Top-of-the-line effort from bottom of the lineup propels No. 25 Baseball to series win over Arizona

Turning point
The Sun Devils had opportunities on Thursday and Friday (like it did in last Sunday’s finale against West Virginia) to put the hammer down in the first innings of games but came away with just one run in each and watched games turn into nailbiters as a result of it. That wasn’t the case on Saturday as the Sun Devils scored and kept scoring, putting up six runs in the first inning to take a commanding lead. The most impressive part of Arizona State batting around in the first inning might have been the fact that arguably the hottest hitter in the nation in Landon Hairston recorded TWO of ASU’s outs in the frame - showing a theme for the game as the Sun Devils finally got productive offense outside its heavy hitters in the contest.

Big moment
As the Wildcats showed the last two nights, no lead was safe in this rivalry series and that was something that the Sun Devils clearly took to heart on Saturday. But every time the Wildcats looked to mount any momentum, it was Dominic Smaldino on that other end that had an answer. After the Sun Devils went down quickly in order in the second and the Wildcats got on the board to make it 6-1 as the early momentum seemed to shift. That was, at least, until Smaldino ripped one to the deepest part of Hi Corbett Field for a two-run blast - ending a 16-game dry spell in the category - to make it 8-1. With just a 10-4 lead through five innings, and looking back at last night’s seven-run seventh for the Wildcats, Smaldino again answered the call with a two-RBI double to make it 12-4. Again the Wildcats stayed right there within range of a big inning despite ASU entering the ninth with a 12-6 lead. No matter as Smaldino put the nail in the coffin with another RBI single for his career-best sixth RBI of the night to put that ‘Cats to sleep.

Final straw
Having used all its heavy horses out of the bullpen over the first two games, the Sun Devils needed someone to step up to help avoid a disaster like the one that occurred in last night’s seventh inning. That answer came in the form of Colin Linder. Linder, who earned his second victory of the week after doing so in relief against SDSU on Monday, spelled starter Kole Klecker in the fifth inning in a 10-4 ballgame. Linder shut down any Wildcat momentum as he retired the first six batters he saw in just 20 pitches. His 9.1 innings scoreless streak came to an end on a two-run Wildcat homer in the seventh but Linder got out of that frame without any further damage and then went on to face the minimum in the eighth to set the Sun Devils up nicely to close things out.

The big number
11 - The Sun Devils have been desperate for another spark in the offense that didn’t end with the last name of Hairston, Toigo or Contrades and that was answered Saturday by the top-of-the-line effort from the bottom of the order. Over ASU’s 11 conference games entering tonight, the six through nine spots in the order had recorded 50 hits (4.5 per game) and 24 RBIs (2.2 per game). On Saturday, the group of Matt Polk, Dominic Smaldino, Coen Niclai and Brody Briggs recorded 11 of ASU’s 18 hits in the contest while driving across eight of the team’s 15 RBIs. 

Inning by inning
First inning
The Sun Devils immediately jumped on the Wildcats and it surprisingly didn’t start with a Hairston leadoff hit. Hairston flew out on the first AB of the game but Moutzouridis drew a walk and scored on Nu’u Contrades’s double. Toigo singled to put runners on the corners and Roelling knocked another double down the opposite right field line to plate both runners. Polk singled to put runners on the corners again with just one out and Smaldino worked an impressive AB, battling from behind in the count to work the hit full before knocking an RBI single. With two outs, Zavorek also worked the other way with a two-RBI single to make it 6-0 as ASU batted around.

Klecker worked around a two-out error for a scoreless frame to keep things at 6-0.

Second inning
The Sun Devils quickly went down in order in the second inning. Arizona got a one-out solo shot to get on the board and had runners on the corners with two outs but Klecker stranded them with a strikeout to keep it a 6-1 game.

Third inning
After a one-out double from Polk, Smaldino went to the deepest part of the expansive ballpark at Hi-Corbett for a two-run shot to make it a 8-1 lead. A single from Niclai would chase Arizona starter Luc Fladda from the game after giving up his career-most ninth hit of the game. After recording two of three outs in the first inning, Hairston more than made up for it with his 18th homer of the season to center field, a two-out, two-RBI shot to make it a 10-1 game. Arizona did manage a two-out solo homer after a lengthy review but Klecker kept it to the match stick and kept an eight-run lead.

Fourth inning
Contrades and Roellig drew walks to put a pair on but a pair of strikeouts would strand them. Arizona kept the pressure on, getting a pair of leadoff singles and a one-out walk to load the bases. The Wildcats managed to get a pair across but Klecker avoided further damage to get out of it with a 10-4 lead.

Fifth inning
A leadoff walk by Niclai and a perfect hit-and-run but Zavorek put runners on the corners with no outs and Hairston coming to the plate, leading to a Wildcat pitching change. Hairston struck out, however, and the Sun Devils failed to execute a squeeze bunt to plate the runner from third and a strikeout ended the threat.Colin Linder entered from the pen and induced three quick pop-outs on just six pitches for a 1-2-3 frame.

Sixth inning
Toigo went to the opposite field gap for a leadoff double before another hit was robbed off of a Roellig line drive by the UA shortstop. Polk notched his third hit of the game to put runners on the corners. Smaldino continued his exceptional game with a two-RBI double to the gap in left center to make it a five-RBI night and make it a 12-4 game. Linder worked another clean 1-2-3 frame.

Seventh inning
The Sun Devils went down in order while Arizona bit back into the ASU lead with a two-out, two-run shot in the bottom of the inning to make it 12-6.

Eighth inning
Contrades led off with a single but a double play quickly put two outs on the board as a strikeout led to only the minimum in the frame. Arizona also led off with a single but a lazy fly ball and a double play of ASU’s own also forced the minimum. 

Ninth inning
Polk led off the ninth with a hustle double - his fourth hit of the night - and extended his career night with an RBI single for his sixth RBI of the night. The Sun Devils would tack on two more later in the frame as an outfielder overran a ball to right from Moutzouridis for a two-RBI triple to make it 15-6. There was drama late with three quick outs in the bottom of the frame to seal the game and the series.