After ASU sophomore left fielder Brandon Compton struck out to begin the second inning, it appeared Brigham Young University junior right-hander Garrison Summer had settled into his Saturday evening start at Phoenix Municipal Stadium.
Yet, just 20 minutes later, Arizona State baseball found itself in the midst of history. It broke multiple program records on its way to a 16-6 run-rule win and a series sweep.
The Sun Devils sent 13 batters to the plate in a historic second inning. They scored ten runs and hit a program-record six home runs in one frame, including two each by junior center fielder Isaiah Jackson and sophomore catcher Brody Briggs.
The duo at the bottom of the order combined for four home runs during that inning, a feat that even left Jackson himself surprised.
“I don’t think that’s ever been done in baseball,” Jackson said. “Eight, nine going back-to-back in the same inning was crazy.”
Summer departed after allowing six runs and four home runs in just 1.2 innings.
The ASU offense, which already scored 20 runs across the first two games of the series, hit a school-record eight home runs, 11 extra-base hits and nine walks.
“I don’t think I’ve ever been a part of something like that,” ASU head coach Willie Bloomquist said.
Junior second baseman Kyle Walker, who started his season 1-for-24 at the plate, extended his on-base streak to 33 games. It tied junior third baseman Nu’u Contrades for the longest of the season for the Sun Devils.
“He’s just been that anchor, and he isn’t scared of anyone,” Jackson said regarding Walker’s impact on leading off.
“He’s going to throw that first punch,” Jackson said.
Despite holding a commanding lead for most of the game, ASU only out-hit BYU 13-10. The Sun Devils only scored three runs across their final six offensive frames after they tallied 13 runs in the first two innings.
On the mound, freshman left-hander Easton Barrett made his seventh start for the Maroon and Gold. He provided a strong opening act to the offensive encore that shortly ensued.
“He’s looking a lot more comfortable out there,” Bloomquist said.
Barrett allowed three runs in his outing, all of which came in the third, but his scoreless two frames set the ASU bats up for success.
“He’s progressively getting better and stronger,” Bloomquist said.
The move to start Barrett was slightly out of the ordinary, as sophomore right-handed pitcher Jaden Alba traditionally starts in Game 3 of a weekend series for the Sun Devils. Instead, Alba succeeded Barrett in the third inning out of the bullpen.
Bloomquist said the decision to start Barrett over Alba the stemmed from the matchup at hand.
“We wanted Barrett to face their lefties,” Bloomquist said. “It was a better matchup at the top of the lineup.”
Alba had yet to pitch in relief until Saturday’s series finale. Previously, all eight of the righty’s appearances came as starts – in those starts, Arizona State holds a 6-2 record.
In spite of his subpar performance last Sunday against Texas Tech, Bloomquist reassured that Alba still is the team’s third starter. The right-hander allowed six runs in just three innings, simply matching up better against the middle of the BYU lineup, Bloomquist said.
Overall, the Sun Devil bullpen pitched well with the lead. It allowed just two runs and struck out 10 Cougars in six innings.
Sophomore right-handed pitcher Josh Butler even struck out the side in the seventh, as he pitched two innings.
With the win, ASU’s Big 12 conference record improved to 14-7. However, more importantly, the ballclub sits in fifth place, tied with Arizona.
A top-four conference finish guarantees the Sun Devils a first-round bye. Thus, requiring only three wins in three days to win the conference tournament.
Arizona State is back in action on Tuesday against Long Beach State. It begins a two-game midweek series that remains paramount to the team’s postseason aspirations, as it searches for its first regional appearance under Bloomquist.
“I want to win, I want to make a run and I want to go to Omaha,” junior right-fielder Kien Vu said.
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