PROVO – Sun Devil Baseball scored in six of seven innings but gave up three or more runs in five of six innings as it dropped its opener to BYU, 19-9, in a seven-inning run rule on Thursday afternoon in Provo, Utah.
Arizona State (26-13, 9-7 Big 12) scored nine runs on 13 hits but couldn’t match the crooked numbers being posted by the Cougars (20-16, 9-7 Big 12). ASU scored one runs in each inning from the second through sixth but BYU responded with four, three, five and four runs in the third through sixth innings to continuously expand its lead.
Matt Polk was a bright spot for the Sun Devils, going 4-for-4 with three RBIs and one home run. Austen Roellig added three RBIs on a 2-for-5 day, giving the Sun Devils a chance to avoid the mercy rule with his bases-clearing triple in the seventh inning. Nu’u Contrades and Dean Toigo also added multi-hit games.
The Sun Devils recorded five doubles in the contest, with Landon Hairston adding his 18th for his nation-leading 43rd extra-base hit of the season.
While the offense had a solid day, it also had 20 opportunities with runners in scoring position and managed just four hits on those (.200) while BYU was 9-for-20 (.450) on their opportunities.
ASU will look to even the series and force a rubber match with the second game of the series scheduled for tomorrow at 5 p.m. AZT (6 p.m. local).