The Sun Devils clinched the series win at Stanford on Saturday, but their fate in the game was uncertain for much of a back-and-forth matchup.
ASU came out on top of a 9-6 win at Sunken Diamond, but it wasn’t a clean victory. Each team had an inning in which it sent nine hitters to the plate. The lead changed hands between the teams five times, and the squads combined for 15 runs, 19 hits and nine pitchers used.
Sophomore Eli Lingos was on the bump for the Sun Devils, following a complete game on Friday by Seth Martinez. He went 5 1/3, allowing five runs on six hits and two walks with six strikeouts.
The Sun Devils jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the second, and later found themselves behind 2-1 after a third-inning rally from Stanford. ASU then would grab that lead back on two hits and a walk in the fifth, including a double from freshman outfielder Tyler Williams and another from sophomore infielder Andrew Snow. ASU led 3-2.
Meanwhile, Eli Lingos was settling in. Through the beginning of the sixth, Lingos had six strikeouts and had sat down eight in a row.
Then, the wheels came off.
Stanford sophomore outfielder Quinn Brodey hit a solo home run, and sophomore first baseman Matt Winaker followed with a double. Junior catcher Alex Dunlap picked up a single to move Winaker to third, and that would chase Lingos from the game.
Stanford would take a 5-3 lead in that sixth frame and leave the bases loaded, sending nine hitters to the plate and forcing the Sun Devils to use James Ryan, Grant Schneider and Tucker Baca in relief of Lingos.
In the next half-inning, Stanford southpaw Chris Castellanos was also hit hard to end his outing; Sophomore center fielder Andrew Shaps and freshman right fielder Gage Canning each hit solo home runs with an out in between. Junior hurler Tyler Thorne came on, and ASU tabbed him for three runs on three hits and a walk.
The Sun Devils found themselves with an 8-5 lead.
Both the Cardinal and Sun Devils would tack on another run in the game, marking the final score of 9 to 6.
Eder Erives pitched the final three frames for ASU, getting a three-inning save and allowing just one run on a hit and a walk. Junior catcher Brian Serven also came up big, collecting two RBIs on three hits – one of which was a double.
The Sun Devils will look for the sweep Sunday at Stanford, facing the Cardinal at 1 p.m.
Reach the reporter at matt.layman@asu.edu or follow @Mattjlayman on Twitter.
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