It appeared as if a combination of lack of depth and three consecutive extra innings games finally caught up to ASU baseball on Sunday. However, Ryan Lillard's walk-off single in the bottom of the ninth inning gave the team its third consecutive walk-off win and eighth straight overall victory.
Additionally, the 3-2 win sealed a sweep over UC Davis (5-10), the group's third series sweep in a row and fourth this season.
ASU (13-3) was sluggish through seven innings and trailed 2-0 going into the bottom eighth. Sophomore outfielder Andrew Shaps singled with one out in the inning, and junior infielder David Greer followed with a double to set up the Sun Devils. Then, junior shortstop Colby Woodmansee's (2-for-3, two RBIs) two-run single tied the game. The RBIs were his 17th and 18th of the season, a team-high.
Sophomore second baseman Andrew Snow led off the bottom ninth with a single. He advanced to second on a sac-bunt, and after senior Jordan Aboites walked, Lillard stepped to the plate.
With a 3-1 count, Lillard said he was siting on the fastball, knowing Blake Peters did not want to walk the bases loaded.
"I told myself to get a good pitch to hit and make it perfect almost," Lillard said.
It was an opportune time for Lillard to come through as the left fielder spot has been a bit of a revolving door with opening-night starter Daniel Williams in and out of the lineup.
The Sun Devils have played 46 innings in four games, starting with Wednesday's 14-inning win at No. 23 Cal State Fullerton. Head coach Tracy Smith said what he liked most about the sweep over UC Davis was that the entire roster contributed, taking the magnifying glass off of the team's lack of depth.
To put ASU's recent run into perspective, the Sun Devils had not trailed in 58 innings until they faced a 1-0 deficit on Sunday.
"There is that old saying that you got to learn how to win," he said. "I think these guys are doing a really good job of that right now, so I hope that pays off down the road for us."
Sophomore lefty Reagan Todd turned in another quality start for an ASU pitcher, giving up just two runs on four hits while striking out three batters on 69 pitches. After questions lingered about the team's Sunday starter prior to the year, Todd has quieted the conversation by giving up just four earned runs in 23.1 innings pitched.
"He was locating away," Smith said. "Again, they didn't make a lot of adjustments. I thought he did a good job of keeping the ball away and letting them get themselves out."
ASU's slow start was partially due to UC Davis senior Nat Hamby, who stymied the Sun Devils with six innings of two-hit baseball and seven strikeouts.
However, two late-game situations appeared to wake them up. In the seventh inning, UC Davis' Guillermo Salazar ran over junior first baseman David Greer, who was waiting to put away a pop up. In the eighth, an apparent three-rum homer that would have given the Aggies a 4-0 lead was ruled a foul ball after Smith's argument and a discussion between the umpires.
It was the spark the dugout needed, Smith said.
"The way we were kind of being lack of competitive at the plate, almost like sleeping at the plate today, you want to let the sleeping dog lie," he said. "We can learn from that too. When you've got somebody down, you just let them be down. Don't give them any reason to get charged up."
Sophomore right-hander Ryan Hingst (1-0) earned the win with 1.2 innings of scoreless relief after entering the game with a .84 ERA in 10.2 innings of work.
"I think we're seeing Ryan Hingst grow up in front of us right now," Smith said. "I don't think that he comes in last year with that same type of command and confidence like he is now. We feel like he's definitely a reliable, dependable guy."
Finding ways to win games was also a big part of last year's team, which had six walk-off victories. This year's squad already has four.
"A win is a win," Woodmansee said, reiterating the phrase that has become all-too common in the young 2016 season.
Reach the reporter at Justin.Toscano@asu.edu or on Twitter @justintoscano3.
Like State Press Sports on Facebook and follow @statepresssport on Twitter.
