Arizona State bounces back from first loss, evens series with Oral Roberts

Arizona State got back to its winning ways in convincing fashion, drawing even in its three-game series with Oral Roberts with a 12-5 victory Saturday afternoon.

Nu'u Contrades and Kien Vu both went 3-for-5 — each homering for the first time this season and delivering a double — as the Sun Devils (5-1) bounced back from an 8-7 setback against the Golden Eagles on Friday night.

ASU and Oral Roberts will settle the series at noon MST Sunday at Phoenix Municipal Stadium.

Jack Martinez made his second and longest start of the season for the Sun Devils, allowing five earned runs on five hits while striking out six and walking four in six innings of work to earn his first win.

The senior right-hander got off to a great start, striking out two of the first three batters he faced and sending the Golden Eagles down in order.

The Sun Devils jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning, as Contrades reached on a throwing error, Vu followed with a single and Brandon Compton drew a walk to load the bases.

Jacob Tobias then delivered an RBI single to center field, scoring Contrades. Landon Hairston later grounded into a double play, but Vu crossed the plate to give ASU an early two-run lead.

Arizona State's offense got rolling again in the bottom of the third inning, scoring four runs on three hits to take a 6-0 lead. Following a scoreless second inning, Contrades led off the bottom of the third with a double and later advanced to third on a one-out sacrifice bunt from Vu.

After Compton lined out to second base, Tobias was grazed by a pitch to give the Sun Devils runners at the corners. Contrades and Tobias then orchestrated a double steal, with Tobias taking second and Contrades beating the throw home to make it a 3-0 lead.

Landon Hairston then drew a walk, setting the stage for Isaiah Jackson, who delivered two-RBI triple to right field, scoring Tobias and Hairston. Jackson, a junior from Vail, Arizona, went 2-for-4 in the victory.

Matt King followed with an RBI double, scoring Jackson to extend ASU's lead to 6-0.

Oral Roberts got on the board for the first time in the top of the fourth inning with back-to-back singles from Makani Tanaka and Wailele Kane-Yates.

Jack Schark later doubled to right-center field, scoring Tanaka and Kane-Yates, and cutting the deficit to 6-2.

The Sun Devils' bats stayed hot in the bottom of the fourth, with freshman Beckett Zavorek reaching on a leadoff single and later crossing home plate thanks to a two-run home run from Contrades.

That ended the day for Oral Roberts starter Nathan Love, who allowed eight runs (six earned) on seven hits with two walks in three innings of work.

Now facing right-hander Conner Johnson, Vu delivered a double, then stole third and later scored on a sacrifice fly from Compton to give ASU a 9-2 lead.

Martinez got into some trouble in the fifth inning, walking two batters before giving up a three-run home run to Tanaka to trim ASU's lead to 9-5.

Martinez, who played at Louisiana last season, allowed his third walk of the day before getting out of the inning. He recovered nicely in the sixth, facing just four batters and striking out two.

Contrades led off the bottom of the sixth with a single — his third hit of the day — and Vu followed with a two-run home run to left-center field to push the Sun Devils' scoring into double digits and extend the lead to 11-5.

Sophomore right-hander Josh Butler relieved Martinez to start the seventh inning and sent the Golden Eagles down in order. The Phoenix native who played at Sandra Day O'Connor High School was impressive in relief, allowing just one hit and striking out five of the 11 batters he faced to close out the victory.

The Sun Devils added another run in the bottom of the seventh when Jackson crossed home plate for the second time Saturday, this time courtesy of a sacrifice fly from pinch hitter Manny Garza.