Baseball Rallies and Routs Cal in Series Opener

PHOENIX - Trailing by four after the first inning, Arizona State (12-14, 4-6) swiftly mounted a resounding comeback and stymied the California (15-8, 5-5) offense for a majority of the night in a 14-8 conference victory at Phoenix Municipal Stadium on Thursday night. 
 
After allowing the first five batters to reach base and two reach home, senior pitcher Matt Tieding entered and earned three fly outs, which brought two more runs in. Down 4-0 at the end of the inning, the Sun Devils had some work to do. 
 
ASU took the lead by earning two runs in the second and piling on five in the third, beginning a night that saw 18 hits from the Sun Devil dugout, a season high. Ethan Mendoza recorded his third game of the season with four or more hits, earning two runs and an RBI on four singles. McLain took the lead for the Sun Devils with a three-run homer in the third inning, Eammon Lance added a two-run launch in the fifth during his first ASU start, and Isaiah Jackson had the team's third home run of the night in the bottom of the eighth - another two run shot. McLain, Lance, and Jackson also earned doubles along with Ryan Campos. 
 
For the second straight game, ASU won a contest without its starting pitcher recording an out and its bullpen tossing 8.1 scoreless innings of relief before giving up a run. 
 
Tieding kept Cal's frames blank throughout his 5.0 innings pitched, allowing three hits, one walk, and striking out four batters on 67 pitches. Sean Fitzpatrick was stellar in 3.0 innings of relief, only giving up two hits while striking out five on 47 pitches. With two outs of relief on his hands, freshman pitcher Jaden Alba made his collegiate debut and closed the game out with a fly out and a ground out. 
 
TURNING POINT
After rallying from a 7-1 deficit following the first inning against UNLV on Monday, ASU found itself in another hole early. Cal lit up the scoreboard with four runs in the opening frame. ASU knew the task, and started cutting away at the deficit in the second inning with Compton stealing first on a strikeout. With two outs, Jackson doubled to bring Compton home and Mario Demera singled to do the same for Jackson. Now trailing by two, the Sun Devils opened their third frame at bat with four hits in a row, the third being a McLain three-run homer to left field that earned their first lead of the game. Two more hits by Lance and Demera brought two more runs in, leaving the inning with a 7-5 lead. 
 
BIG MOMENT
Tieding entered a bases-loaded, no-out situation in the first inning and quickly forced three flyouts to begin a 5.0 inning night that didn't see an earned run. Over 67 pitches, Tieding allowed only three hits and one walk while striking out four batters. The stability on the mound allowed the ASU batters to find their momentum and keep it going, bringing in nine runs while Tieding was pitching. Entering in the sixth, Sean Fitzpatrick kept the slates clean for three more innings, striking out five of the 11 batters he faced and only giving up two hits on 47 pitches. 
 
FINAL STRAW
With a 12-4 lead in the eighth inning, Kien Vu sat on first after a pinch-hit single through the right side. With two outs, Jackson wasn't content to go into the ninth up eight. He ripped a home run over the right field wall, adding insult to injury and giving the Sun Devils a 10-run buffer with three outs to go. After the Golden Bears made it interesting with a grand slam, freshman pitcher Jaden Alba stepped in and forced a fly out and ground out to end things for good. 
 
NOTABLES 

• Ryan Campos' third-inning double extended his active reached base streak to 36 games dating back to last season. He has now reached base in 106-of-115 career games (92.2 percent) with the Sun Devils.
• Cal starter Luke Short had not given up more three earned runs in a game this season over 24.1 innings over five appearances. He gave up six earned runs in 2.2 innings against ASU tonight - his most allowed since May 13, 2022 while at St. Edwards against West Texas A&M. 
• Cal entered the game Top-60 in the country in ERA (4.66) and Top-50 with 10.9 strikeouts per game. ASU struck out just six times tonight while posting 13 earned runs. 
• Cal's pitching had been especially elite in night games, as they entered tonight's contest with a 8-1 record and 2.47 ERA in games played at night. 
• ASU held Cal's Jarren Advincula to 0-for-3 on the night, ending his team-best 12-game hitting streak.
• This season, ASU has now posted 20 3+ run innings and 12 4+ run innings after the team's five-run third inning.
• After struggling following his return from that surgery, Nick McLain has had a monster five-game stretch, batting 9-of-21 (.429) with seven extra base hits for a 1.095 slugging percentage, leading the team with 13 RBIs - eight more than any other player. He has three homers, three doubles and a triple in the stretch.
• ASU notched double-digit hits for the 16th time in 26 games this season, earning 18 tonight - a season high. 
• The Sun Devil pitching staff struck out 10 batters, the 16th time in 26 games this season that it recorded double digit strikeouts.
• After a disastrous first two weeks, the Sun Devil bullpen has been exceptional since the team's trip to Texas in Week Three, posting a 4.18 ERA over 18 games and 94.2 innings, striking out 108 with a .242 average against. In the team's first eight games, the bullpen had a 10.85 ERA with 44 strikeouts and a .329 average over 37.1 innings.
• Tonight marked a bizarre two-game stretch in which the Sun Devils are 2-0 without their starting pitcher recording an out. ASU fell into a 4-0 hole early with no outs recorded, leading to Tieding entering the game. For the second straight game, the bullpen did not allow a single earned run over 8.1 innings before giving up a one-out homer in the ninth. ASU's bullpen has not allowed a single run in Innings 2-8 in each of the last two games. 
• The Sun Devils have trailed at some point in 27 of the team's last 33 victories dating back to last season. 
• This was the fifth game this season that ASU has won when trailing by at least three runs at some point in the game. ASU had nine such wins last season.

