After a blowout loss to Oklahoma State earlier in the week, ASU baseball had to regain their composure and face the number one team in the country, TCU. The Sun Devils proved that they were up to the task as they took the first game of the weekend series 13-9.
Eli Lingos was given the start for the Sun Devils, and he didn’t disappoint. In six innings, Lingos gave up two earned runs off of two hits, one of those being a home run.
For Lingos, this was another quality start after his great start in the season opener against Northwestern. Head coach Tracy Smith talked about the importance of Lingos stepping up and proving that he is deserving of the ace spot before the season began, and he has done just that.
The Sun Devils also might have found themselves a closer in Chaz Montoya. The freshman was called upon in the bottom of the ninth inning with one away and the heart of TCU’s lineup on-deck. Montoya pitched flawlessly as he struck-out the remaining two batters in only seven pitches to give ASU the victory.
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On the offensive side, the Sun Devils again relied on the strong bats of the freshman class. First baseman Lyle Lin had another spectacular night going 3-6 and driving in two runs.
Fellow infielder Carter Aldrete had a nice game as he is still looking to find his bat in the young season. The freshman went 1-5, but drove in three runs. The freshman class has looked very good for ASU so far and if they continue performing at a high level then the sky is the limit for the Sun Devils.
ASU baseball will be back in action tomorrow as they continue their weekend series against TCU. First pitch is scheduled for 4:00 p.m. MST and can be heard on ASU’s student radio station, The Blaze.