The Sun Devils rocked Phoenix Municipal Stadium with two straight walk-offs against the Oregon Ducks on Friday and Saturday, but lost in the series finale with a 12-2 loss on Sunday.
Freshman left-hander Zach Dixon got the start for the Sun Devils, but failed to make it past the second inning. He went 1 1/3, allowing five runs on two hits and three walks.
Dixon gave up three runs in the first inning and returned for the second, striking out Slade Heggen for the inning’s first plate appearance. But the nine-pitch at bat was Dixon’s final out, as he proceeded to hit the next batter and walk the hitter after that. Those runs scored on senior Eric Melbostad in relief.
Reagan Todd, Ryan Hingst, Chris Isbell, Fitz Stadler and Connor Higgins all came on in relief after Melbostad. The cavalcade of relievers who pitched after Dixon combined for 7 2/3 innings and seven runs. Two pitchers – Isbell and Hingst – didn’t record an out.
Conversely, the Oregon bullpen saw little action. Freshman righty Matt Mercer started for Oregon, dealing six innings of two-run ball on ten hits and five strikeouts.
Isaiah Carranza relieved Mercer and got the three-inning save for Oregon, not allowing a run or hit.
Junior first baseman David Greer got one of ASU’s two RBIs, just a day after a career-high five RBIs carried much of the Sun Devil offense. Ryan Lillard drove in the other run on the day.
The Sun Devils entered the game having secured its fourth straight series win in the previous night. They swept their last two series – at home against New Mexico and on the road at Stanford – but failed to get the sweep on Sunday against Oregon.
ASU will take the field again on Tuesday at UNLV.
Reach the reporter at matt.layman@asu.edu or follow @Mattjlayman on Twitter.
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