PHOENIX – Luke Keaschall was 5-for-5 with two doubles, a homer and a triple shy of the cycle and ASU pitchers did not allow a hit through 5.1 innings as No.17/12 Sun Devil Baseball secured another midweek victory, 9-1, over Cal State Fullerton on Tuesday night at Phoenix Municipal Stadium.
Arizona State (28-12, 12-4 Pac-12) set down the first ten Cal State Fullerton (23-11, 15-3 Big West) batters it faced and never sniffed trouble from the Titans lineup. ASU scored two in the first inning, playing from ahead and never relinquished the lead. Leading 4-1 in the sixth, Luke Hill smashed a three-run homer, making it 7-1.
Timmy Manning got the start on the bump for ASU for the second time in as many midweeks, working through three innings of no-hit baseball in a brisk 35 pitches, preserving availability for the weekend. He struck out four and walked none. Matt Tieding pitched pitched 2.1 innings of one-run baseball, giving way to a trio of one inning firemen out of the Sun Devil bullpen that shut the door on Fullerton.
TURNING POINT
ASU led 2-0 heading into the top of the fifth inning, but Cal State Fullerton put runners on first and second with just one out. Both runners were called out on an interference play at second base after the runner, who was making an advance attempt from first, was called out. By rule both the runner and the batter were out. ASU went into the bottom of the fifth leading 2-0.
BIG MOMENT
In that bottom of the fifth inning, Nick McLain started with a leadoff double and was immediately driven in by Keaschall. Contrades also plated a run on a double play and ASU led 4-0 after five innings.
FINAL STRAW
The Sun Devils plated three runs in the sixth on a jack by Luke Hill to extend the lead out to 7-1. ASU also plated runs in the seventh and eighth innings. The Sun Devil pitching staff was dynamite in relief, allowing just one run in the sixth inning. Nolan Lebamoff, Austin Humphres and Will Rogers combined for 3.2 innings of shutout baseball to close the contest.
NOTABLES
Luke Keaschall, 2023, 21 doubles, 11 homers
Joe Lampe, 2022, 22 doubles, 12 homers
Nate Baez, 2022, 21 doubles, 10 homers
Riccio Torres, 2010, 27 doubles, 10 homers
Jason Kipnis, 2009, 21 doubles, 16 homers
Ike Davis, 2008, 26 doubles, 16 homers
Andrew Beinbrink, 1999, 22 doubles, 14 homers
Andrew Beinbrink, 1998, 22 doubles, 12 homers
First Inning
Timmy Manning put up a 1-2-3 first inning on 12 pitches, recording a groundout, strikeout and flyout. The punchout came on a breaking ball on the low, inside corner of the zone against a right hander.
With one out, Luke Hill and Nick McLain rattled off consecutive singles. Then, they both advanced to a base on a wild pitch. Hill scored on an infield hit by Luke Keaschall and Jacob Tobias brought McLain in on a sacrifice fly, 2-0 Sun Devils after a frame.
Second Inning
Manning set down the next three batters on a strikeout, groundout and popout in just nine pitches.
Willie Cano reached base on an E6 with one down, and Trey Newman walked, setting up Kien Vu at the top of the order. Vu walked, loading the bases with one out. The Sun Devils were not able to push a run across as Hill popped up and McLain struck out swinging.
Third Inning
Manning struck out two in the frame, not allowing a baserunner for the third straight inning. Keaschall led off with a double, but the Titans set down the next three batters in order.
Fourth Inning
Matt Tieding entered for Manning and navigated around a one out walk to escape the inning cleanly. Kien Vu doubled with two outs in the bottom half.
Fifth Inning
Cal State Fullerton put a couple runners aboard with one out, but both were called out on an interference call at second base, getting Teiding out of the jam.
In the bottom half, McLain led off with a double to the right center field gap. Keaschall singled and the run came home on a throwing error, 3-0 Sun Devils. Tobias singled and advanced Keaschall to third. After the single, Fullerton went into its bullpen and forced Nu'u Contrades to ground into an RBI double play. Going into the sixth, it was 4-0 Sun Devils.
Sixth Inning
Tieding hit the leadoff batter with a pitch and was followed by a one out single. A walk loaded the bases, forcing ASU to call on Nolan Lebamoff out of the bullpen. He allowed a sacrifice fly, but only the one run crossed and it was 4-1 Arizona State.
