Arizona State (15-16) sputtered offensively in Corvallis against No. 5 Oregon State (25-5) in a 9-1 loss, clinching a series loss.
The Sun Devils were shut down by the Beavers starter, junior Jacob Kmatz, managing just four hits and a lone score in the ninth inning. Kmatz faced the minimum through eight innings of play before Lance’s pinch-hit solo homer in the final frame got the Devils on the board.
Kmatz finished a complete game for the first time in his career, cruising past his previous career-high of 6.2 innings. The right-hander also managed to punch out six Sun Devils in the process.
ASU went with senior left-hander Connor Markl in game two of the series, who had tallied 20 strikeouts to just three runs allowed in his last three starts.
Markl’s day got off to a rough start as the first three Beavers batters reached base. Two of them came around to score in the 24-pitch inning. Markl worked out of trouble in the second frame, which concluded with redshirt sophomore right fielder Nick McLain nailing an OSU runner at the plate to end the inning.
Despite the lack of run support from the Devils’ offense, Markl found his groove in the middle innings, tallying a trio of strikeouts in the third and fourth innings. However, in the fifth inning, Markl missed his spot inside and sophomore right fielder Gavin Turley took advantage with a two-run shot to left. Markl’s day would come to an end after 5.2 innings and six strikeouts, allowing four runs.
The Devils were completely inept on offense after scoring eight runs in the Friday loss. Kmatz retired 12 straight batters through the middle of the game. ASU only managed six baserunners in the contest. Notably absent from the list was junior catcher Ryan Campos, who saw his 40-game on-base streak come to an end in the loss.
With the rain pummeling down, the Beavers exploded for five more runs in the eighth inning against freshman reliever Wyatt Halvorson. Sophomore left fielder Dallas Macias mashed a two-run home run to the bleachers in right, and sophomore center fielder Canon Reeder roped a two-run triple to the gap in right-center. Junior second baseman Travis Bazzana, MLB’s No. 3 draft prospect, singled off of freshman Jaden Alba to add one more.
Lance’s solo homer in the ninth, his third in the last six games, wasn’t enough to spark a rally for the Devils.
The win kept the Beavers a perfect 15-0 at Goss Stadium this season.
ASU will try to avoid the sweep on Sunday afternoon in Corvallis. Freshman Eric Segura will be on the bump for the Beavers, entering with a streak of 12 scoreless innings. Devils manager Willie Bloomquist has not yet named a starter for the Devils.
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