PHOENIX — The desert heat wasn’t the only thing cooking up the UConn Huskies’ pitching staff Tuesday.
Arizona State’s (4-0) offense exploded against UConn (0-4), posting 17 runs en route to a 17-7 victory over the Huskies at Phoenix Municipal Stadium on Tuesday night.
Sophomore outfielder Landon Hairston led the Sun Devil lineup with a seven-RBI performance. Those RBIs all came with the bases loaded in two separate at-bats. Hairston cleared the bases in the fourth inning with a double down the right field line — part of an eight-run inning.
The very next inning, he launched a no-doubt grand slam over the wall in right field, one of four long balls on the day for the Sun Devils and the first of the season for Hairston.
LANDON HAIRSTON IS INEVITABLE.
— Sun Devil Baseball (@ASU_Baseball) February 18, 2026
A seven-RBI day for the leadoff batter.
14-1, Devils, in the 5th.
💻ESPN+ pic.twitter.com/n7N2m6yJrV
“The first one is always a good feeling,” Hairston said. “First grand slam of my life, too.”
There were many firsts on Tuesday for the Sun Devils, including a full-circle moment for the senior transfer from TCU, Kole Klecker.
Klecker, originally from Chandler, returned home to make his debut as a Sun Devil. On a strict pitch count, he tossed five, two-hit innings while striking out seven and only surrendering one run — a solo home run from UConn’s sophomore infielder Jackson Marshall.
“It’s a really cool experience, a surreal kind of full circle,” Klecker said. “If you would ask me when I was eight years old, if I was going to play college baseball where I play, I’d say ASU.”
At times, Klecker looked untouchable, reaching the low 90s on his fastball and throwing Husky hitters off balance with his wicked slider.
“I feel like the fastball and slider were really good today,” Klecker said. “Especially that slider, that’s kind of what I went to late in counts with two strikes to try to get an out.”
Arizona State coach Willie Bloomquist had high praise for his pitching staff and said that any starter can pitch in any role, whether it’s a Friday or midweek game. Klecker also has the ability to pitch in a weekend series for this pitching staff, according to Bloomquist.
“He’s been throwing the ball really good, arguably as good as anybody this spring since we’ve come back from Christmas break,” Bloomquist said.
One big difference in the offense, besides the number of runs scored, was the production of hitting with runners in scoring position.
On Sunday against Omaha, Sparky was only 2-for-10 with runners in scoring position. Tuesday night, it improved to a 7-for-10 mark.
“Runners in scoring position (with) less than two outs, you’re looking to drive something to the outfield, that’s kind of something that the coaches have harped on us over the last couple days,” junior infielder Nu’u Contrades said.
Although he didn’t have a hit with a man on second or third in the ball game, Contrades scored twice and hit his second home run in four games in the fourth inning, which ultimately served as the spark for the eight-run fourth inning.
Through four games, he sits at 5-for-12 in the batter’s box with two home runs, five RBI and six runs scored.
“We’ve been working on keeping my direction good, and that’s one thing that (Bloomquist) been harping on,” Contrades said.
Eight of the nine starters for the Sun Devils touched home plate at least once tonight.
Junior outfielder Dominic Longo scored three of the 17 runs, getting the long-ball parade started in the second inning with a solo bomb, which temporarily gave Sparky a 2-0 lead. Longo finished his night offensively with three hits, three runs scored and two RBI.
That ball went a Lonnnnnggoooooo way. @DominicLongo38 with a tank here in the second the Devils jump out to a 2-0 lead.#ForksUp /// #O2V pic.twitter.com/kWIbnGsf04
— Sun Devil Baseball (@ASU_Baseball) February 18, 2026
“We had a lot of fun out there. It was cool to be a part of it,” Longo said. “Our offense is a good offense. When we get rolling, it’s lights out, for sure. So, it was awesome.”
Up 17-1 at one point, Bloomquist had the freedom to utilize his bench depth, ultimately using 15 position players throughout the game.
In the sixth inning, graduate outfielder Matt Polk pinch hit for Hairston and sprinted out an infield single on a tapper to the shortstop while leading by 15.
“That’s Sun Devil baseball,” Bloomquist said. “We’re going to need more than our starting nine. We’re going to need 13 or 14 guys to contribute and be ready.”
Through four games, ASU has sent 10 homers over the walls of Phoenix Municipal Stadium, with the Maroon and Gold’s offense showing no signs of stopping.
Sparky stays at home this weekend to take on St. John’s, likely running the same starting rotation they ran versus Omaha opening weekend. It’ll get its first look at the Red Storm on Friday, Feb. 20 at 6:35 p.m. MST.
“With the arms that we feel like we have, if we can put these things together, we got a shot,” Bloomquist said.
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