Cano flew out to open the bottom of the sixth, but a single by Trey Newman and a walk by Vu. The Titans went into their bullpen and Hill yanked a three-run homer to make it 7-1 Sun Devils. McLain singled and Keaschall doubled, but did not plate another run.
Seventh Inning
Lebamoff got through the seventh unscathed. Isaiah Jackson poked a single through the left side and Cano doubled him over to third. Newman grounded out but the run scored, making it 8-1 Sun Devils heading to the eighth.
Eighth Inning
Austin Humphres entered in the eighth for Lebamoff, facing the minimum on a strikeout and double play.
Luke Keaschall led off the bottom half with a solo home run on the first pitch he saw and Tobias immediately doubled, but nothing more came of it.
Ninth Inning
Will Rogers made his second appearance of the season. He retired the first two batters before giving up two singles and a walk. He ultimately retired the final batter with a strikeout and closed out the game.
ON DECK:
Arizona State will conclude its two-game series against Cal State Fullerton tomorrow at 2 p.m. MST. at Phoenix Municipal Stadium. Coverage can be seen on ASU Live Stream and can be heard on KDUS 1060 AM.
Arizona State (28-12, 12-4 Pac-12) set down the first ten Cal State Fullerton (23-11, 15-3 Big West) batters it faced and never sniffed trouble from the Titans lineup. ASU scored two in the first inning, playing from ahead and never relinquished the lead. Leading 4-1 in the sixth, Luke Hill smashed a three-run homer, making it 7-1.
Timmy Manning got the start on the bump for ASU for the second time in as many midweeks, working through three innings of no-hit baseball in a brisk 35 pitches, preserving availability for the weekend. He struck out four and walked none. Matt Tieding pitched pitched 2.1 innings of one-run baseball, giving way to a trio of one inning firemen out of the Sun Devil bullpen that shut the door on Fullerton.
TURNING POINT
ASU led 2-0 heading into the top of the fifth inning, but Cal State Fullerton put runners on first and second with just one out. Both runners were called out on an interference play at second base after the runner, who was making an advance attempt from first, was called out. By rule both the runner and the batter were out. ASU went into the bottom of the fifth leading 2-0.
BIG MOMENT
In that bottom of the fifth inning, Nick McLain started with a leadoff double and was immediately driven in by Keaschall. Contrades also plated a run on a double play and ASU led 4-0 after five innings.
FINAL STRAW
The Sun Devils plated three runs in the sixth on a jack by Luke Hill to extend the lead out to 7-1. ASU also plated runs in the seventh and eighth innings. The Sun Devil pitching staff was dynamite in relief, allowing just one run in the sixth inning. Nolan Lebamoff, Austin Humphres and Will Rogers combined for 3.2 innings of shutout baseball to close the contest.
NOTABLES
- With his second-inning double, Luke Keaschall joined an illustrious list of Sun Devils to have 20 doubles and 10 homers in a season. He is the third Sun Devil under WIllie Bloomquist to achieve the mark. From 1998-2021, there were just five total.
Luke Keaschall, 2023, 21 doubles, 11 homers
Joe Lampe, 2022, 22 doubles, 12 homers
Nate Baez, 2022, 21 doubles, 10 homers
Riccio Torres, 2010, 27 doubles, 10 homers
Jason Kipnis, 2009, 21 doubles, 16 homers
Ike Davis, 2008, 26 doubles, 16 homers
Andrew Beinbrink, 1999, 22 doubles, 14 homers
Andrew Beinbrink, 1998, 22 doubles, 12 homers
- Keaschall was 5-5 with two doubles and a home run, bringing his average up to .375. He was the first Sun Devil to have five hits in a game since Trevor Hauver was 5-6 against Long Beach State on April 2, 2019.
- Keaschall's double also extended his Pac-12 lead in doubles, now with 21.
- Since the beginning of the Oregon State series just four days ago, Keaschall is 12-for-19 (.631) with ten RBI, ten extra-base hits and six runs scored.
- ASU improves to 8-3 in midweek games this season. The team was just 5-7 in midweek games overall last season.
- Arizona State has won seven straight against Cal State-Fullerton after losing eight of the previous 10.
- Sun Devil Baseball retired the first ten batters in the game, the most consecutive batters retired to start the game since they retired 11 straight vs. Villanova on 2/16/20.
- Additionally, it is also the first time ASU has gotten the first six outs in a game without allowing a baserunner since the finale of its conference-opening series at Utah on March 19.
