Offense and bullpen struggle in Big 12 tournament semi-finals

Redshirt sophomore catcher Brody Briggs stands in the batter's box at Phoenix Municipal Stadium on Sunday, April 26, 2015. (Echo From The Buttes/Andrew Hayslett)

SURPRISE, Ariz. – Last season, the Sun Devils mustered six hits and no runs in the first round of the Big 12 tournament, as they were upset by BYU. A year later, it was a similar, underwhelming exit, although a round later.

After a solid Friday night performance from the Sun Devil starter Cole Carlon, Bloomquist turned to sophomore right-hander Finn Edwards, and the bullpen proceeded to allow double the runs than the total number of Arizona State offensive hits, allowing No. 9 West Virginia (39-14) to defeat No. 21 Arizona State baseball (37-19) 7-3.

“A lot of areas we could have done better,” Arizona State head coach Willie Bloomquist said.

Like the rest of the bullpen, Edwards has had an up-and-down year. His 13 and two-thirds innings pitched were the fourth fewest innings of those who had pitched this season coming into the night. He was on the hook for two losses earlier this season, and this makes his third.

Edwards allowed a trio of singles before an error from junior shortstop PJ Moutzouridis allowed a pair of runs to score. He allowed three runs on the night and could not get an out. His ERA rose to 6.59.

Senior lefty Sean Fitzpatrick limited the damage and did not allow an additional run to score. His season is excellent with a 2.96.

Redshirt junior right-hander Colin Linder threw a scoreless seventh, but things unraveled in the eighth. Linder allowed a walk and a single as Arizona State center fielder Landon Hairston made an errant throw, allowing a run to score. 

Junior righty Derek Schaefer allowed a single that scored the inherited runner from Linder. The single he allowed scored on a Brody Briggs throwing error. In his last half dozen innings, he has a 16.62 ERA with a pair of unearned runs allowed.

Aside from the Fitzpatrick move, the moves Bloomquist made with the bullpen turned out to be the wrong ones. The Edwards move made sense as coming into the night, Edwards had the second-lowest ERA of available arms (junior righty Wyatt Halvorson had season-ending Tommy John surgery and sophomore right-hander Taylor Penn threw three innings of relief on Thursday) behind Fitzpatrick.

Junior lefty Cole Carlon threw the ball well, coming off a shortened appearance due to a dead arm. He allowed one run in five and a third innings, allowing five hits and a walk. He topped out at 97 mph and struck out six batters on 79 pitches. His season ERA is 3.51.

“I felt good out there physically, mentally, I felt like I was in some of the best headspace I was all year,” Carlon said. “I felt really good with executing my pitches. I feel like that was probably the best that I felt with my command.” 

The offense had only three hits all night.

5th-year right fielder Dean Toigo hit a two-run home run, his 17th of the season. It was his first home run in 13 games. 

On Friday, Bloomquist started redshirt sophomore Brody Briggs at catcher and sophomore catcher Coen Niclai as the designated hitter. Briggs went 0/4. 

Niclai went 0/2 with two strikeouts before being pinch-hit for by redshirt junior infielder Garrett Michel, who hit a groundout. Sophomore outfielder Ky McGary pinch-hit for Michel and walked.

Since April 17th, Briggs has been the full-time catcher, with Niclai getting no starts at the position. Since that date, Briggs is batting .254 (15/59), and Niclai is 0/8 in five games, with a pair of starts as the designated hitter, including Friday. From April 1st to 17th Niclai went .353 (6/17). Bloomquist preferred Briggs’ defensive prowess to Niclai’s offensive talent. 

“I’m trying to find somebody that can step up and get some hits when it counts, which is why I went with Coen (Niclai) today,” Bloomquist said. “I’m not gonna second-guess that decision, but I am going to take a closer look at Ky McGary because every time he comes in to pinch-hit, he puts together a good at-bat.”

Michel, the regular DH, is slumping, batting .154 (6/30) since April 24th, and has no hits in his last 15 at-bats. McGary has reached base in his last three games and is batting .200 (1/5) since April 22nd.

Bloomquist sat sophomore infielder Beckett Zavorek, who is batting .457 (16/35), dating back to April 17th. He played junior shortstop PJ Moutzouridis, who is batting .174 (4/23) since May third. Moutzouridis has committed six errors in his last 11 games.

Moutzouridis went 0-3 with a hit by pitch.

The Sun Devils will likely play in the NCAA tournament and will find out their selection on Monday.

“This isn’t patty cake, this is baseball,” Bloomquist said.