On a night where the Devils used eight pitchers and starting pitcher Adam Behrens only pitched two and two-thirds innings, every run was needed to bring the Devils to victory.
ASU’s runs were scored across four separate innings, with the most coming in the bottom of the third and the bottom of the ninth.
GCU got out to an early 2-0 lead before the Devils offense woke up and produced a five-run third inning where nine batters were sent to the plate.
During the inning, the Devils picked up two walks, three singles, and a double, scoring five runs in the process.
“It’s just guys not trying to do too much, stay within themselves,” ASU coach Willie Bloomquist said after the win. “Stay low line drives in the middle of the field and take their walks when they need to, not trying to swing out of the zone, not trying to do too much.”
The big third inning also saw GCU bring out two pitchers who gave up multiple runs. GCU’s starting pitcher, sophomore Grant Richardson, gave up four runs, all earned, and the first reliever of the night for the Antelopes, junior David Case, gave up two runs, both earned.
The offensive outburst in the third was started by senior shortstop Steven Ondina drawing a walk and advancing to second on junior catcher Ryan Campos’ groundout. Ondina moved up 90 feet to third base on a wild pitch and came around to score on freshman Ethan Mendoza’s RBI single.
Sophomore outfielder Nick McLain singled and senior Eamonn Lance drew a walk, one of nine free passes given to the Devils Tuesday night, loading the bases and forcing a pitching change.
Welcoming in the new pitcher, sophomore outfielder Kien Vu singled through the right side, scoring Mendoza and McLain. Senior Josiah Cromwick followed that up with an RBI double of his own, scoring Lance and Vu, and giving the Devils their fifth run of the ballgame.
In the next inning, the Devils’ offense began cooking again, sending six batters to the plate, with McLain driving in a run on an RBI single.
After that, the offense went mostly silent, scoring another run in the seventh inning. Ondina grounded out with the bases loaded, leaving the Devils down a run heading into the eighth.
A scoreless eighth set the stage for a dramatic bottom of the ninth, complete with fireworks.
Junior first baseman Jacob Tobias struck out looking to lead off, then Vu singled to get on base.
“Hit a ball hard,” Vu said when asked about his approach to the at-bat. “And actually, I didn’t even hit the ball hard. I was kind of looking fastball, and I got it, a little in on the hands, and luckily it fell.”
Redshirt freshman Brandon Compton and senior Mario Demera both drew walks, setting up a bases-loaded opportunity for senior Harris Williams.
Williams came into the game in the bottom of the seventh to pinch hit for senior Trey Newman, walking in that at-bat.
Now, with the bases loaded and only one out, Williams stepped in to face GCU senior Nathan Ward. On a 1-1 pitch, Williams sent a ball into the left-center gap, scoring Vu and Compton and walking it off for the Devils.
“There’s really not another experience like it,” Williams said. “The rush that you get when you come from behind, and you went in in the bottom of the ninth, it’s what every little kid dreams of when they’re playing Little League with their dad or playing whiffle ball, is the walk-off ninth-inning hit. There’s nothing really like it.”
The walk-off win was the Devils 15th of the season, bringing them above .500 for the first time since the beginning of March.
This weekend, ASU will travel to Corvallis, Oregon, for a three-game set against the #5 ranked Oregon State Beavers.
“I know we can definitely do a good job out there,” Vu said. “We have the lineup to do it and we have the bullpen to do it. I don’t think it’ll take much. I think we can go into the weekend, and if we play our best baseball, we’ll come home feeling good about our time in Corvallis.”
Leave a Reply