Inning by inning
First inning
Hairston led off the game with his 20th double of the season, becoming just the second player in ASU history to record 20 doubles and 20 homers. He would come across on a two-out Smaldino. Guy worked a smooth 1-2-3 inning with a pair of flyouts and a foul out to first.
Second inning
Roellig reached on a leadoff infield single but was out on a fielder’s choice to Myers. Myers went first to third on a Briggs single, but the Cougars turned a nice double play to get out of the jam. UH recorded a one-out seeing eye single, but Guy’s first strikeout was followed by Briggs throwing out Xavier Perez, who was 14-of-16 on stolen base attempts this season, for the final out to keep it a 1-0 lead.
Third inning
Hairston singled for his second hit of the game and went first to third on a Contrades single. Hairston scored on a Toigo sac fly that came on a home-run robbery to give ASU a 2-0 lead, but ASU could do no more damage than that. Guy worked around a leadoff single with three quick outs to keep Houston off the board.
Fourth inning
The Sun Devils went down in order. Guy worked around a two-out double with a pop-out to second to keep it a 2-0 game.
Fifth inning
ASU recorded a pair of towering fly balls, but in the end, the team went down in order. Guy issued a one-out walk, but Houston gifted Briggs with his second runner thrown out in the game. The Cougs still managed a two-out rally with a double ripped down the line and a wall-scraping homer to left to tie the game at 2-2.
Sixth inning
The Sun Devils made it nine consecutive outs after their two leadoff hits in the third, going down in order again. Taylor Penn entered the game out of the bullpen for Guy and walked the first batter he saw, but quickly picked off the speedy Tre Broussard to wipe it off the bases, and got two quick outs after that to face the minimum.
Seventh inning
Roellig beat the shift with a leadoff single through the right side. Myers popped out on a bunt, but Briggs ripped a double down the right field line to put two runners in scoring position with one out. A Zavorek strikeout led to an intentional walk of Hairston to load the bases, a move that paid off as Contrades ground out to strand them full. Houston took its first lead on a solo shot with one out.
Eighth inning
Toigo led off the eighth with a double to opposite left field that was upheld upon review. Smaldino immediately followed with another double to the left-center gap to tie the game at 3. Polk pinch hit and moved Smaldino to third on a sac bunt. Smaldino reclaimed the lead by taking home on a Roellig fielder’s choice as the throw home skipped past the catcher as Roellig advanced all the way to second on the play. McGary drew a full-count pinch hit walk to put runners on first and second and both moved into scoring position on a Briggs flyout but ASU couldn’t add any insurance.
Finn Edwards entered and picked up two outs before issuing a walk to Broussard to bring up UH home run leader Cade Climie. Broussard stole second and moved to third on a wild pitch and Houston then had runners on the corners after Climie walked. Sean Fitzpatrick came in to face the lefty cleanup batter but Houston did the work for him, attempting a straight double steal but Fitzpatrick cooly stepped off the rubber and made the throw home to easily get the out there and keep ASU on top, 4-3.
Ninth inning
Toigo notched a two-out single and Smaldino was hit by a pitch but ASU was unable to add any insurance. UH drew a leadoff walk to put the tying run on the basepath and bring Derek Schaefer in. A sac bunt moved the run into scoring position, but Schaefer was unfazed, picking up back-to-back strikeouts to end the game and earn his Big 12-leading eighth save.
