Though ASU baseball outscored the USC Trojans 15-12 in a three-game series this weekend, the Sun Devils lost the overall series and have now dropped five of their last six games.
The skid began when the Sun Devils, who had just completed a sweep of their own over Long Beach State, lost three in a row at home to Oregon State. After a five days of rest, they went out on the road and lost Friday’s series-opener in extra innings at USC.
A masterful pitching performance from freshman Chaz Montoya in game two on Saturday lifted the Sun Devils to a shutout victory, but ASU found itself in a hole on Sunday that they’d never climb out of.
ASU (10-12, 1-5 Pac-12) is now near the bottom of the Pac-12 standings.
Game one: USC walks off in extra innings
It took 11 frames of baseball to determine a winner on Friday night, but it started when freshman Chris Clarke took the bump for the Trojans. He went 5 2/3 innings and allowed three runs (two earned) on seven hits with a walk and a strikeout.
Junior Eli Lingos pitched for ASU, entering the game 3-1 on the season. On Friday, he went five innings and allowed four runs on eight hits to go along with a walk and three punch-outs.
Of course, both starting pitchers got the no decision.
That was because the Sun Devil bats plated a run in the eighth inning to tie things up at four apiece and, eventually, force extra innings. Junior outfielder Andrew Shaps went 3-for-4 with an RBI and a walk.
Freshman infielder Carter Aldrete drove home two runs on the day.
Still, it wasn’t enough. Two errors by junior infielder Jackson Willeford eventually allowed the winning run to score for the Trojans.
Final (11): USC 5, ASU 4
Game two: ASU blanks the Trojans behind Montoya, Erives
Montoya had been in a relief role before he was tabbed to start in Los Angeles on Saturday. The Sun Devils, then riding a four-game losing streak, needed a lights-out effort by the pitching staff to right the ship.
Montoya gave his team just that.
B5 | Have A Night @SquadSlayerChaz
— Sun Devil Baseball (@ASU_Baseball) March 26, 2017
The freshman strikeouts out THE SIDE.https://t.co/k9kOdTBYSc
The Glendale native pitched 5 2/3 of scoreless baseball and allowed just two hits — both singles — and two walks. His six strikeouts were icing on the cake as he faced 21 hitters and threw 88 pitches. He was credited with the win.
After his exit, senior reliever Eder Erives pitched the game’s final 3 1/3 innings and, like Montoya, held the Trojans scoreless. He gave up just two hits, walking nobody and also striking out six.
Meanwhile, ASU’s seven runs scored on offense came on 12 total hits. Everyone in the Sun Devil starting lineup got a hit, except for leadoff hitter and freshman Hunter Bishop.
It was the Sun Devils’ first Pac-12 win of the season.
Final: ASU 7, USC 0.
Game three: Sun Devils lose series with 7-4 loss to USC
In the series finale, freshman lefty Spencer Van Scoyoc started for ASU. He went just 2 1/3 innings and allowed three runs (two earned) on three hits, two walks and a wild pitch.
He faced just 11 batters.
From there, sophomore Reagan Todd pitched 3 2/3 innings of relief, allowing five runs and earning the loss. He faced 17 hitters and allowed five hits and three walks. Junior Ryan Hingst and sophomore Zach Dixon rounded out the relief help for ASU on Sunday.
At the plate, the Sun Devils couldn’t muster a comeback.
They did, however, plate a run in the ninth inning and threaten to cut the deficit even further, but USC freshman Austin Manning closed things out and secured the series win for the Trojans.
Bishop went 2-for-3 with a double and two walks.
Devils strike first!@lin_lyle reaches on E5 and pushes @HunterBishop9 across and it's 1-0 ASU!@Pac12Network https://t.co/iC1p0YMH8G
— Sun Devil Baseball (@ASU_Baseball) March 26, 2017
Final: USC 7, ASU 4
Up next, the Sun Devils will have a single game against the UNLV Rebels on Tuesday. Barry Bonds will throw out the first pitch.
Reach the reporter at matthew.layman@asu.edu or follow @Mattjlayman on Twitter.
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