FORT WORTH – Sun Devil Baseball was unable to find the big hit with runners in scoring position, dropping a 3-2 pitcher's duel in the team's Big 12 Conference opener at TCU in Fort Worth on Friday night.
Ben Jacobs had another impressive outing on the bump, allowing just three runs over 5.2 innings, striking out five and scattering seven hits while keeping ASU within striking distance the whole game.
Josh Butler and Sean Fitzpatrick tossed 2.1 scoreless innings of relief behind him to keep it a one-run game down the stretch. The trio stranded nine TCU batters and held the Frogs to 1-for-6 hitting with runners in scoring position.
The Sun Devil offense managed just six hits - two of which coming from Nu'u Contrades - and went 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position.
ASU will look to even the series tomorrow afternoon with first pitch scheduled for Noon AZT (2 p.m. local).
TURNING POINT
On a blustery evening in Fort Worth with a wind advisory in effect, the biggest hit of the game came in the second inning when TCU's Noah Franco pulled one down the left field line that got got in the windstream blowing out that direction and just barely cleared the fence inside the foul pole for a two-run shot on one swing in a game where only five runs were scored.
BIG MOMENT
Trailing 3-2 in the sixth, the Sun Devils got a pair of leadoff singles from Nu'u Contrades and Brandon Compton to chase TCU starter Tommy LaPour from the game. With a tailor made opportunity to at least even the game, the next three Sun Devils went down in order after being able to solve reliever Braeden Sloan's changeup, stranding the two runners in one of ASU's last opportunities to even the game.
FINAL STRAW
The changeup from Sloan would end up crippling the Sun Devil bats, which didn't pick up a hit against the reliever in the final 4.0 innings. ASU got a leadoff base runner after a hit-by-pitch in the eighth, but a strikeout, pop-up and caught stealing squandered ASU's last viable threat.
PLAYER OF THE GAME
Ben Jacobs again did his part to give the Sun Devils a chance, tossing 5.2 innings of three-run ball with two of those runs coming on a wind-aided wall scraper in the second. Jacobs struck out five and scattered seven hits in the contest but kept the Sun Devils well within range to tie or take the lead in the contest.
NOTABLES
- At 4.33, the Sun Devils have their lowest team ERA 18 games into a season since they had a 3.09 ERA in the 2021 campaign.
- The team's 12 runs allowed over the last six games is the lowest in a six--game stretch since 2021 where the team allowed just 10 total runs from March 5-March 14.
- Nu'u Contrades has reached base safely in all 18 games this season and has reached in 26 consecutive games dating back to his freshman season after reaching in all five games in his injury shortened sophomore campaign and the last three of 2023.
- The Sun Devils posted their 13th game this season without an error and have quietly put up a .989 fielding percentage on the year - after entering the weekend fourth in the country in the category. ASU ranked outside the Top-100 in each of the last three seasons in the category.
- ASU has seven straight games without an error - the first time accomplishing the feat since a nine-game stretch to conclude the 2015 season.
- Big innings have been the theme of ASU's season as the team has now scored in 58 halves of an inning on the year and have plated two or more runs in 36 of those.
- Opponents are batting just .215 against ASU with runners in scoring position this year and TCU was just 1-for-6 tonight.
- The Sun Devils dropped their second consecutive one-run game. ASU's six losses this season have come by a combined 10 runs with four of those coming in one-run losses.
First Inning
Nu'u Contrades got a piece of one off the top of the wall in left center off the gloves of a converging left and center fielder. Contrades got the wave at third to try and stretch it into an inside the park homer but the throw to home was on time and ASU was only able to send the minimum to the plate in the frame. Jacobs worked an efficient 1-2-3 frame with three harmless fly balls.
Second Inning
Cromwick reached on a one-out error and took second on a wild pitch but was thrown out at third on a nice play from the TCU pitcher on a comebacker who made the throw from his knees for the lead out in another scoreless from for ASU. A leadoff jam shot double was followed by a two-run homer into the wind-stream down the left field line to make it 2-0. TCU looked like it might go back-to-back on a hard struck ball to left center but Brandon Compton had other ideas with an exceptional leaping snag at the wall to rob the homer. Jacobs was able to get out of the frame with a pair of strikeouts to keep it a two-run game.
Third Inning
The bottom of the Sun Devil order of King and Walker led off the frame with back-to-back singles and loaded the bases with on out on a Contrades walk. Compton scored King on a fielder's choice to first and Walker scored on failed pickoff on Contrades at second that sailed to the outfield to bring the game even at 2-2. Jacobs issued a leadoff infield single but escaped the frame unscathed after inducing his first double play of the season.
Fourth Inning
Cronwick singled through the left side but TCU turned a double play of its own to limit the damage. A pair of leadoff singles put runners on the corners for TCU and the Frogs retook the lead on a fielder's choice to second. Jacobs picked off the runner at second and worked out of the inning without any further damage done to keep the score at 3-2..
Fifth Inning
Walker drew a one-out walk but was thrown out stealing second and a ground out led to another zero on the board for ASU. Jacobs worked around a two-out double and walk to keep the Sun Devils within a run.
Sixth Inning
Contrades and Compton led the sixth off with a leadoff singles but three straight outs would strand the duo after TCU went to its bullpen. Jacobs worked through two batters in the sixth but a four-pitch walk would mark the end of his night and bring Josh Butler into the game. Butler gave up a ride to the warning track but Jackson was there for the out to finalize Jacobs' stat line.
Seventh Inning
TCU reliever Braeden Sloan easily set the Sun Devils down in order, the first true 1-2-3 inning of the day for the Sun Devil offense. Josh Butler issued a four pitch walk before picking up a pair of outs - one of which coming on a huge diving catch from Jackson in the outfield. A soft infield single put two on with two outs but Butler got out it with a fielder's choice.
Eighth Inning
Kien Vu was hit by a pitch to lead off the frame and lifted for Ky McGary to pinch run, but a strikeout, popout and caught stealing again led to just the minimum being faced in the frame. Fitzpatrick entered in relief, working around a pair of one-out singles to strand a pair in scoring position after a strikeout and flyout.
Ninth Inning
The Sun Devils went down in order in the final frame.