In a series defined by run-producing innings, Arizona State (5-3) capped off the four-game series against Ohio State (4-4) in grand fashion, salvaging a split in the series after Sunday’s 10-8 win.
One swing of the bat from redshirt freshman designated hitter Brandon Compton capped off a Sun Devil offensive day that featured 15 hits and sent seven batters to the plate with the bases loaded. The 1-1 fastball that Compton hit happened to be the game-winning result of a job well done.
“Honestly I was just trying to do a team job, just put it in play. ” Compton said. “I was just trying to hit a strike.”
Plenty of strikes were hit in the series from both offenses. In all, Sun Devils bats produced 32 runs on 48 hits across four games. The offensive explosion came at the heels of momentum swings in all four games, including the matinee, eight-inning contest.
A quick start from both teams offensively set the tone for the marathon affair. After eight innings, the game met the drop-dead time set for 3 p.m. MST with Ohio State needing to catch their flight.
“We are being battle-tested,” Bloomquist said. “We’re figuring out that every little thing matters, every detail of the game matters.”
A clean inning from sophomore right-handed pitcher Tyler Meyer led to the first punch being landed by ASU. Sophomore third baseman Nu’u Contrades punched one through the right side in his return to the lineup in the bottom of the first inning.
He tested his back early when a shot over the first base bag went down into the corner off the bat of junior catcher Ryan Campos. Campos tallied his 13th RBI of the season as Contrades’ trip around the bases ended with a head-first slide into home plate and the first runs of the affair.
The hot start continued for the Sun Devils as junior first-baseman Jacob Tobias doubled to right-center and scored Campos. Two batters later, it was sophomore center fielder Isaiah Jackson who singled in Tobias to give ASU an early 3-0 lead.
Ohio State would respond in the second inning after a two-out rally of four-straight hits tied the game at three. Both offenses were punishing hittable fastballs in the zone early in the game, a trend that would continue as the afternoon wore on.
“They (Ohio State) were scrappy,” said Bloomquist. “They really challenged us up and down the lineup and didn’t give in on tough pitches. They had a good idea of what they were doing and we got challenged.”
With bases loaded, the inning slipped away from Meyer on a four-pitch after missing his heater to both sides of the plate. Meyer walked in a run and gave the Buckeyes the lead 4-3 in a run-filled beginning.
“He doesn’t have his pinpoint accuracy that he normally does,” said Bloomquist “I think that’s going to continue to come with the more reps that he’s out there for.”
The Sun Devil offense was in business again when they loaded the bases in the bottom of the second for Tobias. Tobias’ two-RBI single to left put ASU back in front. The momentous two-out hit capped off a marathon two innings as the game hit the one-hour mark with twelve outs collected in the game.
Sleepy middle frames followed after Meyer tossed two straight scoreless innings for Arizona State. The right-hander went four and one-third innings pitched, allowed five runs on four hits with four walks and two hit batsmen. The Buckeyes only struck out twice with Meyer on the hill, but the sophomore weathered through his second career start after not having his best command.
“This week was an improvement over last week,” Meyer said. “Still not where I want to be or where I can be, but I’m proud of how I hung in there today.”
Freshman right-handed pitcher Adam Behrens came in to replace Meyer and surrendered a three-run opposite-field shot into the Ohio State bullpen from Buckeyes’ junior first baseman Ryan Miller to change the score to 7-5 in the top of the fifth inning.
Odina’s well-placed infield single in the bottom of the fourth proved valuable when senior left fielder Harris Williams singled him home to cut the lead to one after a dry spell from the ASU offense despite the Sun Devils reaching double-digit hits in the fifth inning.
Back-to-back doubles in the top of the sixth produced one run for Ohio State when a ball hit to the right-center gap bounced up and over the wall for a ground-rule double from sophomore catcher Matthew Graveline. The next batter, junior designated hitter Tyler Pettorini, flopped a ball just inside the left field line to score Graveline.
“It was a dogfight, every game against them,” Bloomquist said. “They’ll win a lot of game this year, I think.”
A double, walk and hit by pitch in the heart of the Sun Devil order gave freshman Brandon Compton a huge opportunity to score runs.
Compton hammered the 1-1 fastball to straight-away centerfield with majestic trajectory and put the Sun Devils back in front with the swing. Wind or not, the ball landed midway up the green batter’s eye in center field and Compton trotted around.
“It felt great,” Compton said. “Going up to that point, I had two strikeouts and nothing up the middle, whatever that was. I was just like ‘I’ve got to do something.”
In the top of the seventh inning, freshman left-handed pitcher Cole Carlon came in to relieve Beherns with one out and two Buckeyes on, a critical spot for Ohio State to gain back momentum. Carlon promptly produced a ground ball for a 4-6-3 double-play to end the inning.
“He’s learning,” said Bloomquist. “For a freshman to go and be thrown into every one of these games, everyone feels the emotions, the intensity going up and down.”
Ohio State would not go away quietly, however. Facing another scoring threat in the top of the eighth inning, Carlon’s composure was tested again with two runners on and two outs. A fly-ball to left field ended the threat and concluded Carlon’s performance out of the bullpen.
“These guys aren’t giving in,” Blomquist said “They’re bouncing back from all the adversity that we’re facing and they keep coming at it. So from that standpoint, I’m proud of these guys that they keep battling.”
The Sun Devils travel to Texas next weekend to play in the 2024 College Baseball Series at Globe Life Field, starting Friday at 5 P.M. MST against Texas A&M.
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