ARLINGTON - Sun Devil Baseball showed some gumption down the stretch, but couldn't overcome an inauspicious start en route to a 10-5 loss to #7 Texas A&M on Sunday in the finale of the Kubota Baseball Series at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas.
Were the game split into a doubleheader, the Sun Devils (5-6) could have come away with a split but unfortunately a 10-0 hole through three innings - seven of those runs having reached base via walk - would prove to be ASU's undoing despite outhitting and outpitching the Aggies in the second half of the game.
Five Sun Devil pitchers combined to shut out the potent A&M (11-0) offense over the final 6.1 innings while the Sun Devils outscored the Aggies 5-0 in that stretch. But the damage was done early as ASU walked seven batters in the first 2.2 innings of the game - all of which would end up scoring.
Cole Carlon was a bright spot for the Sun Devils, coming in and tossing 2.1 scoreless innings of relief to staunch the A&M offensive attack in the middle innings. Braydyn Barnes, Hunter Omlid, Sean Fitzpatrick and Wyatt Halvorson closed out the second-half shutout.
ASU outhit the Aggies, 10-8, in the contest. Steven Ondiana led the way with a 3-for-4 outing with two doubles and two runs scored. Ethan Mendoza added his second multi-hit game of the weekend in his return to his hometown DFW area. Ryan Campos added his fourth double of the year and an RBI while scoring two runs.
TURNING POINT
After getting two quick outs to lead the game off, Meyer lost a 10-pitch battle to A&M's three-hole hitter, which spiraled into two more walks to load the bases. A base-clearing cue shot double off the third base bag was the only hit of the frame but it was a costly one, dropping ASU to a 3-0 hole.
BIG MOMENT
Meyer again loaded the bases on three walks and it again would bite the Sun Devils as Texas A&M launched a grand slam down the left field line to make it 7-0 and put ASU's backs against the wall.
FINAL STRAW
Despite outplaying Texas A&M in all facets over the final six innings, the initial deficit was too much to overcome. The dagger seemed to come as ASU had runners on the corners with one out in the fifth. ASU was successful on a double steal attempt that plated a run and moved another into scoring position in what would have been a 10-3 game and momentum moving in the potent ASU offense's favor, but a batter's interference was ruled and an inning-ending double play was called. The unfortunate part was it was a near mirror image of a what looked to be batter's interference on A&M earlier in the game that was not called.
NOTABLES
Sun Devil Baseball will remain in the DFW area and play a midweek tilt against UT Arlington on Tuesday, March. 5. First pitch is scheduled for 12 p.m. AZT (1 p.m. Texas time) and will be available via the UTA live stream. ASU will then return home to kick off Pac-12 play with three games against Oregon beginning on Friday evening.
Were the game split into a doubleheader, the Sun Devils (5-6) could have come away with a split but unfortunately a 10-0 hole through three innings - seven of those runs having reached base via walk - would prove to be ASU's undoing despite outhitting and outpitching the Aggies in the second half of the game.
Five Sun Devil pitchers combined to shut out the potent A&M (11-0) offense over the final 6.1 innings while the Sun Devils outscored the Aggies 5-0 in that stretch. But the damage was done early as ASU walked seven batters in the first 2.2 innings of the game - all of which would end up scoring.
Cole Carlon was a bright spot for the Sun Devils, coming in and tossing 2.1 scoreless innings of relief to staunch the A&M offensive attack in the middle innings. Braydyn Barnes, Hunter Omlid, Sean Fitzpatrick and Wyatt Halvorson closed out the second-half shutout.
ASU outhit the Aggies, 10-8, in the contest. Steven Ondiana led the way with a 3-for-4 outing with two doubles and two runs scored. Ethan Mendoza added his second multi-hit game of the weekend in his return to his hometown DFW area. Ryan Campos added his fourth double of the year and an RBI while scoring two runs.
TURNING POINT
After getting two quick outs to lead the game off, Meyer lost a 10-pitch battle to A&M's three-hole hitter, which spiraled into two more walks to load the bases. A base-clearing cue shot double off the third base bag was the only hit of the frame but it was a costly one, dropping ASU to a 3-0 hole.
BIG MOMENT
Meyer again loaded the bases on three walks and it again would bite the Sun Devils as Texas A&M launched a grand slam down the left field line to make it 7-0 and put ASU's backs against the wall.
FINAL STRAW
Despite outplaying Texas A&M in all facets over the final six innings, the initial deficit was too much to overcome. The dagger seemed to come as ASU had runners on the corners with one out in the fifth. ASU was successful on a double steal attempt that plated a run and moved another into scoring position in what would have been a 10-3 game and momentum moving in the potent ASU offense's favor, but a batter's interference was ruled and an inning-ending double play was called. The unfortunate part was it was a near mirror image of a what looked to be batter's interference on A&M earlier in the game that was not called.
NOTABLES
- Ryan Campos reached on an RBI double in the third, extending his active reached base streak to 21 games dating back to last season. He has now reached base in 91-of-100 career games (91.0 percent)
- Campos, despite batting an uncharacteristic .256 on the year, is now tied for the team lead with 16 RBIs.
- Campos' RBI marked the first time A&M starter Justin Lamkin had allowed a run this season.
- The Sun Devils posted five earned runs against the Aggies - the most allowed by A&M this season after they had entered the game with the No. 1 team ERA in the country at 0.95.
- The team's double-digit hits marked the ninth time in 11 games the team has reached double digits.
- The 11 strikeouts from the pitchers marked the eighth time in 11 games that ASU had struck out double digit batters - but the team's 10 walks nearly canceled them out.
- ASU gave up 12 total hits in two games against a Texas A&M team that entered the weekend averaging over 12 hits a game.
- A&M scored in just five of 17 innings against ASU (29.4 percent). It had scored in 40 of 68 innings in its nine out games this season (58.8 percent). The Aggies did not post a single run beyond the third inning in either game against the Sun Devils, going scoreless in 11 frames.
Sun Devil Baseball will remain in the DFW area and play a midweek tilt against UT Arlington on Tuesday, March. 5. First pitch is scheduled for 12 p.m. AZT (1 p.m. Texas time) and will be available via the UTA live stream. ASU will then return home to kick off Pac-12 play with three games against Oregon beginning on Friday evening.