Oral Roberts (4-0) scored three runs in the top of the ninth inning and defeated Arizona State (4-1) 8-7 at Phoenix Municipal Stadium Friday night.
Arizona State closer Will Koger’s early-season command issues continued, as he walked the bases loaded. Then, a pair of Golden Eagles drove in the runners to take the lead, which the Sun Devils could not come back from despite a late-game rally. Koger walked six batters in his first three innings of work this season. He is 2-for-3 in save opportunities on the year after Friday’s blown save.
“Credit to Oral Roberts, they scrapped, man,” said Arizona State head coach Willie Bloomquist. “They got down, and they kept coming back at us, and we couldn’t finish the job. One way or another, we gotta learn how to finish off those games.
“If we want to be the team we want to be, we gotta finish the job and when we have a team down, keep piling on.”
Koger allowed two of his walks with two outs. Oral Roberts junior outfielder Makani Tanaka drove a single to center field to tie the game, and then junior catcher Wailele Kane-Yates added the game-winning single to center field.
“Koge’s a great kid,” Bloomquist said. “He’ll get it right. I don’t think anybody wants to finish off a game more than he does. He cares. He’s out there doing everything he can to try and close that out.”
Overall, ASU junior starting pitcher Ben Jacobs dominated Oral Roberts. He allowed three isolated solo home runs over five innings of work, but he also tied a career-high with 11 strikeouts.
Benny J ties a career-high in Ks and is in line for the W tonight🔥#O2V /// #ForksUp pic.twitter.com/oWVB1mC5TA
— Sun Devil Baseball (@ASU_Baseball) February 22, 2025
“(I had) a lot of confidence today,” Jacobs said. “All of my pitches were working. A lot of good energy and vibes in the dugout. Fast tempo, I just felt good all around.”
Following a leadoff solo home run to left field from Oral Roberts senior outfielder Will Edmunson, Jacobs struck out five of the next six Golden Eagles.
The Sun Devil offense was on the field for an extended period in the third inning, when ASU tallied five stolen bases and scored three runs. Jacobs said he remained active by throwing a Plyo ball on the wall and keeping his arm moving.
B3 | Devils steal five bases this inning and then Toby breaks it open with an RBI double.
— Sun Devil Baseball (@ASU_Baseball) February 22, 2025
4-1, ASU!
📺 ESPN+ pic.twitter.com/pWlDsuBNuA
Following the long and active inning, Jacobs struck out the side. In one of two innings, he struck out all three Oral Roberts hitters. He also struck out the side in the second inning in only 10 pitches.
The Sun Devils stole 10 bases Friday, tying a single-game record for stolen bases set in February 2001. Four different ASU batters — junior outfielder Kien Vu, sophomore outfielder Brandon Compton, junior outfielder Isaiah Jackson and junior infielder Kyle Walker — stole multiple bases.
Vu swiped three bases, including home plate in the bottom of the third inning.
“He’s an aggressive kid, just trying to pick out the right opportunities for him to go,” Bloomquist said. “He’s done a good job of taking advantage of the things he’s seeing.”
True freshman infielder Landon Hairston made his collegiate debut at the plate, and he didn’t disappoint. Hairston knocked two base hits and an RBI in three at-bats Friday.
How about that for the kid @hairston_landon!
— Sun Devil Baseball (@ASU_Baseball) February 22, 2025
The first pitch he sees as a collegiate batter and its an RBI single!
7-3, good guuys, through 5. pic.twitter.com/K0CpurzrxH
“Landon’s been swinging the bat really good,” Bloomquist said. “Like I said, he’s just kind of waiting for his opportunity, and I know he’s been anxious, and I was kind of trying to find the right opportunity to get him in there, and that seemed to be it.
“The kid can flat-out hit, so he’ll be finding his way into the lineup a lot more.”
Senior catcher Josiah Cromwick hit his third home run in the second inning. He leads all ASU batters in home runs, and his nine RBI are tied for the most on the team.
“I think we did a good job at the start a little bit,” Cromwick said. “I think we just kind of let down those middle innings, and that just can’t happen, especially to a team like that … We just need to stay with our approach throughout the game, every inning.”
Game 2 between Arizona State and Oral Roberts will start at 1 p.m. Arizona Time at Phoenix Municipal Stadium Saturday.
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