PULLMAN - A massive six-run fifth-inning and a pair of late defensive miscues proved to be Sun Devil Baseball's undoing in an 8-7 loss to Washington State in Pullman on Friday evening in the series opener.
The Sun Devils erupted for 14 hits in the contest - eight of which for extra bases - and got the tying run to third in the top of the ninth but again struggled to find big hits in big moments, going 5-for-20 with runners in scoring position in the contest and stranding 13 baserunners.
Ten different Sun Devils recorded a hit in the contest, with Brandon Compton pacing the way with three - two of them were doubles. Ryan Campos and Nick McLain also added a pair of knocks, the latter recording a double and a triple and added two walks and a hit-by-pitch with a two RBI day.
ASU recorded seven doubles in the contest after entering the night leading the Pac-12 in the category, in addition to a triple.
The Sun Devil pitchers struck out 12 batters, with Burns leading the way with seven in 4.2 innings.
TURNING POINT
The Sun Devils got out to a 4-0 lead and Thomas Burns cruised through four innings, holding WSU to 0-for-8 hitting with a runner on base in the process. The wheels came off in the bottom of the fifth however, with a leadoff walk and RBI double followed by a sac fly getting the Cougs on the board with two runs. A two-out four pitch walk preceded a two-run homer to tie the game and chase Burns. Another two-out two run shot gave WSU the lead with a six-spot in the frame.
BIG MOMENT
ASU immediately battled back in the sixth to tie the game with a pair of runs to even things at 6-6. After a scoreless seventh, Ryan Shiefer allowed a pair of leadoff runners in the eighth and the bases loaded with one out. Schiefer looked like he might escape unscathed after ASU got a force at home for the second but but a miscommunication on the left side of the infield allowed a run to score and a error at third allowed another to give WSU an 8-6 lead.
FINAL STRAW
The Sun Devils immediately came back with an infield single from Jackson and pinch-hit double from Vu to put the tying run in scoring position with no outs. But, ASU couldn't put the ball into play, with a strikeout before settling for a RBI groundout before a game-ending strikeout left the tying run at third.
NOTABLES
INNING BY INNING
First Inning
After WSU starter Grant Taylor tossed five straight strikes to lead the game, four of them swinging, Brandon Compton legged out a double with a slow rolling ball to the gap in right center. Campos followed with a first-pitch double of his own to immediately get ASU on the board, taking third on an error. Tobias followed with ASU's third-straight knock to make it 2-0. After Tobias was caught stealing, McLain and Mendoza drew two-out walks but a flyout ended the frame. Burns stranded a one-out single with his first strikeout of the game to keep it a 2-0 contest.
Second Inning
After two quick outs, ASU mounted a little two-out rally with back-to-back doubles from Williams and Compton to make it 3-0. Campos drew a walk but a flyout ended the frame. The Cougs got a leadoff single but Burns retired the side with a pair of swinging K's sandwiching a foul out to third to leave the runner at first.
Third Inning
ASU salvaged a run after a leadoff walk and single from McLain and Mendoza were immediately followed by a pair of strikeouts. Ondina lifted a two-out single to left to plate McLain and extend the lead to 4-0. Burns recorded two more strikeouts to reach five in the game after allowing a one-out single.
Fourth Inning
Brandon Compton made it a three-hit day with a leadoff single up the middle, moving to second and then third on a pair of groundouts. A McLain HBP put runners on the corners but another groundout ended the threat. The Cougars nothced another leadoff single but Burns again prevented a runner from getting into scoring position, striking out two and letting Campos do the rest on a strike 'em out, throw 'em out double play to keep the game at 4-0.
Fifth Inning
Ryan notched a one-out double, ASU's fifth of the game but a pair of strikeouts stranded him in scoring position. The Cougs finally broke through, drawing a leadoff walk, and RBI double and sac fly to halve ASU's lead to 4-2. The wheels came off from there as the Cougs notched a pair of two-out, two-run homers to make it a six-spot in the frame and take a 6-4 lead.
