Rogers' one-out solo shot in the ninth.
The Sun Devils fell into a 7-0 hole early, but a huge six-run fourth put them right back in the game. Jacob Tobias roped a two-run shot to give the Sun Devils their first lead of the game in the fifth. After a back-and-forth scoring affair with the Bison in the late linnings, it was Rogers in the end who provided the knockout punch for the Sun Devils.
THE TURNING POINT
After being down 7-0 heading into the bottom half of the fourth, The Sun Devils rallied to put up six from RBI's provided by Ethan Long, Luke Hill, Nu'u Contrades and Wyatt Crenshaw. This brought the Sun Devils back within a run at the time. Long got it going with a two-run shot and Crenshaw closed the gap with his two-run single later in the frame.
THE BIG MOMENT
Jacob Tobias completed the comeback with a two-run shot in the fifth to give the Sun Devils the 8-7 lead over the Bison at the time - his first homer of the year.
THE FINAL STRAW
In a 9-9 game in the bottom of the ninth after the Bison rallied for game-tying runs in both the eighth and ninth innings, Will Rogers delivered a first pitch walk-off home run, his second walkoff of the season, to give the Sun Devils the 10-9 victory.
NOTABLES
- For the second time in head coach Willie Bloomquist's tenure, the Sun Devils erased a seven-run deficit to win a game - also doing so in the series finale against Cal last season.That's notable as ASU had not erased a seven-run deficit prior since March 3, 2000 against Arizona.
- NDSU turned to its top two relievers in Reese Ligtenberg and Skyler Riedinger in the contest. The duo had not allowed an earned run in 8.1 combined innings of work this year and neither had given up a homer. Both got tagged for two runs and a homer against the Sun Devil offense on Wednesday - including Jacob Tobias' go-ahead two-run shot in the fifth and Will Rogers' walk-off bomb.
- Ethan Long's two-run home run in the fourth was the third of his season and is the most by any Sun Devil thus far. It was his second in as many games.
- Wyatt Crenshaw's triple in the eighth is good for his 15th hit of the season, the most by any Sun Devil thus far this season.
- Both Long and Crenshaw extended their streak of games reaching base to eight - each game of the season.
- Jacob Tobias's two-run home run was the first of his season and helped erase a seven run deficit.
- Long and Tobias each hit their homers with a runner on base, notable as 9 of ASU's 10 homers entering this contest were solo shots.
- Will Rogers walkoff home run in the ninth was his second walkoff of the season and the team's second as well.
- After a forgettable weekend in Starkville, Isaiah Jackson bounced back with a 2-for-2 day with two walks, a run and a stolen base.
- The Sun Devils remain undefeated at home (5-0).
- This is the second time this season the Sun Devils score 10+ runs in a game.
- There were four lead changes in this game, the most in any Sun Devil game this season.
First Inning
North Dakota State flew out twice before hitting a solo home run in the top half. The Bison led 1-0 heading into the bottom half.
Luke Keaschall walked to get things going for the Sun Devils. A fielder's choice got him over to second and he stole third. Campos worked a walk, but an inning ending double play ended the Sun Devils threat. The Bison led 1-0.
Second Inning
The Bison got the inning started with a leadoff double. However, a groundout and two strikeouts from Josh Hansell stranded the runner on third to get out of the inning. The Bison led 1-0.
In the bottom half, the Sun Devils went down in order. The Bison still led 1-0.
Third Inning
The Bison led off the inning with a single followed by a stolen base to get into scoring position with no outs. After a strikeout from Hansell, he surrendered an RBI single to extend the Bison's lead to 2-0. The next batter hit a two-run shot to extend the Bison lead. Following a pitching change that ended Hansell's day, Christian Bodlovich entered the game and surrendered another two-run shot, the second of the inning. The Bison extended their lead 6-0.
The Sun Devils only base runner came from a leadoff walk from Isaiah Jackson, the rest of the Sun Devils went down via a popout and two strikeouts. The Bison still led 6-0.
Fourth Inning
A two-out hit-by-pitch and stolen base led to a Bison RBI single which extended their lead to 7-0. Nothing more came from the inning. The Bison led 7-0.
In the bottom half, The Sun Devils led off with a Ryan Campos single followed by a Ethan Long two-run home run which got the Sun Devils on the board. Jacob Tobias followed with a single and a double from Luke Hill which put the two runners into scoring position. An RBI error brought home the Sun Devil's third run of the inning. An Isaiah Jackson walk loaded the bases. A pitching change ensued. An RBI sac-fly from Nu'u Contrades gave the Sun Devils their fourth run of the inning. A two-out two-rbi single brought this game to within a run, but a pickoff ended the inning. The Bison still led 7-6.
Fifth Inning
The Bison started the inning with a hit-by-pitch and a walk put another on by the new Sun Devil pitcher Brock Peery. However, a couple of strikeouts and a pop out ended the threat. The Bison still led 7-6.
In the bottom half, Ethan Long was hit-by-pitch to start the traffic on the bases. Jacob Tobias quickly cleared them with a two-run shot home run which gave the Sun Devils their first lead of the game. A couple of singles from Luke Hill and Isaiah Jackson followed, but to no avail. The Sun Devils led 8-7.
Sixth Inning
A quick 1-2-3 inning from new pitcher Blake Pivaroff kept the Bison quiet. The Sun Devils led 8-7.
A walk and a hit by pitch put the Sun Devils at the corners, and a stolen base brought two into scoring position. However, the Sun Devils were unable to capitalize. The Sun Devils still led 8-7.
Seventh Inning
A lone single from the Bison capped off the offense in the top half. The Sun Devils still led 8-7.
In the bottom half, the Sun Devils only offense came from a Isaiah Jackson single. The rest of the inning remained quiet. The Sun Devils still led 8-7.
Eighth Inning
A leadoff hit-by-pitch put a man on for the Bison to start the inning. He advanced to second on a ground out. With two-outs, the Bison hit an RBI triple to tie the game at eight all. The game was tied 8-8.
The Sun Devils quickly got to work in the bottom half. Wyatt Crenshaw roped a triple in the right center gap to get the inning going, and Ryan Campos brought him in with a RBI groundout. THe Sun Devils took a 9-8 lead into the ninth.
Ninth Inning
In the ninth, the Bison hit a one-out double to put the tying run on second. Another double ensued to tie the game back to nine all. The game was tied 9-9.
In the bottom of the ninth, Will Rogers walked the game off with a solo home run. The Sun Devils won the game 10-9.