PHOENIX – Luke Keaschall cranked a three-run homer and the pitching staff hurled a season-best 15 strikeouts as Sun Devil Baseball (10-7) picked up a 9-1 victory over Utah Tech (5-13) on Tuesday night at Phoenix Municipal Stadium.
The Sun Devils pitchers allowed just five hits and didn't allow a single walk in the game for a glorious 15:0 strikeout-to-walk ratio. Dixie State's lone run didn't even come by way of a hit as it was an unearned run that happened after a double steal in the third inning.
Ryan Campos notched another multi-hit game with two, Nu'u Contrades launched his second blast in as many games and Jacob Tobias added two huts and two RBIs.
THE TURNING POINT
Dixie State got on the board first with an unearned run on a double steal in third third. Nu'u Contrades immediately tied the game with a solo shot to dead center. A Wyatt Crenshaw walk and stolen base led to the go-ahead RBI on a single from Luke Hill. After a Ryan Campos walk and pitching change, Luke Keaschall welcomed the new blood to the game with a three-run home run to left field to complete the five-run third inning, propelling ASU's offense to a nine run-output.
THE BIG MOMENT
After a leadoff single by Nu'u Contrades that opened the fourth, Luke Hill walked and Ryan Campos drove Contrades home with an RBI double. Tobias proceeded to drive in Hill and Campos on an RBI single that made it 8-1 Sun Devils and put ASU firmly in control.
THE FINAL STRAW
After Timmy Manning entered in the fourth and tossed five strikeouts over two scoreless, four Sun Devil pitchers tossed the final four frames and did not allow a hit, securing the victory.
NOTABLES
First Inning
Owen Stevenson set all three hitters he faced down in order. He got the first batter to flail at an 83-mph slider, followed by a groundout to second and a painted fastball on the outside edge against a right-handed pitcher to retire the side.
Nothing came of a Ryan Campos opposite-field single in the home half of the first.
Second Inning
Stevenson came out firing, rattling off back-to-back strikeouts to open the second. After a grounder hit the second base bag and went for a double, Stevenson recorded a 5-3 putout to end the frame.
Will Rogers reached on a two-out error, but nothing came of it for the Sun Devils.
Third Inning
Utah State got on the board after a two-out error gave them another at-bat, and allowed a run to score on an inning-ending scramble on the base paths.
Nu'u Contrades led off the third with his second homer of the season to dead center field, tying the contest at one. Wyatt Crenshaw walked and stole second, allowing Luke Hill to plate the run on an RBI-single straight up the middle. A walk by Campos forced a pitching change, allowing Luke Keaschall to belt a three run to left field, making it 5-1 Sun Devils.
Fourth Inning
Timmy Manning entered the game in the fourth for Stevenson, striking out the side while working around a two-out single.
Campos collected his second RBI of the night on an one-out RBI double, scoring Contrades. The Sun Devils led 6-1. Jacob Tobias extended the lead to 8-1 with an RBI single through the right side, scoring Campos and Hill.
Fifth Inning
Manning collected two strikeouts and one groundout to escape the frame without a scratch. ASU also went down in order.
Sixth Inning
Josh Hansell entered for Manning and set down Utah Tech in order. The Sun Devils also went 1-2-3 in the home half.
Seventh Inning
Dylan Gardner set Utah Tech down in order in the top of the seventh. After the stretch, ASU plated one more run on a two-out error by the shortstop, leading 9-1 after seven.
Eighth Inning
Matt Tieding twirled a perfect frame, while ASU was set down in order as well.
Ninth Inning
Brock Peery faced the minimum in the ninth with a double play ball and strikeout to end the contest, giving ASU the victory.
The Sun Devils pitchers allowed just five hits and didn't allow a single walk in the game for a glorious 15:0 strikeout-to-walk ratio. Dixie State's lone run didn't even come by way of a hit as it was an unearned run that happened after a double steal in the third inning.
Ryan Campos notched another multi-hit game with two, Nu'u Contrades launched his second blast in as many games and Jacob Tobias added two huts and two RBIs.
THE TURNING POINT
Dixie State got on the board first with an unearned run on a double steal in third third. Nu'u Contrades immediately tied the game with a solo shot to dead center. A Wyatt Crenshaw walk and stolen base led to the go-ahead RBI on a single from Luke Hill. After a Ryan Campos walk and pitching change, Luke Keaschall welcomed the new blood to the game with a three-run home run to left field to complete the five-run third inning, propelling ASU's offense to a nine run-output.
