LAS VEGAS – A disastrous eighth inning led to a midweek loss for Sun Devil Baseball against the UNLV Rebels, 11-6, on Tuesday evening at Las Vegas Ballpark.
Arizona State gave up seven runs in the bottom of the eighth in a frame that featured three HBPs, two errors and a wild pitch after entering the frame with a 6-4 lead.
Cole Carlon tossed 2.0 scoreless innings of relief and was in line for the win prior to the eighth.
Kyle Walker extended his hitting streak to 13 games on an otherwise forgettable night for the offense, which managed just four hits.
TURNING POINT
The Sun Devils had an opportunity to truly blow the game open in the seventh with gifts from the Rebels with a HBP, walk and error leading to a run and putting runners on the corners with no outs in a 4-4 game. ASU managed to score just one run on a sac fly after that, making it 5-4 despite the golden chance to twist the knife.
BIG MOMENT
After ASU added another run in the eighth to make it 6-4, the wheels came off in the bottom of the frame. UNLV led off the inning with four-straight hard-struck balls - the last of which was a base-clearing double to give UNLV a 7-6 lead.
FINAL STRAW
UNLV wouldn't need more than that, but the wheels totally came off for ASU after that. Three HBPs, two errors and a walk led to four more runs to put the game well out of reach with a seven-run inning to make it 11-6.
PLAYER OF THE GAME
Cole Carlon was ASU's most effective pitcher on the mound, tossing 2.0 scoreless innings with two strikeouts and no hits. He was in line for the victory prior to the eighth inning implosion.
NOTABLES
- Nu'u Contrades has reached base safely in all 25 games this season and has reached in 33 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
- Kyle Walker extended his team-leading hitting streak to 13 games, which marks the longest for a Sun Devil this season.
- Big innings have been the theme of ASU's season as the team has now scored in 85 halves of an inning on the year and have plated two or more runs in 53 of those.
- The game today was the seventh time this season the team struck out five or fewer.
INNING BY INNING
First Inning
Kyle Walker extended his hitting streak to 13 games with an infield single. A fielder's choice and flyout followed before Tobias reached on a two-out error. Compton made the Rebels pay, lacing a ball 111 miles an hour past the second baseman for ASU's first run of the game. Tobias would score on a double steal to close out the top of the frame to make it 2-0. UNLV got a pair of hits in the bottom half of the frame to put two on with one out. ASU attempted to turn a double play to end the frame but Walker's through hit the runner coming into the second from first, bouncing errantly and allowing an unearned run to score to make it 2-1. UNLV would load the bases but Barrett escaped the frame without any runs scoring.
Second Inning
ASU wasted no time getting the run right back with King reaching on a leadoff HBP and stealing second. Briggs would bring him home with a one-out RBI double off the wall in right center to make it 3-1. ASU would load the bases in the frame but couldn't get a big knock to extend the lead.
Third Inning
ASU was unable to continue the scoring streak into the third inning, stranding a runner. UNLV led off the bottom half of the frame with a walk and back-to-back doubles to plate two runs and tie the game at 3-3 with no outs. Barrett was able to induce three straight groundouts to strand the tying run in scoring position and keep things even.
Fourth Inning
The Sun Devils went down in order in the fourth.Jonah Giblin entered and worked a scoreless frame that was highlighted by an exceptional diving play from King at short and a stretch and pick by Tobias at first for the second out. Giblin worked around a two-out double to keep the score at 3-3.
Fifth Inning
Tobias earned a two-out HBP but that was the extent of the offensive action in the frame. UNLV posted back-to-back leadoff single to put runners on the corners. UNLV would take its first lead of the game on 643 groundout as ASU tried to turn a double play but Giblin was able to strand the second runner at second to keep the Devils within a run at 4-3.
Sixth Inning
The Sun Devils recorded three squarely hit balls, all for outs - including two lineouts to shortstop, the latter of which stranded Josiah Cromwick at third base after he drew a two-out walk and two-base error to advance on a failed pickoff. Carlon entered in relief and worked a 1-2-3 frame.
Seventh Inning
Walker and Hairston drew a leadoff HBP and a walk to get ASU in business in the seventh. A UNLV error would allow Walker to score from second and move Hairston to third as Contrades reached with no outs, tying the game at 4-4. Tobias plated Hairston on a sac fly from Tobias despite a nice diving catch from the Rebel left fielder to make it 5-4. ASU was unable to bring anymore across, however. Carlon issued a leadoff walk but faced the minimum behind back-to-back punchouts. After Briggs errantly tossed the ball back to the mound thinking the second was strike three, the freshman made up for the gaffe by throwing the runner out attempting to steal second two pitches later to keep ASU on top.
Eighth Inning
King led off the right with a triple and scored on a wild pitch to make it 6-4. The rest of the Sun Devil side would go down in order. UNLV had four hard-struck balls to leadoff the bottom of the frame, the second of which a base-clearing double to make it 7-6. The implosion continued with three HBPs, a wild pitch and two errors, leading to an 11-6 UNLV lead.
Ninth Inning
ASU's only offense came on a two-out HBP in the top of the ninth.