PHOENIX – Headed into the top of the ninth inning, No. 20 Arizona State (25-11, 8-6 Big 12) found itself leading 12-5 over Utah (17-14, 6-8 Big 12). The Maroon and Gold had just posted five runs in the eighth inning to pad some insurance, seemingly on its way to a Saturday night win.
But if there’s one thing about baseball, and sports in general, you almost always have to play the entirety of the match. And in the case of the Sun Devils, despite most of the game going well for them, the ending became a nightmare.
ASU coach Willie Bloomquist watched from the dugout as junior right-hander Derek Schaefer, graduate right-hander Colby Guy, and sophomore right-hander Eli Buxton turned what was a seven-run lead for Sparky heading into the top of the ninth, into a one-run deficit once the third out was recorded.
“That was probably one of the most gut-wrenching things I’ve ever watched,” Bloomquist said of the collapse. “I don’t really have a whole lot positive to say on, other than the fact that I’m really, really impressed with the fact that our offense was able to come in after that inning and put up two runs.”
It seemed destined that ASU would be on the losing end of things. But that changed when junior infielder PJ Moutzouridis sent a fly ball over the left field wall to tie it all up at 13.
Following that, three walks loaded the bases up, and it was graduate outfielder Matt Polk who was the hero on an unforgettable but disappointing win.
“I was 0-for-4 with a walk at that point, so everything went out the door, (it) was just about getting the job done for the boys,” Polk said of his walkoff. “Was really just trying to get a ball up and hit it hard into the middle of the field. I got around it a little bit and got into that six hole. And it was just an amazing feeling to come through for the boys.”
Polk’s walkoff single past the diving third baseman’s glove sealed a 14-13 walkoff win for ASU over Utah (17-14, 6-8 Big 12) at Phoenix Municipal Stadium on Saturday. A good majority of the Maroon and Gold faithful who headed to the exits before the final inning missed one of the most thrilling innings of baseball of the night.
It was very reminiscent of the Pac-12 after dark football days, a game that flipped the switch to overdrive once the majority of the audience turned their televisions off or went to bed.
Before the ninth inning, ASU’s performance was one to be proud of, as they bounced back after Friday’s 10-4 loss. The bats were unleashing its power and despite a shaky start on the mound, the bullpen pitched a solid game afterward.
After losses on Wednesday and Friday where the Sun Devils lacked the clutch factor, Saturday was an improvement in that statistic, as they went 6-for-13 with runners in scoring position.
“A lot of base runners, which was good,” Bloomquist said. “It was a better approach tonight than it was yesterday. They saved us tonight, they did a good job coming up with big hits and hitting the long ball tonight.”
ASU hit five home runs, racking up 13 RBIs in the process. But the guy who impressed again has been the one doing it the entire season.
Sophomore outfielder Landon Hairston hit two home runs on the night: A three-run home run hit to the national championships banner at Phoenix Muni, and a few innings later, launched one to right-center to give ASU a 9-5 lead.
Hairston now has 22 home runs in 36 games. He’s only five shy of tying Mitch Jones’ record of 27 that was set in 2000, and with the way Hairston is playing, he’s on track to not only break the record – he might rupture it.
“I just go up there looking for a fastball, and that’s pretty much it,” Hairston said. “I can get distracted in all the situations and people trying to pitch around me, but at the end of the day, they got to throw the ball over the plate.”
“I’ve said it before. I’ll say it again. I’ve never seen a kid, or a professional, or anybody locked in like this for this length of time,” Bloomquist noted on Hairston’s season. “He’s having one of those incredible stretches that I don’t want to talk about it too much because I just want him to go be him, and stay focused and let him do what he’s doing.”
It wasn’t just Hairston. Moutzouridis was the one that kept the game alive with his fourth home run of 2026 to even it up at 13.
“I got up on the plate. We preach about two strike hitting, and I was just trying to hit something hard up the middle,” Moutzouridis said of his home run. “And he gave me a break-in slider, and I got a good barrel on it and (it) snuck out.”
Moutzouridis has spent the majority of the season in the No. 2 spot in the lineup, but Friday he was pushed seven spots down. However, Bloomquist noted after Friday’s loss is was to help create traction for when Hairston comes to the dish.
“As long as I’m in the lineup, I’m just there to do my job,” Moutzouridis said. “Just the most important thing wherever I am in lineup is just do whatever. If my job’s that, my job is to win that game. So I don’t really care where I am in the lineup, as long as I’m playing hard for my boys.”
Other home run participants on Saturday were sophomore catcher Coen Niclai and junior infielder Nu’u Contrades.
Niclai has seen most of his action in the midweek throughout 2026, but due to sophomore catcher Brody Briggs facing a one-game suspension from Friday’s ejection, Niclai had to step up.
Only four days earlier, Niclai hit a game-tying home run against GCU to tie things up at eight. And on Saturday, he experienced deja vu with another game-tying grand slam to get the Maroon and Gold on the board.
But it wasn’t just production that came via the long ball player. One player that quietly had one of the best statlines of the night was junior infielder Dominic Smaldino.
The Cal transfer went 5-for-5 at the plate with four singles. Though not as flashy as the hitters who went deep, it’s a good sign that along with the long ball, Sparky’s hitters are getting it done with its contact.
“I just hit the ball hard, put a good barrel on it,” Smaldino said. “You get in trouble when you try to try to hit homers, so just put good barrel on ball, and I knew the rest would take care of itself.”
With the series all tied up one apiece, both teams will go at it on Sunday at 1:05 p.m. in a rubber match.
Despite the walkoff win and an explosive showing from the bats, the Sun Devils need to make sure that what happened in the top of the ninth doesn’t set the tone for what happens on Sunday.
“We’re going to have to hopefully rely on Kleck, and hopefully he has a good start tomorrow and gets us off and running and piece it together with who we have left after that,” Bloomquist said. “Disappointing is probably the nicest word I can say out of that.”
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