The ASU baseball team, fresh off their upset of No. 1 Texas Christian University, dropped game two, setting up a rubber match on Sunday afternoon.
Ryan Hingst again struggled with his command walking five Horned Frogs in 3 2/3 innings of work. ASU baseball squandered offensive opportunities by leaving 14 runners on base, including seven through the first three innings. A positive for the Sun Devils was they were able to clean up the defensive miscues, as they finished the game with zero errors.
Hingst struggled most of his outing throwing strikes, and gave up a three-run home run to sophomore Luken Baker. The sophomore has not discovered his mojo yet this season, and the team will need him to emerge in order for them to compete in the Pac-12.
Arizona State benefited from the return of junior outfielder Andrew Shaps, who returned after missing the first five games due to violation of team rules. Shaps didn’t take long to get back in the groove, getting on base four times with two hits and two walks.
More from Devils in Detail
- Sun Devils Primer: Game 2 vs Oklahoma State
- Sun Devil Insight: Quarterback Room
- Arizona State Spotlight: Kenny Dillingham
- Arizona State 2023 Season Opener: Off To A Good Start
- Arizona State vs USC Prediction and Promo (Expect Offensive Fireworks)
ASU through six games of the season has looked like a tale of two cities; a strong offense, with young talent and an ace that can lead to Omaha. On the other hand, the bad has been akin to a Bad News Bears fielding demonstration. Walks and errors kill that’s no secret, head coach Tracy Smith acknowledges the youth on his roster and with youth comes mistakes from inexperience. The team will rely on the addition of Andrew Shaps to anchor the outfield in center field, and will need more defensively from Andrew Snow at third base.
ASU looks to win the series in the rubber match on Sunday afternoon, as they will send freshman left-hander Spencer Van Scoyoc to the mound for his second career collegiate start.