Sixth Inning
Compton hit his fourth hard-struck ball of the day, unfortunately directly at the third baseman for the first out before Campos lined a single right back to the pitcher for ASU's 10th hit of the game to chase Taylor from the game. Tobias drew a walk and a wild pitch moved both into scoring position with one out and brought another pitcher into the game. McLain welcomed him to the game with a two-RBI triple to even the game at 6-6, but a strikeout and groundout stranded that go-ahead run at third. Jacobs, on in relief, posted ASU's first 1-2-3 inning of the game and struck out a pair in the process.
Seventh Inning
Ryan drew a leadoff walk but a pop-out on a sac bunt attempt and a fielder's choice. Williams looked to have a two-out steal but what can only be described as an awful called strikeout on a pitchout on the play ended the inning. Jacob issued a one-out walk but a strikeout and foul out to catcher stranded him
Eighth Inning
McLain notched a two-out double - ASU's sixth of the game - but a first pitch popout left him stranded. The Cougs got a pair of leadoff runners on a walk and base hit. A strikeout followed by a walk loaded the bases with one out. ASU got a force out at the plate to get one out away from escaping the frame but a pair of defensive miscues led to two WSU runs and an 8-6 Cougar lead.
Ninth Inning
ASU led off the inning with a infield single from Jackson followed by a double from Vu to put the tying run in scoring position with no outs. A strikeout and a groundout let one run score and moved the tying run to third with two outs. A strikeout would strand the runner there and hand WSU the win.
ON DECK:
ASU will look to even the series tomorrow with first pitch scheduled for 2 p.m. AZT. The game will be available on WSU Live Stream and over the air on KDUS AM 1060.
The Sun Devils erupted for 14 hits in the contest - eight of which for extra bases - and got the tying run to third in the top of the ninth but again struggled to find big hits in big moments, going 5-for-20 with runners in scoring position in the contest and stranding 13 baserunners.
Ten different Sun Devils recorded a hit in the contest, with Brandon Compton pacing the way with three - two of them were doubles. Ryan Campos and Nick McLain also added a pair of knocks, the latter recording a double and a triple and added two walks and a hit-by-pitch with a two RBI day.
ASU recorded seven doubles in the contest after entering the night leading the Pac-12 in the category, in addition to a triple.
The Sun Devil pitchers struck out 12 batters, with Burns leading the way with seven in 4.2 innings.
TURNING POINT
The Sun Devils got out to a 4-0 lead and Thomas Burns cruised through four innings, holding WSU to 0-for-8 hitting with a runner on base in the process. The wheels came off in the bottom of the fifth however, with a leadoff walk and RBI double followed by a sac fly getting the Cougs on the board with two runs. A two-out four pitch walk preceded a two-run homer to tie the game and chase Burns. Another two-out two run shot gave WSU the lead with a six-spot in the frame.
BIG MOMENT
ASU immediately battled back in the sixth to tie the game with a pair of runs to even things at 6-6. After a scoreless seventh, Ryan Shiefer allowed a pair of leadoff runners in the eighth and the bases loaded with one out. Schiefer looked like he might escape unscathed after ASU got a force at home for the second but but a miscommunication on the left side of the infield allowed a run to score and a error at third allowed another to give WSU an 8-6 lead.
FINAL STRAW
The Sun Devils immediately came back with an infield single from Jackson and pinch-hit double from Vu to put the tying run in scoring position with no outs. But, ASU couldn't put the ball into play, with a strikeout before settling for a RBI groundout before a game-ending strikeout left the tying run at third.
NOTABLES
- Ryan Campos' first inning double extended his active reached base streak to 32 games dating back to last season. He has now reached base in 102-of-111 career games (92.0 percent) with the Sun Devils.
- Campos threw out his sixth batter in his last eight games behind the plate with his fourth inning strike 'em out, throw 'em out double play. He had thrown out just two in his first 11 games as a catcher this year.
- ASU entered the game 25th in the country and leading the Pac-12 in doubles (49), and added seven to that total today. The team had four in the first two innings alone. Harris Williams added his team-leading ninth of the season while Brandon Compton had two in the first two innings alone to reach eight on the year while Ryan Campos added his seventh. Nick McLain added his third (in addition to a triple), as did Kien Vu while Jax Ryan added his second of the season and in his last three games.
