Sun Devils rally to take 1-0 series lead.
Ole Miss took a 3-0 lead going into the bottom of the eighth, but pitching came up and bit them late as it has many times this season, and so did a resilient Arizona St. club.
After being dominated through the first seven innings, the Sun Devils might have been pretty fortunate to be down only 3-0. The Rebels have runners in scoring position in five innings and did not score, and in the third, only got one run when they very well should have gotten more.
Arizona St. starter Mike Leake did a good job of keeping the home team in it. Even though he allowed 13 hits total, he kept Ole Miss at bay for the most part, but was done after giving up two in the seventh to help Ole Miss pad their lead.
It was a lead that might have seemed safe, but it wasn't. ASU got a solo homer from Eric Sogard in the bottom of the eighth to get on the board. Then, in the bottom of the ninth, the Sun Devils mounted the deciding rally.
Ike Davis, Matt Spencer, and Tim Smith led off the ninth with singles to load up the bases. C.J. Retherford then grounded out to third to bring pinch runner Rocky Laguna home to make it a 3-2 game and move the other two runners up. The next batter, pinch hitter Jason Jarvis, flied out to the right fielder, but it was good enough to bring home pinch runner Mike Jones to tie it at 3. Up came Arizona St.'s top hitter, first baseman Brett Wallace, and the sophomore delivered, singling in pinch runner Ryan Sontag with the game-winning run, and capping off the comeback. It was Wallace's first hit in five at-bats, and his 103rd hit and 75th RBI of the season might have been his biggest.
Brian Flores, who has made 21 starts for ASU this season, made his first relief appearance of the season, and pitched two scoreless innings to go to 11-1 on the season.
ASU's comeback was helped by a potentially questionable decision by Ole Miss coach Mike Bianco to keep starter Will Kline in, even when the senior started struggling in the ninth. Then again, Kline had been excellent for eight innings.
But, the Rebels don't have long to think about that decision, as they have to rebound tomorrow or their season is over. The Sun Devils, meanwhile, are one win away from making their second trip to Omaha in three years. And, they can get that win tomorrow night, in a game that starts at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT, and will be televised on ESPN2.
After being dominated through the first seven innings, the Sun Devils might have been pretty fortunate to be down only 3-0. The Rebels have runners in scoring position in five innings and did not score, and in the third, only got one run when they very well should have gotten more.
Arizona St. starter Mike Leake did a good job of keeping the home team in it. Even though he allowed 13 hits total, he kept Ole Miss at bay for the most part, but was done after giving up two in the seventh to help Ole Miss pad their lead.
It was a lead that might have seemed safe, but it wasn't. ASU got a solo homer from Eric Sogard in the bottom of the eighth to get on the board. Then, in the bottom of the ninth, the Sun Devils mounted the deciding rally.
Ike Davis, Matt Spencer, and Tim Smith led off the ninth with singles to load up the bases. C.J. Retherford then grounded out to third to bring pinch runner Rocky Laguna home to make it a 3-2 game and move the other two runners up. The next batter, pinch hitter Jason Jarvis, flied out to the right fielder, but it was good enough to bring home pinch runner Mike Jones to tie it at 3. Up came Arizona St.'s top hitter, first baseman Brett Wallace, and the sophomore delivered, singling in pinch runner Ryan Sontag with the game-winning run, and capping off the comeback. It was Wallace's first hit in five at-bats, and his 103rd hit and 75th RBI of the season might have been his biggest.
Brian Flores, who has made 21 starts for ASU this season, made his first relief appearance of the season, and pitched two scoreless innings to go to 11-1 on the season.
ASU's comeback was helped by a potentially questionable decision by Ole Miss coach Mike Bianco to keep starter Will Kline in, even when the senior started struggling in the ninth. Then again, Kline had been excellent for eight innings.
But, the Rebels don't have long to think about that decision, as they have to rebound tomorrow or their season is over. The Sun Devils, meanwhile, are one win away from making their second trip to Omaha in three years. And, they can get that win tomorrow night, in a game that starts at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT, and will be televised on ESPN2.
posted by Eddie G. at
11:32 PM
