Huskies Fall In Phoenix Slugfest, 21-18

PHOENIX – Washington and Arizona State squared off in an all-time offensive battle Sunday afternoon at Phoenix Municipal Stadium but the Sun Devils outlasted the Huskies, who fell 21-18 in the series-deciding game.
 
Sawyer Parkin took the loss in relief as UW used six arms on the day.
 
Despite the result, AJ Guerrero had a performance for the ages. The junior slugger finished 5-for-7 with two homers, driving in eight of Washington's 18 runs.
 
The scoring barrage got started right from the jump, with Guerrero plastering a 3-2 offering over the right-field wall for a two-run blast. Colin Blanchard added on, dropping a single into right to score two and double the lead at 4-0.
 
ASU countered with a bases loaded walk and a grand slam, taking the lead at 5-4 and kicking off a see-saw battle.
 
After a scoreless second for both sides, Carson Ohland's solo shot tied things up at five-all. However, the Sun Devils punched right back with two runs in the home half to regain the lead.
 
Braeden Terry stung a triple off the right-center wall and came home on the next pitch as Guerrero punched a single into right, tying the game again briefly before a solo home run put ASU back on top at 8-7.
 
An error with the bases loaded proved costly in a big way as the Sun Devils went on to score five more in the frame, taking what looked like a commanding lead at 13-7.
 
But no lead was safe in this game as the Huskies shot back with seven runs of their very own to take the lead back for the first time since the opening inning.
 
Sam DeCarlo got it started with an RBI single up the middle. Braeden Terry then served a single into right to score a run and Guerrero pulled an RBI single of his own into left. Jeter Ybarra snuck a ball through the infield and into the right-center gap, bringing home two, and scored shortly there after as Cam Clayton hammered a triple hard off the center field wall.
 
Cooper Whitton capped the inning with a single up the middle, pushing the Dawgs ahead at 14-13. But again, ASU had an answer, tying things back up with an RBI single in the home half.
 
Washington regained the lead in the sixth as Guerrero brought home Terry on a single to right, but a two-run home run pushed ASU back in front 16-15 in the home half. The Sun Devils added a run of insurance with a sacrifice fly in the seventh.
 
The Huskies didn't back down, reclaiming the lead in the eighth as Guerrero blasted his second bomb of the day, a three-run shot off the batter's eye that gave UW the advantage at 18-17.
 
However, the final answer came from the home dugout as Arizona State responded with four in the bottom half, including a three-run home run of its own, to take the lead for good.
 
Washington brought the tying run to the plate in the form of Guerrero, and the Fife, Washington, native put a charge into one, but his hard liner was tracked down in center for the third and final out.
 
The Huskies remain in the desert for a midweek game Tuesday, heading across town to take on Grand Canyon for a 1 p.m. matinee at Brazzell Field in Phoenix. The game will be available for streaming on ESPN+.
 
DAWG BITES
• Washington's 22 hits were tied for its most in a game since racking up 24 knocks against Northern Colorado in 2019
• The Huskies 18 runs are tied for its most against a Pac-12 opponent since scoring 19 against Oregon in 2019
• The 18 runs are the most UW has ever scored in a losing effort
• Every Husky starter recorded at least one hit
• AJ Guerrero's eight RBIs were the most by a Husky since Brian Wolfe drove in eight at USC in 2014
• Guerrero posted his second two-home run game in as many days
• The two big flies gave Guerrero 31 for his career, moving into seventh all-time at UW
• Guerrero finished the series with a .650 batting average, 13 hits, four home runs, 14 RBIs and eight runs scored, slugging 1.250
• Carson Ohland's solo home run was the first of his career
• Entering the game with 11 total hits in 11 career games, Braeden Terry went 4-for-5 at the plate with two walks

For more information on the UW baseball team, follow @UW_Baseball on Twitter and Instagram.