- WSU starter Grant Taylor had allowed just seven doubles all season in 27.0 innings entering the evening before giving up those five.
- ASU reached 10 hits in a game for the 13th time in 22 games this season.
- ASU pitchers struck out 23 batters, the 15th game with double-digit strikeouts this season in its 22nd game, notable as the Sun Devils didn't reach 15 such games until the 39th game of the season last year.
INNING BY INNING
First Inning
After WSU starter Grant Taylor tossed five straight strikes to lead the game, four of them swinging, Brandon Compton legged out a double with a slow rolling ball to the gap in right center. Campos followed with a first-pitch double of his own to immediately get ASU on the board, taking third on an error. Tobias followed with ASU's third-straight knock to make it 2-0. After Tobias was caught stealing, McLain and Mendoza drew two-out walks but a flyout ended the frame. Burns stranded a one-out single with his first strikeout of the game to keep it a 2-0 contest.
Second Inning
After two quick outs, ASU mounted a little two-out rally with back-to-back doubles from Williams and Compton to make it 3-0. Campos drew a walk but a flyout ended the frame. The Cougs got a leadoff single but Burns retired the side with a pair of swinging K's sandwiching a foul out to third to leave the runner at first.
Third Inning
ASU salvaged a run after a leadoff walk and single from McLain and Mendoza were immediately followed by a pair of strikeouts. Ondina lifted a two-out single to left to plate McLain and extend the lead to 4-0. Burns recorded two more strikeouts to reach five in the game after allowing a one-out single.
Fourth Inning
Brandon Compton made it a three-hit day with a leadoff single up the middle, moving to second and then third on a pair of groundouts. A McLain HBP put runners on the corners but another groundout ended the threat. The Cougars nothced another leadoff single but Burns again prevented a runner from getting into scoring position, striking out two and letting Campos do the rest on a strike 'em out, throw 'em out double play to keep the game at 4-0.
Fifth Inning
Ryan notched a one-out double, ASU's fifth of the game but a pair of strikeouts stranded him in scoring position. The Cougs finally broke through, drawing a leadoff walk, and RBI double and sac fly to halve ASU's lead to 4-2. The wheels came off from there as the Cougs notched a pair of two-out, two-run homers to make it a six-spot in the frame and take a 6-4 lead.
Sixth Inning
Compton hit his fourth hard-struck ball of the day, unfortunately directly at the third baseman for the first out before Campos lined a single right back to the pitcher for ASU's 10th hit of the game to chase Taylor from the game. Tobias drew a walk and a wild pitch moved both into scoring position with one out and brought another pitcher into the game. McLain welcomed him to the game with a two-RBI triple to even the game at 6-6, but a strikeout and groundout stranded that go-ahead run at third. Jacobs, on in relief, posted ASU's first 1-2-3 inning of the game and struck out a pair in the process.
Seventh Inning
Ryan drew a leadoff walk but a pop-out on a sac bunt attempt and a fielder's choice. Williams looked to have a two-out steal but what can only be described as an awful called strikeout on a pitchout on the play ended the inning. Jacob issued a one-out walk but a strikeout and foul out to catcher stranded him
Eighth Inning
McLain notched a two-out double - ASU's sixth of the game - but a first pitch popout left him stranded. The Cougs got a pair of leadoff runners on a walk and base hit. A strikeout followed by a walk loaded the bases with one out. ASU got a force out at the plate to get one out away from escaping the frame but a pair of defensive miscues led to two WSU runs and an 8-6 Cougar lead.
Ninth Inning
ASU led off the inning with a infield single from Jackson followed by a double from Vu to put the tying run in scoring position with no outs. A strikeout and a groundout let one run score and moved the tying run to third with two outs. A strikeout would strand the runner there and hand WSU the win.
ON DECK:
ASU will look to even the series tomorrow with first pitch scheduled for 2 p.m. AZT. The game will be available on WSU Live Stream and over the air on KDUS AM 1060.