LOS ANGELES – In a rematch from two days prior, Arizona State couldn’t muster any postseason magic to keep its season alive on Sunday, as UC Irvine handed the Sun Devils an 11-6 loss in an elimination game at the Los Angeles Regional on Sunday night.
ASU’s first NCAA tournament appearance under head coach Willie Bloomquist came to an end after three games, with the Devils falling one game short of the regional final.
“In my heart think it’s a little too early for us to be done, but bottom line, we just didn’t execute how we needed to today,” Bloomquist said.
For a second-straight night, the Maroon and Gold fell into a big hole early, going down 6-1 after UCI manufactured a four-run fourth inning.
Following three solid innings on the mound, ASU starter, sophomore right-handed pitcher Derek Schaefer, ran into some trouble when the Sun Devils tried to extend his outing into the fourth frame. Following a hit-by-pitch in the leadoff at-bat, Schaefer surrendered a two-run home run to right field off the bat of UCI senior designated hitter Alonso Reyes.
The long ball served as a precursor for the evening to follow.
In total, the Anteaters belted five home runs, scoring eight of their 11 runs with homers.
UCI senior right fielder Chase Call tallied two himself with a two-run homer over the batter’s eye in center in the fourth and a solo shot to left in the sixth.
HE'S DONE IT AGAIN!! @ChaseCall4 #SeeYa @NCAABaseball #EatersGottaEat pic.twitter.com/z1VMxxq5GV
— UCI Baseball (@UCIbsb) June 2, 2025
ASU also didn’t play the cleanest game, creating a few self-inflicted wounds. Although the Sun Devils only made two errors officially, some sloppy defense, baserunning blunders and free passes given out by pitchers didn’t help Sparky’s case.
On a stage like the NCAA tournament, where mistakes are amplified, a few missteps against a disciplined team like UCI can become difficult to overcome.
“This is what you do all the prep work for and all the preaching and teaching throughout the year and trying to get them ready for moments like this, where miscues mean games,” Bloomquist said. “A couple miscues today that cost us … Those are the little things that win or lose ball games.”
Despite pulling within two runs, ASU couldn’t get over the hump with UCI putting together another four-run inning in the seventh to deliver the knockout blow.
Overall, the Sun Devils performed as expected in the regional, winning one game (Friday) and losing their final two games to the higher-seeded teams in the grouping (UCLA and UCI).
Still, it doesn’t take away from the sting left in the hearts of the players of coaches on the squad, many of whom made their first appearances in the NCAA tournament this year.
“Obviously we wanted to keep going,” Bloomquist said. “We had aspirations to keep going. I think we had a team capable of continuing to move beyond this.”
Nonetheless, Bloomquist remains proud of his team’s efforts for a memorable season. The Sun Devils finish with an overall record of 36-24 and can take pride in making the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2021.
“I think this was one of those teams that you’re going to remember for a long time for the guys that were internal just on how much they cared about each other and how much they played for each other,” Bloomquist said.
Now, the program sets its sights on next season, as it prepares for a slew of likely departures, including most of its starters in the field. With an influx of resources on the way, such as a full allotment of the 34 scholarships permitted for each team starting next year, Bloomquist believes he’ll be well equipped to build a strong roster.
“I can’t help but think that the trajectory’s on the right path,” Bloomquist said. “That we’re going to get the resources to continue to trend in the right direction. We’re not to where we want to be. I understand that. I understand the expectations at Arizona State, but I do feel that, based on the resources that we’ve had and the players that we’ve brought in here that this can be done.”
However, the loss does mark the end of the road for many of ASU players who have donned the Maroon and Gold for the past few seasons. Seniors like first baseman Jacob Tobias and shortstop Matt King have exhausted their eligibility. Meanwhile, third-year outfielders such as juniors Isaiah Jackson and Kien Vu, along with redshirt sophomore Brandon Compton, will likely head for the MLB draft.
While the Sun Devils face a large quantity of production to replace, they can take solace in knowing that the program’s veterans have shown the younger players the traits and work ethic needed to succeed at a high level.
“Our younger guys have certainly taken note of how they play and how we play the game,” Bloomquist said. “If they’re watching anybody on how it’s supposed to be done, they’ve had perfect examples of how to do that with the guys in front of them … Just very fortunate that our younger guys got a chance to learn under our older veteran guys that have been here a while and understand what it takes to be a Sun Devil.”
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