Video by Stefan Modrich | Sports Reporter
ASU baseball (5-3) topped Cal State Bakersfield (3-6) 5-4 on sophomore second baseman Jordan Aboites’ bases-loaded walk-off single in the ninth Thursday night.
“I had some trouble today staying back on pitches,” Aboites said. “I was trying to stay back and I ended up getting two fastballs, the fastball out was the one I hit.”
After throwing another quality midweek start, there remains a chorus of external voices in support of sophomore right-handed pitcher Seth Martinez moving into the Sunday starter position.
This weekend ASU doesn’t play on Sunday, which is is fitting because Martinez is doing just fine in his midweek role (6-0 since 2014).
So it begs the question: does he need to move?
“Our focus with the staff now is just pounding the zone and competing,” Martinez said. “I was confident in my fastball, I was able to locate it.”
Allowing just four hits across seven innings pitched, Martinez was in command, striking out a career-high nine Cal State Bakersfield hitters and tossing 92 pitches, earning his second win in as many starts.
Junior Johnny Sewald grounds out against Cal State Bakersfield at Phoenix Municipal Stadium on Thursday Feb. 26, 2015. (Jacob Stanek/The State Press)Junior center fielder Johnny Sewald reached on an infield single, and advanced to third on an infield single by sophomore shortstop Colby Woodmansee. A walk to junior designated hitter RJ Ybarra loaded the bases for junior first baseman Chris Beall, who hit an RBI single to left to put ASU ahead 2-0 in the top of the first.
The Roadrunners tallied a run in the top of the second after Brophy High School alumnus and junior third baseman Ryan Grotjohn tripled to the left center gap.
“I knew I made a mistake pitch there when he got that hit,” Martinez said. “I wanted to make sure that they weren’t going to score again.”
That aside, Martinez was nearly unhittable, pitching five consecutive scoreless innings after allowing the one earned run.
In the third and fourth innings, the Sun Devils tacked on a pair of insurance runs.
A sacrifice fly off the bat of Ybarra and a solo home run from junior third baseman Dalton DiNatale – his first of the season – gave Martinez plenty of cushion to work with.
However, after his departure, the middle of the bullpen struggled.
Sophomores Eder Erives and Aboites couldn’t get through the eighth, and allowed Cal State Bakersfield to load the bases and rally for three runs to tie the game spurred by an error from junior first baseman Chris Beall.
Junior Jordan Aboites hits a walk-off single against Cal State Bakersfield at Phoenix Municipal Stadium on Thursday Feb. 26, 2015. (Jacob Stanek/The State Press)“I tried to keep my head in it for the team,” Aboites said. “For me to not pitch good or have any good at-bats previous to that one. It’s my job to put that aside and stay focused.”
Junior closer Ryan Burr entered in the eighth, and as a result of his placement in Ybarra’s spot in the lineup, recorded a walk in his first career plate appearance in the bottom half of the inning.
Senior outfielder Trever Allen led off the ninth inning with a double, followed by consecutive intentional walks to set up Aboites for the walk-off.
The Sun Devils play Cal-State Bakersfield at 2:00 p.m and Purdue at 6:30 p.m on Friday, Feb. 27.
Reach the reporter at smodrich@asu.edu or follow @StefanJModrich on Twitter.
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