Freshman Ryan Hingst allows three hits in three innings pitched in win against University of New Mexico at Phoenix Municipal Stadium on Wednesday March 18, 2015. The Sun Devils defeated the Lobos 4-3. (Jacob Stanek/ The State Press)It looked as if a failure to provide insurance runs would doom No. 7 ASU (13-6, 2-1 Pac-12) again, but senior Joey Bielek's RBI single to center field in the eighth inning led the Sun Devils to a 4-3 win over New Mexico (11-7, 5-4 Mountain West) on Wednesday night.
Bielek (3-for-4, 2 RBI) started at first and had another multi-hit game after re-entering the lineup once again.
"I'm just trying to see the ball up and have quality at-bats everyday," Bielek said. "I've just been taking advantage of my opportunities.
ASU head coach Tracy Smith said Bielek is playing with confidence as ASU looks for consistent offense at first base.
"This game's about confidence, and he had three hits and the big one today," Smith said. "Hopefully he can carry that on to the weekend."
New Mexico junior starting pitcher Mike Gould gave up two hits and two walks in two innings of work, but ASU made him pay.
After drawing a leadoff walk in the bottom of the first, junior Johnny Sewald stole his eighth base of the season in 10 attempts. Then, two consecutive grounders brought him home.
ASU held a 3-0 lead after two innings, prompting Lobos freshman James Harrington to take the mound. He gave up no runs, two hits and two walks while fanning three batters in three and one-third innings.
Meanwhile, the magic number was three for ASU freshman right-hander Ryan Hingst in his second start of the season—he gave up no runs on three hits with three strikeouts in three innings of play.
Smith said he did not think Hingst looked sharp and he wanted to get junior right hander Eric Melbostad on the mound at some point.
"I just didn't like that Ryan was pitching at the belt," he said. "He did fine, but it made me put Melbostad in the game. If I waited later, maybe I would've gotten cold feet, but I was glad that I got Eric in the game."
Melbostad replaced Hingst and gave up one run on only one hit in three innings.
His only earned run came in the sixth inning when New Mexico senior Ryan Padilla hit a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Lobos shortstop Dalton Bowers and cutting ASU's lead to two runs.
However, ASU's offense went dry in the middle innings once again.
The Sun Devils had runners on second and third with one out in the fourth inning, but were unable to convert. In the sixth inning, ASU had runners on the corners with one out, but failed to capitalize once again.
Smith said the inability to put opponents away has been frustrating.
"If we would just extend the lead, that becomes a different ballgame," he said. "We've done that a lot this year. We have chances to put teams away and we don't do it."
The missed opportunities finally caught up with ASU in the seventh inning, though.
An error, a walk and a sacrifice bunt put runners on second and third for New Mexico, forcing freshman pitcher Eli Lingos out of the game after just 0.2 innings.
Then, pinch-hitter Jack Zellner's two-RBI single to right field off Darin Gillies tied the game at three.
Junior Ryan Burr escaped a one-out jam with runners on the corners and picked up his eighth save of the year in what was ASU's third game decided by a run in five contests.
Bielek's two-out single helped ASU earn a third straight win before heading to Eugene, Oregon, to take on the Oregon Ducks in a three-game series from March 20-22.
In addition to another game under its belt, ASU baseball used Wednesday's rain to prepare for its trip to Oregon.
"It started to rain and get a bit chilly, so it sets us up for the weekend," Smith said. We talked about it—wet ball, rain, opposing crowd, none of that should bother us because we have to go in there, play our baseball and have a tough mindset."
Reach the reporter at Justin.Toscano@asu.edu or follow @justintoscano3 on Twitter.
Like State Press Sports on Facebook or follow @statepresssport on Twitter.
