Arizona State (7-3) fell apart in the late stages as Minnesota (3-4) rallied late to take the series opener, 7-6, on Friday night at Phoenix Municipal Stadium.
Redshirt senior left fielder Josh Fitzgerald hit a long home run to left field in the 10th inning to lift the Golden Gophers to a come-from-behind victory. ASU had the bases loaded with nobody out in the bottom of the frame but could not cross the plate.
The loss was ASU’s third this season to begin a series. The Sun Devils stranded 11 baserunners and missed a timely hit several times. Head coach Willie Bloomquist lamented the team’s missed opportunities.
“Had our chances,” Bloomquist said. “We just got to turn the page and be ready to go tomorrow … Instead of trying too hard, try less, you know? I think guys were just really, really wanting to be the guy to finish it off instead of just taking what the game gives you and relaxing and trusting your confidence in your preparation in that situation.”
ASU jumped to a 2-0 lead in the second inning thanks to RBIs from senior shortstop Matt King and redshirt junior second baseman Kyle Walker. Then the bats fell quiet, leaning on their ace through the first two-thirds of the contest.
Junior left-hander Ben Jacobs was fantastic through most of his third start of the young season. The southpaw ace worked quickly through six innings, but a couple of mistakes snowballed just as fast. After retiring the first six Golden Gophers with ease, Jacobs ran into trouble in the third inning. The Gophers used small ball tactics to tie the game. A sacrifice fly and a suicide squeeze even the score, 2-2.
Jacobs wouldn’t be threatened again until the sixth inning. Minnesota junior left fielder Drew Berkland took advantage of Jacobs’ miss up in the zone. Berkland sent a two-run home run over the wall in center field for his fourth big fly of the season.
In his third start, a few costly mistakes plagued an otherwise impressive start for Jacobs. The southpaw allowed five hits and struck out four Gophers in six frames while surrendering four runs.
The bottom of the ASU lineup helped load the bases for junior right fielder Kien Vu. Vu walked to score a run, and redshirt sophomore left fielder Brandon Compton followed with an RBI single to the opposite field to bring the Sun Devils within one. In the ensuing at-bat, senior first baseman Jacob Tobias hit into the fifth double play of the day for ASU. However, the tying run crossed the plate to knot the game again, 5-5.
King, held to just three hits all season, picked up his third hit of the night with a leadoff double in the eighth inning. Freshman Ky McGary entered as a pinch-runner for King and stole third base. He was initially called out, but a replay review proved he swiped the bag safely. Walker subsequently hit a sacrifice fly to center, retaking the lead for ASU, 6-5.
Down to their final strike, Minnesota senior center fielder Parker Knoll smacked an RBI triple to right center to tie the game off junior righty Lucas Kelly. Kelly relieved junior left-hander Sean Fitzpatrick one batter into the ninth inning after the latter allowed a leadoff double which scored.
Redshirt senior righty Jonah Giblin gave up a go-ahead home run in the 10th to Fitzgerald, pushing Minnesota in front after being on the brink of defeat.
After a week of the bullpen helping to keep ASU’s offense in the game, it was time for the bats to return the favor.
Junior center fielder Isaiah Jackson led off the ASU half of the tenth inning by beating out an infield single. Sophomore shortstop Jax Ryan followed with a bunt up the first base line and slid into the base, inadvertently knocking the ball out of the Minnesota defender’s glove and being called safe. ASU loaded the bases with nobody out in a one-run game.
Walker flew out, but it wasn’t deep enough for Jackson to make a run for the plate. Redshirt junior third baseman Nu’u Contrades and Vu both went down on strikes to end the game.
“You have to want to be in those situations, period,” Bloomquist said. “In case you didn’t notice, we’re gonna be in dogfights every night. I think just about every game we’ve played has come down to one pitch here or there, so, get used to it. We have to be comfortable with that situation because chances are we’re going to be in a lot more of those types of games. Champions rise up in those situations and I’m confident in those guys in that locker room that they’re going to be able to do that.”
ASU hit just 3-for-16 with runners in scoring position in the loss. The senior shortstop is confident the team will turn the luck around this weekend.
“We gotta bounce back and just be better tomorrow,” King said. “We all trust each other. We trust each guy one through nine in our lineup and the guys on the bench, so we’ll be alright. We’ll bounce back tomorrow.”
The Sun Devils will have the opportunity to do just that on Saturday night. Senior right-hander Jack Martinez will toe the slab for game two on at 6:30 PM MST.
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