PHOENIX – With the bases loaded and two outs in the bottom of the eighth, Arizona State sophomore shortstop Beckett Zavorek stepped up to the plate with a chance to deliver a decisive blow.
After going hitless in his first four at-bats, he lined a single up the middle, scoring two runs, giving the Sun Devils their first lead of the afternoon and serving as the hero in ASU’s late surge.
In comeback fashion, Zavorek, along with Arizona State, delivered in the clutch to defeat Omaha 6-4 Sunday, completing an opening-series sweep over the Mavericks.
BECKETT. ZAVOREK.
— Sun Devil Baseball (@ASU_Baseball) February 15, 2026
The youngster makes Omaha pay for a two-out miscue.
The two-RBI single puts us on top heading inton the ninth. pic.twitter.com/zipIukHNgs
“I like to bet on the kid,” ASU coach Willie Bloomquist said. “I’m not betting on what he’s done so far today. I’m betting on the fact that he’s going to rise up in this situation, and he made me look good.”
Omaha intentionally walked sophomore left fielder Landon Hairston to load the bases and face Zavorek in a moment he was ready for.
“There is nobody else I would want in that spot besides Hairy (Hairston), besides me,” Zavorek said. “As much as I love Hairy and how much I know he is one of the best hitters on the team, I had all the confidence in the world going into that at-bat.”
That confidence did not show early for ASU.
Omaha sat Arizona State’s first six batters down in order, and sophomore left-hander Easton Barrett struggled on the mound in his season debut. Barrett threw 67 pitches in 1 ⅔ innings while walking six batters and allowing four runs.
Then, the bullpen stabilized the game.
Junior right-hander Jaden Alba entered in relief for Barrett and kept the Sun Devils within striking distance, allowing just three hits in 4 ⅓ innings.
Sophomore right-hander Eli Buxton, senior left-hander Sean Fitzpatrick and junior right-hander Derek Schaefer followed with dominant showings as well. The trio allowed just one hit and struck out four, with Fitzpatrick earning the win and Schaefer recording the save.
“That’s just our job,” Fitzpatrick said. “We are in the bullpen for a reason. We are all ready for when our number gets called.”
Offensively, sophomore catcher Brody Briggs provided the spark. In the bottom of the third, Briggs launched a two-run home run over the right-field wall to put Arizona State on the board.
Brody. Bomb.
— Sun Devil Baseball (@ASU_Baseball) February 15, 2026
💣💣💣
Devils halve the Omaha lead with a two-run shot from brings in the third.
💻 ESPN+ pic.twitter.com/x3wrONLcsi
The Sun Devils continued to chip away in the sixth inning. Senior right fielder Dean Toigo rounded the bases for his second homer of the series, pulling ASU within one. Later in the inning, sophomore third baseman Austen Roellig tied the game on a fielder’s choice, beating the throw to first.
“The biggest takeaway for me is that we got faced with that situation (playing from behind), and we didn’t give in,” Bloomquist said. “We didn’t panic, and we strung a few things together.”
Arizona State will look to remain undefeated in 2026 when it hosts the UConn Huskies on Tuesday at 6:35 p.m. MST.
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