PHOENIX - No. 23 Sun Devil Baseball had a subpar week. They went 3-2 overall on the week, highlighted by tough losses and thrilling wins. Arizona State started the week with a short road trip against Grand Canyon and took home the win. They then hosted their next four games, back-to-back losses against New Mexico State and in their series opener against Utah. They were to bounce back with consecutive wins over the Utes to finish off the week.
Arizona State will look to carry its momentum this week as it will face in-state opponent Arizona for one game before traveling to Provo for a series against BYU.
In their Tuesday matchup with the Lopes, the Sun Devils were down 0-7 through two innings. They stormed back into the game and tied things up in the seventh inning with a grand slam from Coan Niclai. Arizona State then sealed the victory thanks to another home run from Landon Hairston, a go-ahead two-run shot in the same inning, as they defeated the Lopes, 12-8.
Arizona State returned home Wednesday night for a game against New Mexico State. However, they gave up six runs to the Rebels through five innings. The Sun Devils tried to rally back, featuring an RBI double from Hairston and solid pitching from Eli Buxton, who was on the mound for 2.0 innings, striking out five of the six batters he faced. It wasn't enough as they fell to the Rebels, 5-7.
Conference play resumed as ASU hosted Utah for a three-game series. In the first game on Friday, the Sun Devils only recorded four hits throughout the game and fell into another large deficit against the Utes, as they were down 1-7 through five and a half innings. One of the few bright spots in this one was Hairston continuing his breakout season by getting his 20th homer of the season, as well as getting three RBIs as ASU opened its series against the Utes with a 4-10 defeat.
On Saturday, it was quite the scenery at Phoenix Municipal Stadium. Arizona State was down 0-4 heading into the fourth, where ASU's offense began to click. Coen Niclai hit his second grand slam of the week to tie the game, which was then followed by yet another home run from Hairston, a three-run shot to give the Sun Devils a 7-4 lead. As the game entered the eighth inning, the Sun Devils racked up five runs, with Hairston sending a two-run homer as well as a three-run shot from Nu'u Contrades. As it looked like Arizona State was going to win, the Utes stormed back by getting eight runs in the ninth to take a 13-12 lead. With the Sun Devils on the brink of a late-game collapse heading into the bottom of the ninth, they tied things up again with a solo shot from PJ Moutzouridis. As Matt Polk headed to the plate with the bases loaded, he cracked a walk-off RBI-single through the left side of the infield as the Sun Devils won a thriller, 14-13.
In the series finale on Sunday, it was a close one through the first four innings of the game. With things tied up at two apiece, with ASU's first two runs coming from solo homers from Dean Toigo and Contrades, Hairston joined in on the home run fun by recording a two-run shot in the fifth to give the Sun Devils a 4-2 lead. He added some insurance to ASU's lead, driving Moutzouridis home with an RBI-double. Pitcher Kole Klecker had a terrific outing. He pitched for seven innings, which is the longest outing by any Sun Devil starting pitcher so far this season, and also struck out four and allowed only one walk. Jaden Alba was also great, taking over the mound in the eighth inning and silencing Utah's offense, as a 5-2 win helped Arizona State take the series.
Arizona State will look to push forward this momentum, starting with a home matchup with the Arizona Wildcats on Monday night. The Sun Devils will have a few days off before traveling to Provo for a series with the BYU Cougars starting on Thursday.
The Wildcats are coming off their first conference series win of the season, defeating the TCU Horned Frogs, 3-2, this past Saturday. This will be the last regular-season meeting between the two in-state schools on Monday night.
The Cougars are currently on a four-game winning streak that includes a series sweep over Houston this past weekend. BYU will first travel to Beaumont, Texas, for a game against Lamar before coming back home to Provo for its series against Arizona State.
All games this week can be streamed on ESPN+. All games this week can also be heard on KDUS AM 1060.
No. 23 ASU (23-9, 7-5 Big 12) | Arizona (13-22, 5-10 Big 12) | BYU (18-16, 8-7 Big 12)
This week
Monday, April 13, 6:35 p.m. | No. 23 Arizona State vs. Arizona (Phoenix) | Watch live: ESPN+ | Listen on KDUS AM 1060
Thursday, April 16, 5:00 p.m. | No. 23 Arizona State at. BYU (Phoenix) | Watch live: ESPN+ | Listen on KDUS AM 1060
Friday, April 17, 5:00 p.m. | No. 23 Arizona State at. BYU (Provo) | Watch live: ESPN+ | Listen on KDUS AM 1060
Saturday, April 18, 12:00 p.m. | No. 23 Arizona State at. BYU (Provo) | Watch live: ESPN+ | Listen on KDUS AM 1060
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Next week
Wednesday, April 22, 6:35 p.m. | No. 23 Arizona State vs. New Mexico State (Phoenix)
Friday, April 24, 6:35 p.m. | No. 23 Arizona State vs. Baylor (Phoenix)
Saturday, April 25, 6:35 p.m. | No. 23 Arizona State vs. Baylor (Phoenix)
Sunday, April 26, 1:05 p.m. | No. 23 Arizona State vs. Baylor (Phoenix)
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Last week
Tuesday, April 7, 6:05 p.m. | No. 20 Arizona State at. Grand Canyon (Phoenix) | W, 12-8
Wednesday, April 8, 6:35 p.m. | No. 20 Arizona State vs. UNLV (Phoenix) | L, 5-7 Friday, April 10, 6:35 p.m. | No. 20 Arizona State vs. Utah (Phoenix) | L, 4-10
Saturday, April 11, 6:35 p.m. | No. 20 Arizona State vs. Utah (Phoenix) | W, 14-13
Sunday, April 12, 1:05 p.m. | No. 20 Arizona State vs. Utah (Phoenix) | W, 5-2
All times MST
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