CORVALLIS - A weird and wacky series opener for Sun Devil Baseball went in favor of No. 5 Oregon State, 13-8, on Friday evening in Corvallis.
After falling into a 5-0 hole early, ASU (15-15, 6-7 Pac-12) rallied to bring the tying or go-ahead run to the plate in five straight innings but couldn't find a stop on the defensive end or the big hit on the offensive end to complete the comeback.
Brandon Compton was 2-for-4 with three RBIs and a homer and Ryan Campos, Ethan Mendoza and Kien Vu also added two-hit games. ASU had 11 hits in the contest but also stranded 11 .
Sun Devil pitchers stranded 12 Beaver batters, none more impressive than Sean Fitzpatrick inherited a no-out, bases loaded jam and getting out of it in the fifth - ironically the only zero ASU was able to put on the board in the contest.
TURNING POINT
The Sun Devils fell into a 5-0 hole after three innings and simply couldn't close the gap closer than a run despite rallying the tying or go-ahead runs to the plate or on the base path in five-straight innings. ASU stranded 11 baserunners and was just 6-for-16 with runners in scoring position. The Sun Devils also simply couldn't get a stop after they cut into the Oregon State lead, as ASU scored each inning from the fourth through the eighth, but allowed Oregon State to score at least a run in the bottom half of four of those.
BIG MOMENT
ASU looked like it might have gotten the gift it needed in the top of the seventh, trailing 10-6 but loading the bases with one out before hitting into an infield fly. Eamonn Lance faced the Oregon State closer who had just entered the game and drew an RBI walk to get within three runs. A ground ball up the middle looked like it would have been a routine inning-ending play but the ball bounced off the heel of the shortstop and looked like it would be a run-scoring error that turned the lineup around to the top of the order. However, the ball bounced directly to the second baseman covering the bag, who got the tag down on the plate for the inning-ending force and keeping ASU in a 10-7 hole.
FINAL STRAW
ASU again had a chance in the eighth, down 11-7, loading the bases with no outs. After a strikeout, Mendoza got an infield single to bring ASU back within three again with the bases loaded and only one out and Brandon Compton - who had three RBIs on the day - to the plate. Compton ended up grounding into a double play in a bang-bang play at first that left ASU down 11-8 and was the last gasp of the Devils as a two-out, two-strike, two-RBI bloop double from Oregon State in the bottom half of the frame was the final nail in the coffin in the 13-8 final.
NOTABLES
INNING BY INNING
First Inning
Campos and McLain drew back-to-back one-out walks, but a strike 'em out, throw 'em out ended the threat with no damage done. Barnes, making his first career start, battled in 10 pitches against Bazzana before the All-American tagged him for a leadoff homer and an early 1-0 lead. After two walks and a 2-0 count, Tieding came in mid-AB and got a first pitch infield fly for the second out. After a infield single, Tieding stranded the bases loaded with another popout to first to keep the damage to one run.
Second Inning
The Sun Devils went down in order in the second. For the second straight inning, the Beavers notched a leadoff homer. Tieding settled in to strand a runner at second and limit the damage to the one run.
Third Inning
ASU went down in order for the second-straight frame. Three-straight singles to leadoff the inning and a sac fly tacked two more on for the Beavers with a single making it a three-run frame before Tieding was able to get Bazzana to ground into a double play, leaving it a 5-0 game.
Fourth Inning
Campos got a leadoff single up the middle for ASU's first hit of the game and moved to second on a groundout. Vu's one-out walk and a wild pitch put two runners in scoring position but a strikeout put ASU in danger of squandering it. However, Compton kick-started the two-out rally with a bloop single to center to bring both runs home. After he took second on a wild pitch, Jackson brought him home with an RBI single to bring ASU back within 5-3. ASU couldn't get a stop after a score though with a one-out single and double leading to two runs after the relay throw to home sailed into the visiting dugout to make it 7-3
Fifth Inning
A one-out single and stolen base from Williams put a runner in scoring position and Campos rewarded him with a bloop double down the left field line to bring ASU back within three and force an OSU pitching change. A two-out tweener to right from Vu ended up dropping between a miscommunicating second baseman and right fielder for another RBI double and bringing ASU within two again. ASU looked to be in trouble as Omlid walked the bottom of the order to load the bases with no outs and the potent top of the OSU order due up. ASU turned to Fitzpatrick, who got Bazzana into an infield fly before striking out Turley. Guerra laced one to left field, a diving liner that was snagged by a laid out Williams to strand the bases loaded and get ASU out of the frame unscathed.
