Devils in Detail
Fansided

ASU Baseball: Arizona’s 3-Run Seventh Enough to Sink Devils

By Sam Ficarro

Sep 3, 2016; Tempe, AZ, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils mascot Sparky performs during the first half against the Northern Arizona Lumberjacks at Sun Devil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 3, 2016; Tempe, AZ, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils mascot Sparky performs during the first half against the Northern Arizona Lumberjacks at Sun Devil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit

ASU baseball began their final home series of the season Friday hosting No. 19 Arizona with the Wildcats taking the first game 6-5 thanks to timely hitting.

ASU baseball returned home Friday after a 2-2 road trip to Seattle seeking to win the Territorial Cup series after splitting the first two games in Tucson.

In a back-and-forth affair, the Wildcats prevailed 6-5 win thanks to a 3-run seventh inning capitalizing off a couple of ASU mistakes.

In a tied game entering the inning, No. 19 Arizona took the lead on a 2-run bunt single by designated hitter Alfonso Rivas followed by a fielding error by shortstop Andrew Snow made it 6-3 Arizona.

More from Devils in Detail

The Sun Devils got a couple of runs late but it wasn’t enough to complete the rally.

Arizona State made it 6-4 in the bottom of the inning with a solo home run by designated hitter Zach Cerbo.

Arizona State had the tying runs on base in the ninth inning scoring a run on a passed ball and sending pinch runner Tyler Williams to second base.

With Williams in scoring position, Snow popped up to second base to end the game.

Arizona State never led Friday battling back form every deficit responding in the same inning the Wildcats scored a run.

Trailing 1-0 in the fourth inning, an RBI sac fly from Snow tied the game at 1-1.

In the fifth inning, after Arizona first baseman JJ Matijevic hit a 2-run double off the right field wall, ASU tied it in the home-half of the inning on a solo home run to deep right center by outfielder Gage Canning and a wild pitch scoring first baseman Taylor Lane.

https://twitter.com/Pac12Network/status/865396283569168388

Unfortunately for the Sun Devils the seventh-inning deficit proved to be too much.

ASU tabbed Eder Erives as the starting pitcher and pitched well throwing 6+ innings allowing six runs (three earned) on six hits with two walks and two strikeouts.

Relievers Connor Higgins, Grant Schneider and Garvin Alston combined for three shutout innings allowing only two hits and one walk with three strikeouts.

The Wildcats sent pitcher J.C. Cloney to the mound pitching 5.1 innings allowing three earned runs on six hits with three walks and seven strikeouts.

Reliever Michael Flynn got his fourth win in relief of Cloney pitching 2.1 innings allowing one earned run on two hits.

Next: ASU Baseball: What’s The Future?

Game two of this three-game Territorial Cup series is Saturday with the Wildcats seeking to clinch the season series. First pitch is at 7 p.m. PST and can be seen on Pac-12 Arizona.

Home/ASU Baseball