Three takeaways from ASU baseball’s impressive win over No. 24 Kansas State

TEMPE, Ariz. – Arizona State baseball battled back from an early deficit to defeat No. 24 Kansas State and bounce back from its first loss of the season. The Sun Devils won 9-6 on Tuesday night.

It took a few innings for the surging offense to get going, but the Sun Devils put up another nine runs Tuesday bringing their season total to 47 runs through just four games. ASU scored in five of the final six innings, including multiple runs in three of those frames.

Arizona State holds on against Kansas State

Tuesday night was a big test for the Sun Devils’ high-flying bats. Going from facing a mid-major Santa Clara pitching staff to facing a Big-12, ranked Kansas State pitching staff. But ASU managed to score seven of its nine runs off KSU’s Friday night starter and it’s closer.

The Wildcats jumped on the board first with home runs in the second and third innings, but the Sun Devils responded in the bottom of the third. ASU tied KSU with a 3-run third inning where it brought seven batters to the plate.

Sophomore outfielder Isaiah Jackson gave ASU its first lead of the game with a solo shot over the center field wall to lead off the bottom of the fourth inning. The two teams would continue to go back and forth until KSU tied the game at five in the top of the seventh inning.

In the bottom half of the inning, Jackson would come through again with what ended up being a game-winning two-RBI single that snuck down the first base line.

ASU would add another two runs for insurance in the eighth inning before a tense top of the ninth.

The Wildcats brought seven batters to the plate and loaded the bases against ASU’s closer. KSU had the tying run on base and the go-ahead run at the plate when ASU pulled freshman pitcher Cole Carlon.

Veteran redshirt senior Matt Tieding came in and struck out KSU’s Carson Queck to seal the game for the Sun Devils.

Here are three takeaways from ASU’s big win Tuesday night.

1. Isaiah Jackson is a budding star

The sophomore outfielder started in centerfield last season as a true freshman. Jackson played in 53 of ASU’s 55 games and started in 51 games last season. He hit .249 with eight home runs, 10 doubles, and 28 RBI. Jackson’s 18 walks led to a .340 OBP.

The young centerfielder was named to the Pac-12 All-Defensive team his freshman year. But even with the impressive season he had, his offensive numbers were not where he wanted them to be.

“I sat down with Goffy (Assistant Coach Mike Goff) and talked for about an hour and just talked about hitting. He was like, alright, tomorrow we’re just going to get in the cage and we’re just going to start from scratch,” Jackson said. “I was able to do that and kind of just was really focusing on just balance through my whole swing. Hammering that just brought consistency in the fall and brought confidence in just trusting it.”

Off to a fast start

Jackson has been off to a torrid start to begin his sophomore campaign. Through four games, he has three home runs, two doubles, and 13 RBI, and has a .421 BA. These numbers are likely unsustainable, but it’s safe to say Jackson feels comfortable at the plate early on this season.

“He’s done a great job and worked extremely hard. He’s kept his balance throughout his swing and his head level, where he’s seeing those pitches better and he’s been on time and aggressive,” head coach Willie Bloomquist said. “I’m no hitting guru, but that’s usually a recipe for success when you’re on time and balanced and attacking the fastball.”

Jackson struck out chasing a slider in the dirt during his first at-bat Tuesday night. In his second at-bat, he said he tried to eliminate that pitch and look for a fastball high and outside. He got a fastball high and outside and that pitch landed beyond the center field wall.

Although it’s only four games into the season, Jackson is off to the best start he could have asked for.

2. Sun Devil’s depth is for real

There was a lot of talk during fall ball and the spring about the depth of talent on this ASU roster, but Tuesday night gave us a glimpse of that depth in action.

ASU sent eight different pitchers to the mound and brought redshirt freshman Brandon Compton off the bench to pinch-hit against KSU. Compton walked, singled, and scored in his two plate appearances.

Meanwhile on the mound, on a night when guys that ASU expected to rely on stumbled, the guys behind them were able to step up and get the job done. Talented freshman pitchers Bradyn Barnes, Wyatt Halvorson, and Cole Carlon all struggled to find a rhythm, but junior pitchers Ryan Schiefer and Matt Cornelius, who are both junior college transfers, came in and calmed the waters.

“At the end of the day, good teams pick each other up when they need to be picked up,” Bloomquist said.

The pitching

Then you get to the guys that opened and closed the game for ASU. Freshman pitcher Adam Behrens gave the Sun Devils four strong innings giving up a couple of long balls. Behrens threw 76 pitches and left the game with the lead in his first career start.

“He’s (Behrens) not a guy that we’ve had to try to teach him to slow the game down or anything,” redshirt senior pitcher Matt Tieding said. “He’s consistently been in the strike zone and like I said growing very mature.”

In the ninth inning, Tieding came in to get the final out of the game. In Tieding’s season debut, he gave up four runs in 1.1 IP against Santa Clara. Tuesday night he came into a bases-loaded jam with the go-ahead run at the plate and struck the batter out.

“That’s why you play baseball right?” Tieding said. “For me, it was all about embracing it and just having fun.”

As the season gets further along, having the luxury of knowing you have eight-plus guys in the bullpen you can trust and having guys on the bench ready to make an impact is where ASU’s depth will show its true colors.

3. ASU found a way to win against Kansas State

It wasn’t the prettiest game and ASU didn’t have the flashiest hits, but it found a way to grind out a win Tuesday night. The Sun Devils walked a season-high 12 Wildcats. It doesn’t take a baseball savant to know that is not a recipe for success.

“They need to understand that we surpassed our walk total for the whole weekend in one game and we got lucky,” Bloomquist said. “That usually comes back to bite you, but we found a way to still get the win which is rather impressive given the circumstances.”

Then in the box, the Sun Devils had just two extra-base hits. In comparison, they had 22 over the weekend against Santa Clara. But that was part of the plan based on the strengths of the KSU pitching staff.

“He (KSU starting pitcher Owen Boerema) was this guy that lived at the top of the zone and his fastball has a lot of ride as do a lot of their pitchers and we just stressed in our conference before the game to stay above the ball,” Jackson said. “So, we were able to do that and execute the plan perfectly.”

ASU tallied 10 hits, six walks, and four stolen bases. The Sun Devils may have powered through the weekend, but Tuesday night they displayed their ability to win using small ball tactics.

“Good offenses are dynamic and have more ways to beat you than one and that’s what we’re striving to do,” Bloomquist said.

Facing adversity

In a close, sloppy game, a competitive edge can be the difference maker. Tieding said new assistant coach Anthony Gilich brings competitive energy to the team that seeps into the players. Gilich loves to win, and that becomes infectious, especially in tight grinding games like Tuesday night.

“Given all the adversity that we faced today and all the self-induced wounds that we gave ourselves, we still found a way to win,” Bloomquist said. “That’s a big win for us and hopefully a confidence builder.”

Next, ASU welcomes Ohio State to Phoenix Municipal Stadium for a four-game series beginning Thursday at 6:30 p.m.

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