Sixth Inning
ASU wasted no time carrying that momentum over with Compton launching the first pitch he saw over the bleachers in right field for his seventh homer of the year and making it a one-run game. Jackson walked took second on a sac bunt from Demera. Ondina worked a Herculean 14-pitch AB, capped by a single through the left side to put runners on the corners with one out. He would steal second on a strikeout but ASU stranded two in scoring position on a groundout to keep the score at 7-6. OSU made ASU pay with its third leadoff homer of the game. A dropped fly ball in center would lead to two unearned runs for the Beavers and a 10-6 lead.
Seventh Inning
One-out singles from Vu and Mendoza and a walk from Compton loaded the bases with one out. An infield fly led to a pinch hitter for ASU in Lance and a pitching change from OSU, who went to their closerASU rallied again, loading the bases with one out to bring the tying run to the plate. An infield fly provided the second out before a pinch hit RBI walk from Lance tacked one run on. ASU almost benefited from a Beaver error but a fortuitous bounce led to the force at second. Again, ASU couldn't get a stop in the bottom half of the frame as Oregon State poked another across to extend the lead back to 11-7.
Eighth Inning
The ASU offense continued to do its part, loading the bases with no outs on an error, walk and HBP. Mendoza's infield single plated one with one out to get back within three but a double play ended the threat. Again, ASU couldn't get a stop, with two bloop doubles in the innings - the second with two outs that fell in between four ASU defenders that scored two and proved to be the final nail as OSU took a 13-8 advantage.
Ninth Inning
Jackson was hit by a pitch to lead off the frame but the next three batters went down in order to end any chance of a late rally.
ON DECK:
ASU will look to even the series against the league-favorite and fifth-ranked Oregon State Beavers tomorrow at 1:30 p.m.. AZT. The game will be available via the Pac-12 Insider and Oregon State Live Stream It will also be available over the local airwaves on KDUS 1060 AM. There is expected inclement weather in the Corvallis scheduled all day fans are encouraged to follow @ASU_Baseball on X/Twitter for any schedule updates.
After falling into a 5-0 hole early, ASU (15-15, 6-7 Pac-12) rallied to bring the tying or go-ahead run to the plate in five straight innings but couldn't find a stop on the defensive end or the big hit on the offensive end to complete the comeback.
Brandon Compton was 2-for-4 with three RBIs and a homer and Ryan Campos, Ethan Mendoza and Kien Vu also added two-hit games. ASU had 11 hits in the contest but also stranded 11 .
Sun Devil pitchers stranded 12 Beaver batters, none more impressive than Sean Fitzpatrick inherited a no-out, bases loaded jam and getting out of it in the fifth - ironically the only zero ASU was able to put on the board in the contest.
TURNING POINT
The Sun Devils fell into a 5-0 hole after three innings and simply couldn't close the gap closer than a run despite rallying the tying or go-ahead runs to the plate or on the base path in five-straight innings. ASU stranded 11 baserunners and was just 6-for-16 with runners in scoring position. The Sun Devils also simply couldn't get a stop after they cut into the Oregon State lead, as ASU scored each inning from the fourth through the eighth, but allowed Oregon State to score at least a run in the bottom half of four of those.
BIG MOMENT
ASU looked like it might have gotten the gift it needed in the top of the seventh, trailing 10-6 but loading the bases with one out before hitting into an infield fly. Eamonn Lance faced the Oregon State closer who had just entered the game and drew an RBI walk to get within three runs. A ground ball up the middle looked like it would have been a routine inning-ending play but the ball bounced off the heel of the shortstop and looked like it would be a run-scoring error that turned the lineup around to the top of the order. However, the ball bounced directly to the second baseman covering the bag, who got the tag down on the plate for the inning-ending force and keeping ASU in a 10-7 hole.
FINAL STRAW
ASU again had a chance in the eighth, down 11-7, loading the bases with no outs. After a strikeout, Mendoza got an infield single to bring ASU back within three again with the bases loaded and only one out and Brandon Compton - who had three RBIs on the day - to the plate. Compton ended up grounding into a double play in a bang-bang play at first that left ASU down 11-8 and was the last gasp of the Devils as a two-out, two-strike, two-RBI bloop double from Oregon State in the bottom half of the frame was the final nail in the coffin in the 13-8 final.
NOTABLES
- Ryan Campos' first-inning walk extended his active reached base streak to 40 games dating back to last season. He has now reached base safely in 110-of-119 career games (92.5 percent) with the Sun Devils.
- Campos extended his hit streak to nine straight games with his fourth-inning single, the longest by a Sun Devil this season.
