Markl, Schiefer combine for one-hit shutout in 4-0 win over Arizona

TEMPE, Ariz. – Arizona State baseball used just two pitchers Saturday night to shutout Arizona and take the series in Tucson with a chance to sweep the Wildcats on Sunday. The Sun Devils walked away with a 4-0 victory.

Pitching leads the way to a shutout victory for ASU over Arizona

Senior pitcher Connor Markl pitched arguably the best outing of his career. It was also his first scoreless outing as a Sun Devil. The GCU transfer threw six shutout innings allowing just one hit and struck out eight batters on 89 pitches.

Junior pitcher Ryan Schiefer relieved Markl for the final three innings and continued the dominance he’d displayed all season. Schiefer pitched three hitless innings allowing one walk and struck out four batters. His season ERA now sits at 1.15.

Markl and Schiefer were brilliant and kept Arizona batters uncomfortable in the batter’s box all night. The duo earned their first win and save on the season, respectively.

Offensive prowess for the Sun Devils

On the offensive side, seven of ASU’s nine batters collected a hit, including four players who notched a multi-hit game. Three of those players, junior catcher Ryan Campos, freshman infielder Ethan Mendoza, and freshman infielder Jax Ryan, were hitting below .300 on the season. The Sun Devils only had five players in their starting lineup who were hitting below .300 before Saturday night. This shows how deep ASU’s batting order is and its ability to beat opposing pitchers in any spot.

Senior outfielder Harris Williams was the fourth Sun Devil to notch a multi-hit game. The speedster is now batting .351 this season and leads the team with 24 hits and six stolen bases.

Redshirt sophomore outfielder Nick McLain opened the scoring in the third inning with a groundout that scored Ryan from third base. Ryan and Williams led off the inning with singles and advanced 90 feet on a failed pickoff attempt of Ryan at second base.

Markl shines for Arizona State

In the bottom of the fourth, Markl recorded his fifth strikeout with a filthy breaking ball that left the Arizona batter frozen in the box. Markl bounced off the mound with a little shoulder shimmy and a smirk that showed he knew he had his stuff Saturday night.

The next batter got the Wildcats’ first and only hit of the game, and you could tell Markl was frustrated because he delivered a good pitch, but it was just good hitting by the batter. Ryan ended the inning with a diving catch at third base to keep the single from costing Markl anything.

McLain added the Sun Devils second run in the fifth inning. Campos hit a two-out double to right field and McLain sent the next pitch into left field to bring Campos home.

To end the fifth, McLain made an incredible diving catch along the right-field foul line. The outfielder had brought in both of ASU’s runs at that point and had just made an outstanding catch that may have saved a run.

Pulling away late

The Sun Devils added an insurance run in both the seventh and eighth innings. Williams tripled to lead off the seventh and Campos brought him in on a sacrifice fly. Then, Mendoza doubled to leadoff the eighth, and senior infielder Steven Ondina slapped a pitch up the middle to bring him in.

Saturday night was a great, all-around win for ASU. The Sun Devils racked up 11 hits, including five extra-base hits. The two-man team on the mound combined to allow just one hit and five baserunners while striking out 12 Wildcats.

ASU has taken the first two from Arizona and secured its first conference series victory. The Sun Devils will look for the sweep tomorrow when the rivals are back on the diamond at 4 p.m.

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