- Tonight marked the first time ASU has had a first-inning lead in a home game since Grand Canyon on March 22. It is also the first time ASU had had a first inning lead and not allowed a run since the series finale against UC Davis on March 12.
- Nick McLain went 3-for-5 and recorded at least one hit in his first eight games in his collegiate career, racking up a .412 average over that span and scoring 11 runs. Since at least 1998, no freshman has started his career with an eight-game hitting streak.
- Additionally, it's McLain's seventh extra-base hit in his first eight games as a Sun Devil and improved his average to .462 with runners in scoring position.
- Timmy Manning's four strikeouts are the most he's had in a game since April 6, against Washington State and the third game this season with at least four punchouts.
- Additionally, it's the most consecutive batters (9) Manning has retired in his career.
- Cal State Fullerton has been strong on the road, falling to 10-4 on the road with the loss in Phoenix. The Sun Devils ended Fullerton's seven-game winning streak with the victory just four days after ending Oregon State's eight-game winning streak.
- It's just the second time since 2015 ASU has had 20 home wins before May 1st.
- The Sun Devils improve to 19-3 in games recording double-digit hits.
- It was ASU Baseball's 20th game with at least two home runs. They improved to 16-4 in such games.
- Arizona State won without the services of Golden Spikes Award Midseason Watch List Ryan Campos, who is day-to-day with an oblique injury.
First Inning
Timmy Manning put up a 1-2-3 first inning on 12 pitches, recording a groundout, strikeout and flyout. The punchout came on a breaking ball on the low, inside corner of the zone against a right hander.
With one out, Luke Hill and Nick McLain rattled off consecutive singles. Then, they both advanced to a base on a wild pitch. Hill scored on an infield hit by Luke Keaschall and Jacob Tobias brought McLain in on a sacrifice fly, 2-0 Sun Devils after a frame.
Second Inning
Manning set down the next three batters on a strikeout, groundout and popout in just nine pitches.
Willie Cano reached base on an E6 with one down, and Trey Newman walked, setting up Kien Vu at the top of the order. Vu walked, loading the bases with one out. The Sun Devils were not able to push a run across as Hill popped up and McLain struck out swinging.
Third Inning
Manning struck out two in the frame, not allowing a baserunner for the third straight inning. Keaschall led off with a double, but the Titans set down the next three batters in order.
Fourth Inning
Matt Tieding entered for Manning and navigated around a one out walk to escape the inning cleanly. Kien Vu doubled with two outs in the bottom half.
Fifth Inning
Cal State Fullerton put a couple runners aboard with one out, but both were called out on an interference call at second base, getting Teiding out of the jam.
In the bottom half, McLain led off with a double to the right center field gap. Keaschall singled and the run came home on a throwing error, 3-0 Sun Devils. Tobias singled and advanced Keaschall to third. After the single, Fullerton went into its bullpen and forced Nu'u Contrades to ground into an RBI double play. Going into the sixth, it was 4-0 Sun Devils.
Sixth Inning
Tieding hit the leadoff batter with a pitch and was followed by a one out single. A walk loaded the bases, forcing ASU to call on Nolan Lebamoff out of the bullpen. He allowed a sacrifice fly, but only the one run crossed and it was 4-1 Arizona State.
Cano flew out to open the bottom of the sixth, but a single by Trey Newman and a walk by Vu. The Titans went into their bullpen and Hill yanked a three-run homer to make it 7-1 Sun Devils. McLain singled and Keaschall doubled, but did not plate another run.
Seventh Inning
Lebamoff got through the seventh unscathed. Isaiah Jackson poked a single through the left side and Cano doubled him over to third. Newman grounded out but the run scored, making it 8-1 Sun Devils heading to the eighth.
Eighth Inning
Austin Humphres entered in the eighth for Lebamoff, facing the minimum on a strikeout and double play.
Luke Keaschall led off the bottom half with a solo home run on the first pitch he saw and Tobias immediately doubled, but nothing more came of it.
Ninth Inning
Will Rogers made his second appearance of the season. He retired the first two batters before giving up two singles and a walk. He ultimately retired the final batter with a strikeout and closed out the game.
ON DECK:
Arizona State will conclude its two-game series against Cal State Fullerton tomorrow at 2 p.m. MST. at Phoenix Municipal Stadium. Coverage can be seen on ASU Live Stream and can be heard on KDUS 1060 AM.