- Campos's fifth-inning double was his Pac-12-leading 13th of the season.
- This season, ASU has posted 25 3+ run innings and 16 4+ run innings after the team's three-run fourth today.
- ASU has recorded 10+ hits in 18 of the 30 games it has played this season after recording 11 today.
- Brandon Compton's three-RBI effort gave him 29 for the season, second on the team behind Campos' 33.
INNING BY INNING
First Inning
Campos and McLain drew back-to-back one-out walks, but a strike 'em out, throw 'em out ended the threat with no damage done. Barnes, making his first career start, battled in 10 pitches against Bazzana before the All-American tagged him for a leadoff homer and an early 1-0 lead. After two walks and a 2-0 count, Tieding came in mid-AB and got a first pitch infield fly for the second out. After a infield single, Tieding stranded the bases loaded with another popout to first to keep the damage to one run.
Second Inning
The Sun Devils went down in order in the second. For the second straight inning, the Beavers notched a leadoff homer. Tieding settled in to strand a runner at second and limit the damage to the one run.
Third Inning
ASU went down in order for the second-straight frame. Three-straight singles to leadoff the inning and a sac fly tacked two more on for the Beavers with a single making it a three-run frame before Tieding was able to get Bazzana to ground into a double play, leaving it a 5-0 game.
Fourth Inning
Campos got a leadoff single up the middle for ASU's first hit of the game and moved to second on a groundout. Vu's one-out walk and a wild pitch put two runners in scoring position but a strikeout put ASU in danger of squandering it. However, Compton kick-started the two-out rally with a bloop single to center to bring both runs home. After he took second on a wild pitch, Jackson brought him home with an RBI single to bring ASU back within 5-3. ASU couldn't get a stop after a score though with a one-out single and double leading to two runs after the relay throw to home sailed into the visiting dugout to make it 7-3
Fifth Inning
A one-out single and stolen base from Williams put a runner in scoring position and Campos rewarded him with a bloop double down the left field line to bring ASU back within three and force an OSU pitching change. A two-out tweener to right from Vu ended up dropping between a miscommunicating second baseman and right fielder for another RBI double and bringing ASU within two again. ASU looked to be in trouble as Omlid walked the bottom of the order to load the bases with no outs and the potent top of the OSU order due up. ASU turned to Fitzpatrick, who got Bazzana into an infield fly before striking out Turley. Guerra laced one to left field, a diving liner that was snagged by a laid out Williams to strand the bases loaded and get ASU out of the frame unscathed.
Sixth Inning
ASU wasted no time carrying that momentum over with Compton launching the first pitch he saw over the bleachers in right field for his seventh homer of the year and making it a one-run game. Jackson walked took second on a sac bunt from Demera. Ondina worked a Herculean 14-pitch AB, capped by a single through the left side to put runners on the corners with one out. He would steal second on a strikeout but ASU stranded two in scoring position on a groundout to keep the score at 7-6. OSU made ASU pay with its third leadoff homer of the game. A dropped fly ball in center would lead to two unearned runs for the Beavers and a 10-6 lead.
Seventh Inning
One-out singles from Vu and Mendoza and a walk from Compton loaded the bases with one out. An infield fly led to a pinch hitter for ASU in Lance and a pitching change from OSU, who went to their closerASU rallied again, loading the bases with one out to bring the tying run to the plate. An infield fly provided the second out before a pinch hit RBI walk from Lance tacked one run on. ASU almost benefited from a Beaver error but a fortuitous bounce led to the force at second. Again, ASU couldn't get a stop in the bottom half of the frame as Oregon State poked another across to extend the lead back to 11-7.
Eighth Inning
The ASU offense continued to do its part, loading the bases with no outs on an error, walk and HBP. Mendoza's infield single plated one with one out to get back within three but a double play ended the threat. Again, ASU couldn't get a stop, with two bloop doubles in the innings - the second with two outs that fell in between four ASU defenders that scored two and proved to be the final nail as OSU took a 13-8 advantage.
Ninth Inning
Jackson was hit by a pitch to lead off the frame but the next three batters went down in order to end any chance of a late rally.
ON DECK:
ASU will look to even the series against the league-favorite and fifth-ranked Oregon State Beavers tomorrow at 1:30 p.m.. AZT. The game will be available via the Pac-12 Insider and Oregon State Live Stream It will also be available over the local airwaves on KDUS 1060 AM. There is expected inclement weather in the Corvallis scheduled all day fans are encouraged to follow @ASU_Baseball on X/Twitter for any schedule updates.