ASU Baseball: Devils allow seven runs in final two frames in 10-3 loss to UNLV

After sweeping the weekend series against Oregon, ASU baseball was unable to make it four straight as an ugly eighth and ninth inning on the mound doomed ASU.

Kyle Isbel’s big RBI single for UNLV in the eighth inning proved to be the difference as the Rebels scored seven runs in the final two frames to down the Sun Devil’s 10-3 on Tuesday night from Phoenix Municipal Stadium.

With the score tied at three heading into the seventh inning, the Rebels scored four runs in the top of the eighth inning.

“(When) you give up 10 free passes you’re probably going to lose the baseball game,” head coach Tracy Smith said after the loss.

After Isbel’s go-ahead single, reliever Dellan Raish was replaced by Chaz Montoya who walked a batter and then gave up a bases-clearing triple to junior right fielder Max Smith to extend the UNLV lead to four.

It was an ugly night in relief for ASU as the Sun Devils bullpen gave up seven earned runs in just four innings of relief.

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“I think it’s a great lesson for a team because we’re not going to hit like we did last weekend,” Coach Smith said. “You’re going to win most of the time if you pitch and play defense.”

For UNLV on the bump to start the game was Chase Maddux, the son of Hall of Famer Greg Maddux, who came into the night’s action with an astounding 1.71 earned run average in four starts for the Rebels.

Maddux threw a scoreless first two innings, but ran into trouble in the third after a catcher’s interference call on Seth Mullis loaded up the bases for the Sun Devils.

ASU proceeded to score two runs in that third inning as a Spencer Torkelson sacrifice fly and a Carter Aldrete single scored in a pair of runs to cut the UNLV lead to one.

The righty finished off his night by only allowing one earned run in four innings pitched.

In relief of the Rebels’ midweek starter was Casey Miller, Blaze Bohall, Austin Anderson and Conner Woods combined to allow only one run in five innings innings in relief of Maddux.

For ASU, Alec Marsh got the start as the Sun Devils midweek starter. The sophomore entered the evening with an impressive 1.59 earned run average on the season.

After cruising through his first two innings, Marsh found himself in trouble in the top of the third inning by walking UNLV’s Seth Mullis and Dillon Johnson as the righty proceeded to allow a three run home run to Kyle Isbel.

Isbel’s third inning homer from was his team-leading seventh bomb of the season.

Marsh on the evening allowed only three runs in five innings pitched and was lifted for Fitz Stadler before the start of the sixth.

ASU center fielder Gage Canning continued his rampant start to the season with a double and two runs scored to maintain the junior’s .506 batting average this season.

Canning this past week was named National Player of the Week and Pac-12 Player of the Week as the ASU lead-off man leads the country in total hits.

After roping a double, Canning stole third base and then scored on a Spencer Torkelson single up the middle to tie the game for ASU at three.

“Baseball is about consistency,” Coach Smith said. “We have got to get more consistent in throwing it over the plate and seeing what they do.”

Next: ASU Baseball: Lingos shines as Sun Devils sweep Oregon

Now after a tough out of conference loss to UNLV, the Sun Devils now look to rebound this weekend on the road against UCLA.

All quotes in this article were obtained firsthand by Devils in Detail unless otherwise noted.