Long ball sends Sun Devils to regional finale
- Andrew Hayslett
- May 31
- 3 min read
Coming into Sunday, the Sun Devils did a lot of damage with the long ball, averaging nearly two per game, and in the four games since the start of the Big 12 tournament, they averaged 2.5 per game.
On Sunday, the Sun Devils did a lot of damage with the long ball, with four home runs and eight runs scored off homers. Those propelled Arizona State (39-20) to an 11-8 win over Nebraska (43-17), knocking the regional hosts out of the NCAA tournament.
Junior first baseman Dominic Smaldino launched two taters, one of which was a grand slam. His bat is hot as of late, smashing nine homers in his last ten games. Half of his career-high single-season total of 18 have come in the stretch.
Smaldino notched six RBI, bringing his season total to 56, more than his first two seasons at Cal. The two runs he scored tied and then broke his single-season record of runs scored as he sits at 49.
Junior center fielder Dominic Longo smashed his first homer since March eighth, his seventh of the season. He drove in a pair and scored one.
Redshirt junior second baseman Nu’u Contrades rocketed his 21st home run of the season. He walked twice, scored thrice and drove in one. The three runs scored set his new single-season record of 48 this season. The Hawaii native is on a 10-game hit streak.
On the mound, graduate righty starter Colby Guy was dominant. In his second start of the season, he threw six innings of one-run ball, allowing four hits. He struck out seven as well.
The six innings and seven strikeouts are highs for Guy since his junior season at UNC Asheville. His season ERA moves down to 4.97, and his ERA in starts this season is 2.45.
That allowed Arizona State to save the rest of its bullpen as junior righty Josh Butler came in. Butler struggled, allowing four hits and a walk while only getting one out. All five runs scored, and his ERA rises to 8.50.
Sophomore righty Taylor Penn was okay in two innings of work. He allowed a pair of runs to score in the ninth after a scoreless inning and two-thirds. The Kentucky native allowed three hits and a walk.
This is the first time he has allowed multiple runs in a game since April 11 against Utah, when he was starting. This was the second time he allowed multiple runs out of the bullpen all season, with the first time being his first appearance on Feb 17. His ERA rose to 3.45.
Junior right-hander Derek Schaefer cleaned up the ninth, only allowing one of the two inherited runners from Penn to score. He hit the first batter he faced, but got the two outs he needed to give Arizona State the win. This is his ninth save of the season.
Sophomore outfielder Landon Hairston was ejected after launching his bat in the fourth after a called strike three. He is suspended for one game.
After the Big 12 player of the year was ejected, sophomore outfielder Ky McGary took over his spot in left. He recorded his first career double and scored a run.
5th-year right fielder Dean Toigo recorded a hit, an RBI and scored twice. Junior shortstop PJ Moutzouridis singled twice and scored twice at the bottom of the order.
Redshirt sophomore third baseman Austen Roellig collected a trio of singles. Graduate outfielder Matt Polk recorded a hit after sitting out Saturday’s game.
In the third, on what should have been a routine inning-ending double play, Nebraska committed a throwing error, allowing all Sun Devils to be safe. After that, the Sun Devils scored four critical runs, punishing the Cornhuskers' mistake. That is what great teams do: take advantage of extra outs.
Contrades, Moutzouridis and Roellig all made great defensive plays in the game.
After Sunday’s game, the Sun Devils now average exactly two home runs per game.
The Sun Devils take on Ole Miss at 5 PM Arizona time on Sunday, around 90 minutes after the end of the game against Nebraska.
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