 
QUOTABLES
Head Coach Willie Bloomquist
On the bullpen pitching from Matt Tieding and Sean Fitzpatrick tonight: 
"Yeah, that's two in a row that we've had bullpen 'get out of jail free' cards, which has been outstanding. That's the positive and we'll focus on that. Matty (Tieding) threw the ball great Fitzy (Fitzpatrick) threw the ball outstanding. But those two guys saved us tonight. Not only from a standpoint of having to use a lot more bullpen arms tonight, but more importantly, just to give our offense a chance to get going and keep us in the game and good things happen when you do that. So, I was excited for those guys to give us that opportunity and excited for the offense to get going." 
 
On how he thinks the offense has found its footing again: 
"Just starting to get back to guys not trying to do too much, to stay within themselves and put together good at bats. Hitting with more of a plan instead of just going up and trying to hit a homer or whatever they were doing prior. We just weren't being ourselves, not just because we put up a lot of runs and hits, but the last five or six games we've started to get back to what makes us us – better at bats and putting good contact on things. Hopefully that continues because it's a fun offense when it gets going." 
 
Senior designated hitter Eamonn Lance 
On his mental process to stay ready for when his number is called: 
"It's been really tough on me. I haven't gone through adversity like that, necessarily, especially coming from a school where I was playing a lot every day. I've dealt with a lot of adversity through injury and everything where I wasn't playing and that showed itself again. My mental toughness is what got me through it and I've learned a lot of great skills coming through a program like Santa Clara and the frustration was there, but that just fuels me more. And then when I finally get my opportunity, it's just going to break out harder. And so, I felt really confident coming in today. I didn't necessarily know what I was going to do, but I was just going to compete and it went my way today. I was happy to contribute in between the white lines."
 
INNING BY INNING 
First Inning
Cal put two on base via single and a fielder's choice to first that left both runners safe. An ensuing single brought one runner home and a walk loaded the bases with no outs. Another walk forced an early pitching change for Arizona State, bringing in Matt Cornelius. Two fly outs both brought the runner at third home, and a third flyout ended the frightful frame with Cal leading 4-0. Arizona State batters grounded out twice and struck out looking. 
 
Second Inning
The Sun Devils were able to escape the top of the inning only giving up one single and a stolen base as Tieding struck out two. Compton put the first Sun Devil on base after striking out and stealing first on a wild pitch. Jackson launched a two-out double that brought Compton around the bases, and Demera was able to single up the middle for a play that would see Jackson reach home on a throwing error to first. The Sun Devils cut into their deficit, leaving the frame down 4-2. 
 
Third Inning
Another quick frame for Cal as one walk was stranded by two fly outs. ASU's batting took off with the first four batters all recording a hit. Campos led off with a double down the right line, followed by a single from Mendoza. McLain stepped up and sent his pitch over the left field wall for a three run homer that gave ASU their first lead of the game. Not done yet, Tobias singled and was brought home by a strong double to right center from Eammon Lance. A two-out single from Demera brought Lance home to cap off a five run inning for ASU, now leading 7-4. 
 
Fourth Inning
For the third inning in a row, one Cal batter got on base. Tieding earned his third strikeout to strand the runner on second. With a new Cal pitcher, ASU batters went down in order. 
 
Fifth Inning
Tieding earned his fourth punchout as Cal batters were retired in order. Compton was hit by pitch, adding a runner to Lance's bomb over the left center field wall. Rounding the bases, ASU now led 9-4. 
 
Sixth Inning
In FItzpatrick's first inning on the mound, the second batter earned a double and advanced to third on a two-out single. Staring down his fifth batter, Fitzpatrick delivered his second strikeout to blank the Golden Bears for a fifth straight inning. The Sun Devils weren't done scoring, as they led off with three straight singles, one later getting out at second on a fielder's choice. McLain earned two more RBI's on a double to right center. A walk broke the hit streak, and a groundout left runners on second and third. They would be stranded on another groundout, leaving the score 11-4 in favor of the Sun Devils. 
 
Seventh Inning
Fitzpatrick earned his third punchout before two fly outs ended Cal's batting quickly. With two outs, Stephen Ondina and Campos earned singles before Mendoza added one of his own to bring Ondina home. Mendoza and Campos were left stranded on a groundout. 
 
Eighth Inning
Fitzpatrick notched his fourth and fifth strikeouts and a groundout closed the frame. In his first at bat of the night, Kien Vu singled through the right side. With two outs, Jackson launched a home run to right field and brought both of them home. ASU led 14-4 with three outs to go. 
 
Ninth Inning
With freshman pitcher Josh Butler taking the mound, he earned a three-pitch strikeout to begin the frame. The next batter doubled to left center. Two walks loaded the bases for the Golden Bears. A grand slam cut the Sun Devil lead to six, and brought freshman pitcher Jaden Alba to the mound. He closed the game out with a fly out and a ground out. 
 
ON DECK: 
ASU will face Cal for their second game against Cal on Friday at 6:30 p.m. AZT, and wrap up the series on Saturday with first pitch at 1:00 p.m. All games will be available through the ASU Live Stream and available on the airwaves on KDUS 1060 AM.