PHOENIX– A record-setting student section crowd wasn’t quite enough to push No. 23 Arizona State (26-12) over the top against their Territorial Cup rivals, dropping the fifth and final game of the year against Arizona (14-22), 5-3 after 11 innings.
Sun Devils struggle with RISP
2,219 students saw the Sun Devils go just 1-10 with runners in scoring position.
ASU had two on with one out in the sixth, bases loaded in the seventh, and two on in the eleventh with one out. They scored zero runs in those three scenarios.
“I think guys were potentially letting the emotions of the game get the best of them,” ASU head coach Willie Bloomquist said. “We were grateful they came out. We just put them to sleep on the offensive side of the ball.
“I think guys may have been trying too hard up and down the lineup…at the end of the day, we got to do a better job of that.”
The struggles with scoring positioning followed a start where the Sun Devils put just four base runners on through the first five innings of the game.
Nu’u delivers lone clutch hit, still takes blame
The one clutch hit that ASU got was a game-tying two-run home run from senior infielder Nu’u Contrades. He has been playing through a lingering hamstring issue that has limited both his playing time and base-running ability.
Despite Contrades being one of just two hitters to record an RBI, the team captain felt that he had “got to come up bigger in big spots”.
“Nu’u’s a leader, he’s going to put it on his shoulders,” Bloomquist said. “He had an opportunity there late to push a run across with the big hit…he’s feeling that pressure of being a leader and being a captain on this team, on our team, that he wants to get it done. And, you know, right now he’s out there playing on one leg and doing whatever he can for us.”
Pitching shines
Freshman right-hander Austin Musso made his second start Monday night and, while he only allowed three hits, all three were long balls. He struck out four batters, walking none through his four innings of work.
His first two home runs came when he was behind 3-1 in the count. Bloomquist said that he would rather groove those behind in the count pitches than “walk the yard” adding that Musso was not why the Wildcats won.
Seven relievers covered the final seven innings, allowing just one earned run.
Senior left-hander Sean Fitzpatrick continued what has been a sensational comeback season, lowering his season ERA to 3.63 after striking out the side in the eighth.
ASU will travel to Provo, Utah, to take on BYU in a three-game conference set starting Thursday at 5:00 P.M. MST. The Cougars have started conference play 8-7 and have won five straight.
Thursday’s and Friday’s game currently have real feel conditions forecasted below 35 degrees, something that the Sun Devils have not played in all season.
“That’ll be a challenge for our guys,” Bloomquist said.
