PHOENIX – Despite another late comeback, the San Diego State baseball team fell short for the second straight game, as host Arizona State held on for a 5-3 decision on Saturday at Phoenix Municipal Stadium.
Trailing 5-0, the Aztecs (0-2) threatened in the ninth inning with three runs on three hits but could not extend the contest.
SDSU loaded the bases when Trevor Fox reached on a fielder's choice and Drew Giannini singled, with both runners advancing after the throw to second was late on Caden Miller's grounder to the right side. In the interim, Shauna Montoya struck out; however, Cole Carrigg followed with a solid single to center, which plated Fox to put the Scarlet and Black on the board.
Sun Devil reliever Brock Peery spelled Blake Pivaroff at this juncture, but Poncho Ruiz kept the Aztecs alive with a two-run single up the middle, as Giannini and Miller scored, trimming the deficit to 5-3. However, SDSU's comeback hopes quickly vanished when Peery fanned TJ Fondtain to extinguish record the save.
ASU starter Khristian Curtis (1-0) earned the victory after offsetting two hits and three walks with six strikeouts in five scoreless innings before giving way to Matt Tieding.
San Diego State countered with Chris Canada (0-1), who shook off two early runs with seven strikeouts in six innings of work. The Aztec left-hander yielded solo home runs to Luke Keaschall and Isaiah Jackson in the first two innings, respectively, but grew stronger as the game progressed, retiring 11 batters in one stretch before walking Keaschall with one out in the sixth.
Ricky Tibbett entered and retired side in the seventh but was unable to escape trouble in the eighth when the Sun Devils (2-0) scored three runs on two hits.
Jackson was hit by a pitch to lead off the frame and moved to third on Wyatt Crenshaw's ground rule double. Moments later, Luke Hill lifted a sacrifice fly to right, while Nu'u Contrades followed with a run-scoring single to plate Crenshaw. Keaschall stepped to the plate and was hit by a pitch, as Brian Leonhardt was summoned from the bullpen. Following a passed ball, Contrades soon crossed the plate on Ryan Campos' sacrifice fly to center, giving the hosts a 5-0 advantage.
Tibbett was charged with all three runs (two earned), while Eldridge Armstrong III was called upon to get the final out in the inning after Leonhardt issued a pair of walks.
The Aztecs, who stranded 10 runners for the game, left the bases loaded in the fifth, squandering their best scoring chance in the game up to that point. Tyler Glowacki led off with a double, while Giannini and Montoya followed with one-out walks. However, Curtis fought himself off the proverbial ropes by getting a popout and a strikeout to end the threat.
Fondtain and Crenshaw finished with two hits apiece to lead their respective teams.
San Diego State will look to salvage the final game of the weekend series on Sunday, starting at 12:30 p.m. MT/11:30 a.m. PT. Once again, a link to streaming video will be available on GoAztecs.com.
Aztecs Drop 5-3 Decision at Arizona State
