Sun Devils tame Cougars in final regular season series
- Tom Hardon
- May 16
- 5 min read
With a lot at stake and little time left on the schedule, the Sun Devils made their way to Texas for a final regular season series before conference tournament play at Houston.
A spot in the postseason tournament already secured, Arizona State was still on the edge of securing a bye to next Thursday’s quarterfinal round in Surprise.
Thursday
An unusual name got the call at starting pitcher as Colby Guy took the ball for his first start of the season in his 14th total appearance on the mound. With the unusual Thursday start to the series, it was critical that Guy be able to give the Sun Devils length to save the bullpen for the rest of the weekend. 5 innings of two run ball was just what the doctor ordered as Guy scattered 5 hits, the only knock on his line coming on a 2-run home run by Dylan Maxcey.
The Sun Devils got things rolling early in the 1st inning on an RBI single by Dominic Smaldino, scoring Landon Hairston who opened the game with a leadoff double. Hairston’s double was his 20th of the season, making him only the second player in program history to record a 20-20 season (Bob Horner, 1978).
A sacrifice fly by Dean Toigo doubled the lead in the 3rd, but Cougars starting pitcher Kendall Hoffman shut down the Devils from that point on, retiring 12 straight hitters before a single by Austen Roellig in the 7th.
Houston didn’t play like a doormat, as they still had a path to make the conference tournament. After the tying home run by Dylan Maxcey, Carsten Sabathia III gave the Cougars the lead with his 6th home run of the season off Taylor Penn in the bottom of the 7th, but that would be the end of the scoring against the Sun Devils bullpen.
Trailing for the first time all game, the Sun Devils reached the Cougars bullpen and took advantage. Back-to-back doubles by Dean Toigo and Dominic Smaldino tied the game in the top of the 8th, with Smaldino coming in to score the go-ahead run later in the inning on a fielder’s choice by Austen Roellig.
One area of the game that can’t be overlooked is the defense. Arizona State recorded four outs on the basepaths, three caught stealing and one pickoff. Brody Briggs has been a key piece on defense all season long behind the plate, and his play was a major reason why the Sun Devils minimized the scoring threats for the Cougars.
Finn Edwards, Sean Fitzpatrick and Derek Schaefer combined to keep the Cougars off the scoreboard over the final two innings, securing the weekend opening win. Taylor Penn was credited with the win, improving to 5-0 on the season, and Schaefer earned his 8th save of the year.
Friday
Back on the regular scheduling, Cole Carlon got the call to the mound for his usual Friday start. Before even taking the mound, he was staked to a 2-0 lead thanks to back-to-back home runs from Landon Hairston and Nu’u Contrades to open the game.
Hairston’s first home run since April 22nd was helped by the wind to stay fair down the right field line, moving him into sole possession of 2nd place in program history with his 26th home run of the season. Contrades’ home run came with a little less question, a no doubt shot to left center field.
Contrades would add another home run in the top of the 3rd, giving him 17 on the season, and a lightning quick 3 run lead.
Cole started out on a roll, retiring the first 5 batters he faced, but was pulled as a precaution after a dip in velocity and 5 straight pitches out of the zone. Colin Linder was called on and finished out the 2nd in short order before giving up 3 in the bottom of the 3rd, nearly a carbon copy of Thursday’s game.
From there, it became another battle of the bullpens. After Linder’s 2.1 innings, Alex Overbay got the call. 3 innings of 2 hit ball, but one of those was a go-ahead home run in the top of the 7th by Blake Fields. Houston added an insurance run in the 8th, but credit where credit is due to the Cougars pitching staff.
Starter Paul Schmitz went 4 innings, giving way to Harrison Boushele who shut down the Arizona State bats, giving up only 2 hits and 1 walk over 5 innings, picking up his second win of the season.
For the Sun Devils, hitting with runners on was a challenge. 1-for-11 with runners on and only advancing runners twice in those 11 opportunities. Many of the chances came with 2 out, limiting the opportunity to stretch their lead.
Saturday
Sophomore outfielder Landon Hairston is the breakout star for the Sun Devils this season. He found power in his bat, setting his single-season records in runs, hits, doubles, triples, runs batted in, total bases, stolen bases, walks, hit by pitches and home runs.
The home runs have been the eye-popping statistic for Hairston, with 20 coming in a 24-game stretch. That stretch gave him the nickname of “Hairy Bonds” as the MLB’s home run king, Barry Bonds, was a Sun Devil.
After a season with four home runs, Hairston spent this season chasing a different Sun Devil alumnus record, Mitch Jones’ single-season record of 27 home runs. He tied the record on Saturday with a 365-foot two-run shot.
The home run was a part of a sixth-inning rally that powered No. 22 Arizona State (36-18, 19-11 Big 12) to an 8-3 victory over Houston (24-31, 7-23 Big 12). The win gives the Sun Devils a road series win, with all of their Big 12 road series ending 2-1 in favor of the Sun Devils. This is the first time they have won all of their conference road series since 1982.
Junior first baseman Dominic Smaldino mashed a 412- foot homer, his sixth in his last five. That homer set his single-season RBI total of 47.
5th-year outfielder Dean Toigo had a pair of hits, including a double, which set his single-season doubles record of 14. The 31 extra base hits this season tie the career best he set last season at UNLV.
Redshirt junior second baseman Nu’u Contrades and redshirt sophomore third baseman Austen Roellig both collected a pair of hits with an RBI.
All nine Sun Devil starters reached base. The Sun Devils went 4-9 with runners in scoring position.
Senior righty and usual series finale starter Kole Klecker did not start the game as expected. Instead, it was junior righty, Jaden Alba. He had the best start of his college career.
Alba threw his career high in innings pitched, going five and two-thirds innings of one-run ball. He struck out seven while giving up five hits and a walk.
Sophomore righty Taylor Penn threw a scoreless two and a third. He only walked one. In his five previous innings, he allowed a run in each, usually throwing multiple innings. His season ERA is 3.46.
Junior righty closer Derek Schaefer struggled, allowing a pair of runs in the ninth. In his last four appearances, he has a 19.64 ERA, raising his season ERA to 6.23. Before that stretch, he threw a scoreless 10 innings.
With the win, the Sun Devils clinch the No. 3 seed in the Big 12 tournament and will face Cincinnati on Thursday, May 21, at 8 p.m. MST.
With a win, the Sun Devils will likely face West Virginia, which took two of three games in Tempe.
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