PHOENIX – No. 20/18 Arizona State fell 9-4 to No. 7/7 Stanford (31-13, 18-6 Pac-12) in the final game between two of the top teams in the Pac-12 at Phoenix Municipal Stadium on Sunday.
ASU (29-18, 14-9, Pac-12) had six players with at least one hit, including three from Ryan Campos. The Sun Devils struck first courtesy of a bases-clearing double from Jacob Tobias in the first inning to give them a 3-0 lead.
Two innings later, the Cardinal struck with a three-run home run to right-center field to tie the game at three.
The Cardinal took a 5-3 lead – its first lead of the game – on a two-run home run in the sixth inning.
Wyatt Crenshaw answered in the bottom half of the inning with a solo shot to cut the Stanford lead in half. However, Stanford closed the game with four runs in the ninth inning, giving them a 9-4 lead to take the final lead of the contest.
TURNING POINT
Stanford was able to show their resilience with a three-run home run that tied that game in the top of the third inning after the Sun Devils got off to a quick start in the opening frame with three runs of their own.
BIG MOMENT
The Cardinal took its first lead of the day with a two-run homer in the top of the sixth inning, making it 5-3.
FINAL STRAW
Stanford was able to add to their one-run lead in the ninth inning with a pair of home runs to take a 9-4 lead late in the contest.
NOTABLES
First Inning
After back-to-back walks and giving up a base hit, Ross Dunn was able to escape the early jam with a double play to put the Sun Devils at the plate.
Nick McLain started the offense off with a lead-off single, followed by a single from Ryan Campos and Luke Keaschall drawing a walk to load the bases. Jacob Tobias was able to answer the call with a bases-clearing RBI double to give the Sun Devils a 3-0 lead going into the second inning.
Second Inning
The Cardinal went down the order that featured Dunn striking out two batters, his third strikeout of the game through two innings.
Despite Isaiah Jackson getting on base for the third straight game, he was caught stealing to end the inning after two Sun Devil strikeouts.
Third Inning
Stanford's resiliency showed once again after tying the game at 3 with a three-run homer toward right field, as the game headed to the bottom of the third.
McLain and Campos were able to obtain singles to attempt to take back the lead, but the Sun Devils were held scoreless as the score remained 3-3.
Fourth Inning
After giving up a lead-off single, a double play by the Sun Devils stunned the momentum of any scoring chances for the Cardinal, but a double after the play kept Stanford threatening, but the game remained tied after Dunn's fifth strikeout of the game.
Being unable to get on base for the first time in the game, ASU went down the order.
Fifth Inning
Stanford was unable to break the tie as Dunn tossed another scoreless frame which included his fifth strikeout.
Following a strikeout, McLain got on base for the third time Sunday, as Luke Hill was able to sneak a single to put runners on first and second, but we were unable to bring in both runners as the game remained 3-3 going into the sixth.
Sixth Inning
The Cardinal was able to break through with a two-run home run to take a 5-3 lead going into the bottom of the sixth.
After two quick outs, Wyatt Crenshaw crept the Sun Devils closer with a solo laser toward right field to go into the seventh down 5-4.
Seventh Inning
Stanford managed to go down the order as the Sun Devils would return to the plate.
Similar to what the Cardinal did, ASU went 1-2-3, unable to produce any action.
Eighth Inning
Despite putting a runner on the basepaths, the Cardinal weren't able to threaten as ASU would have another opportunity to tie the game.
Campos led off the inning with a single into the outfield but was stranded as the deficit remained one heading into the ninth inning.
Ninth Inning
The Cardinal added four runs of insurance, all with two outs, to take a 9-4 lead.
Despite a walk, the Sun Devils were held scoreless to cap off the weekend.
ON DECK: No. 20 Arizona State will embark on its final road trip of the season to face off against USC on May 12-14. The first pitch on Friday is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. MST, and coverage can be seen on USC Live Stream.
ASU (29-18, 14-9, Pac-12) had six players with at least one hit, including three from Ryan Campos. The Sun Devils struck first courtesy of a bases-clearing double from Jacob Tobias in the first inning to give them a 3-0 lead.
Two innings later, the Cardinal struck with a three-run home run to right-center field to tie the game at three.
The Cardinal took a 5-3 lead – its first lead of the game – on a two-run home run in the sixth inning.
