It was a perfect day for baseball at Phoenix Municipal Stadium on Saturday afternoon. The temperature wavered around 75 degrees with a light breeze on a bright day at the base of the Papago mountains.
Both Arizona State and Santa Clara’s offenses were as great as the weather. They combined for 27 runs, 33 hits, 25 RBI and five home runs in a 14-13 victory for the Sun Devils.
“(We) came out and swung the bats great again off another capable arm of theirs that was pretty good,” Arizona State head coach Willie Bloomquist said. “(We) came out and had a good approach offensively, (and) stuck with it.”
The Broncos’ horsepower forced the Sun Devils to play five relievers after senior Connor Markl allowed five runs and seven hits in 3.2 innings.
Eight of the visitors’ starting hitters reached the bases, and four of them had three hits. Additionally, senior outfielder JonJon Berring and senior infielder Efrain Manzo notched three RBI, with Manzo having a solo shot.
“That team over there is a veteran team,” Bloomquist said about Santa Clara. “They know how to hit, they know how to fight. They’re never out of a game. They put together good at-bats against our guys.”
Berring’s performance came after a monster Friday night in which he blasted a pair of home runs.
The Maroon and Gold also saw eight of its nine starters have a run, with five of them notching RBI.
Sophomore outfielder Isaiah Jackson led the attack. The Arizonan reprised his role from Friday night’s season opener, going 3-for-5 from the plate. His two-run long shot in the bottom of the sixth ended up being the difference in the game. He also hit two-run singles in the first and third inning.
“(I) was really liking to get to his off speed stuff knowing that his heater was getting right by us,” Jackson said on his home run. “So, I was able to see two of them out of the zone, get to a good count, and that’s when I hit.”
Fellow sophomore, infielder Nu’u Contrades, also shined, going 2-for-5 from the plate. He also grabbed four RBIs on a grand slam to cap off an eight-run third inning.
Redshirt senior outfielder Harris Williams and junior infielder Jacob Tobias also launched balls out of the park. Williams’ solo HR occurred in the fifth inning, while Tobias hit his in the sixth.
Redshirt freshman pitcher Brandon Compton shined in the designated hitter role. He batted 2-for-5, bringing in two runs. After a 3-for-4 showing with three RBIs on Friday night, he is starting to become a reliable option for Bloomquist.
“His work ethic is off the charts,” Bloomquist said. “He puts in a ton of time trying to refine his swing. He still has things to learn obviously. But he’s off to a great start.”
Saturday afternoon showed a well-rounded, fiery, collected Sun Devil personnel, especially when they are losing. The team, which is trying to make its first NCAA Tournament appearance under Bloomquist, has proven it has an offense capable of doing so.
“I really like our lineup,” Contrades said. “We have guys one through nine that can get it done. Coming to that spot where we’re down one run, no one had any doubt…Our depth is our strong point.”
The Sun Devils (2-0) return to action Sunday afternoon at Phoenix Municipal Stadium, looking to start the 2024 season with a sweep against the Broncos.
While the pitching struggled, Bloomquist’s hitting guided his side to the series win. The performance was not perfect, with early season mistakes prevalent. But it is part of a simple message from the Sun Devils’ manager.
“Better to win ugly than lose pretty.”
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