THE BIG MOMENT
After a leadoff single by Nu'u Contrades that opened the fourth, Luke Hill walked and Ryan Campos drove Contrades home with an RBI double. Tobias proceeded to drive in Hill and Campos on an RBI single that made it 8-1 Sun Devils and put ASU firmly in control.
THE FINAL STRAW
After Timmy Manning entered in the fourth and tossed five strikeouts over two scoreless, four Sun Devil pitchers tossed the final four frames and did not allow a hit, securing the victory.
NOTABLES
- With his first inning single through the left side, Ryan Campos increased his hitting streak to a team-high and season-high 10 games.
- Luke Hill is up to a seven-game hitting streak.
- ASU pitchers hurled 15 strikeouts, the fifth time this season with double digit strikeouts. It is tied for the most Sun Devil strikeouts in a nine-inning game since Feb. 18, 2020 when ASU had 18 against Oklahoma State.
- Timmy Manning recorded his first five outs by way of strikeouts in just two innings, including four straight.
- With his first inning single, Jacob Tobias increased his team-high on-base streak to 15 games.
- Tobias has 20 RBI on the season after having 29 all of last season. It was in the top 60 nationally entering the contest.
- In fact, Tobias has seven games of multiple RBI after two against Utah Tech, no one else has more than four.
- Sun Devil Baseball notched its first three-run homer of the season by Keaschall. It was the 22nd Sun Devil blast of the season.
- Owen Stevenson set down five batters via the strikeout. It was his most as a Sun Devil.
- Nu'u Contrades cranked his second home run of the season and second in as many days.
- Josh Hansell (sixth) Gardner (seventh), Tieding (eight), Manning (ninth) all hurled no-hit innings of relief for ASU.
- In fact, combining Manning's two-hit, two inning effort, ASU relievers combined for six innings of three-hit, shutout baseball.
- In ASU's first 13 games, there had only been 14 two-out RBI. In the last four games, there have been.
- Additionally, opponents were allowed 44 (3.4 per game) two-out RBI. In the same last four games, Arizona State has only given up four two-out RBI.
First Inning
Owen Stevenson set all three hitters he faced down in order. He got the first batter to flail at an 83-mph slider, followed by a groundout to second and a painted fastball on the outside edge against a right-handed pitcher to retire the side.
Nothing came of a Ryan Campos opposite-field single in the home half of the first.
Second Inning
Stevenson came out firing, rattling off back-to-back strikeouts to open the second. After a grounder hit the second base bag and went for a double, Stevenson recorded a 5-3 putout to end the frame.
Will Rogers reached on a two-out error, but nothing came of it for the Sun Devils.
Third Inning
Utah State got on the board after a two-out error gave them another at-bat, and allowed a run to score on an inning-ending scramble on the base paths.
Nu'u Contrades led off the third with his second homer of the season to dead center field, tying the contest at one. Wyatt Crenshaw walked and stole second, allowing Luke Hill to plate the run on an RBI-single straight up the middle. A walk by Campos forced a pitching change, allowing Luke Keaschall to belt a three run to left field, making it 5-1 Sun Devils.
Fourth Inning
Timmy Manning entered the game in the fourth for Stevenson, striking out the side while working around a two-out single.
Campos collected his second RBI of the night on an one-out RBI double, scoring Contrades. The Sun Devils led 6-1. Jacob Tobias extended the lead to 8-1 with an RBI single through the right side, scoring Campos and Hill.
Fifth Inning
Manning collected two strikeouts and one groundout to escape the frame without a scratch. ASU also went down in order.
Sixth Inning
Josh Hansell entered for Manning and set down Utah Tech in order. The Sun Devils also went 1-2-3 in the home half.
Seventh Inning
Dylan Gardner set Utah Tech down in order in the top of the seventh. After the stretch, ASU plated one more run on a two-out error by the shortstop, leading 9-1 after seven.
Eighth Inning
Matt Tieding twirled a perfect frame, while ASU was set down in order as well.
Ninth Inning
Brock Peery faced the minimum in the ninth with a double play ball and strikeout to end the contest, giving ASU the victory.