Wyatt Crenshaw answered in the bottom half of the inning with a solo shot to cut the Stanford lead in half. However, Stanford closed the game with four runs in the ninth inning, giving them a 9-4 lead to take the final lead of the contest.
TURNING POINT
Stanford was able to show their resilience with a three-run home run that tied that game in the top of the third inning after the Sun Devils got off to a quick start in the opening frame with three runs of their own.
BIG MOMENT
The Cardinal took its first lead of the day with a two-run homer in the top of the sixth inning, making it 5-3.
FINAL STRAW
Stanford was able to add to their one-run lead in the ninth inning with a pair of home runs to take a 9-4 lead late in the contest.
NOTABLES
- Ryan Campos, who leads the Pac-12 with a .404 batting average, has reached base in 33 of his last 34 games. He has reached base in 69-of-77 (89.6%) of games with the Sun Devils overall.
- Nick McLain's first-inning single gives him at least one hit in 14 of his first 15 career games.
- Additionally, it's the 11th consecutive game he's scored at least one run, the longest streak by any Sun Devil this season.
- Jacob Tobias continued his 11-game hitting streak with a first-inning double.
- Additionally, Tobias' first-inning, bases-clearing double improved his bases-loaded batting average to .777 (7-for-9) this season.
- Isaiah Jackson has at least two hits in three of his last four games and is 8-for-22 in his last five. He has improved his batting average this season from .230 to .248 in that span. Particularly impressive as Jackson has played in all but two games this season.
- Campos (89.3%) and Luke Keaschall (86.4%) are the only two Sun Devil hitters to put the ball in play in over 80% of their at-bats this season (min. 100 at bats).
- Ross Dunn's five-inning outing today marked the first time this season he threw at least five innings in consecutive appearances in conference play.
First Inning
After back-to-back walks and giving up a base hit, Ross Dunn was able to escape the early jam with a double play to put the Sun Devils at the plate.
Nick McLain started the offense off with a lead-off single, followed by a single from Ryan Campos and Luke Keaschall drawing a walk to load the bases. Jacob Tobias was able to answer the call with a bases-clearing RBI double to give the Sun Devils a 3-0 lead going into the second inning.
Second Inning
The Cardinal went down the order that featured Dunn striking out two batters, his third strikeout of the game through two innings.
Despite Isaiah Jackson getting on base for the third straight game, he was caught stealing to end the inning after two Sun Devil strikeouts.
Third Inning
Stanford's resiliency showed once again after tying the game at 3 with a three-run homer toward right field, as the game headed to the bottom of the third.
McLain and Campos were able to obtain singles to attempt to take back the lead, but the Sun Devils were held scoreless as the score remained 3-3.
Fourth Inning
After giving up a lead-off single, a double play by the Sun Devils stunned the momentum of any scoring chances for the Cardinal, but a double after the play kept Stanford threatening, but the game remained tied after Dunn's fifth strikeout of the game.
Being unable to get on base for the first time in the game, ASU went down the order.
Fifth Inning
Stanford was unable to break the tie as Dunn tossed another scoreless frame which included his fifth strikeout.
Following a strikeout, McLain got on base for the third time Sunday, as Luke Hill was able to sneak a single to put runners on first and second, but we were unable to bring in both runners as the game remained 3-3 going into the sixth.
Sixth Inning
The Cardinal was able to break through with a two-run home run to take a 5-3 lead going into the bottom of the sixth.
After two quick outs, Wyatt Crenshaw crept the Sun Devils closer with a solo laser toward right field to go into the seventh down 5-4.
Seventh Inning
Stanford managed to go down the order as the Sun Devils would return to the plate.
Similar to what the Cardinal did, ASU went 1-2-3, unable to produce any action.
Eighth Inning
Despite putting a runner on the basepaths, the Cardinal weren't able to threaten as ASU would have another opportunity to tie the game.
Campos led off the inning with a single into the outfield but was stranded as the deficit remained one heading into the ninth inning.
Ninth Inning
The Cardinal added four runs of insurance, all with two outs, to take a 9-4 lead.
Despite a walk, the Sun Devils were held scoreless to cap off the weekend.
ON DECK: No. 20 Arizona State will embark on its final road trip of the season to face off against USC on May 12-14. The first pitch on Friday is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. MST, and coverage can be seen on USC Live Stream.