Sluggish Sunday
Nine different Husky hitters recorded hits on Sunday. Washington (11-16, 3-9 Pac-12) tallied 16 hits and posted a season-high run total in its 13-6 win over Arizona State (18-9, 7-5).
Conversely, nearly every Sun Devil pitcher used gave up a run in their appearance. The only exception was Will Levine, who came in and recorded the final out in the bottom of the eighth.
In total, ASU used seven pitchers, which is the same number they threw in Friday night’s 16-inning win.
Joe Hauser started the game for ASU and Brock Peery followed him first out of the bullpen. The tandem threw 2.1 innings each (team-high) and allowed a combined seven runs on 11 hits.
A four-single third inning, capped off by a two-RBI triple from Will Simpson, gave the Huskies a quick 4-0 advantage. Washington also added three runs in the bottom of the fifth off of five hits (four singles, one triple).
Will Simpson works a full count and caps it off with this RBI triple off the wall in right field!
Dawgs lead ASU 4-0!
https://t.co/6O5GqDUs3k
https://t.co/Q3iKSRywd8#DaWgStrong /// #GoHuskies pic.twitter.com/oNzRXG9rnN— Washington Baseball (@UW_Baseball) April 11, 2021
All of ASU’s runs came courtesy of the long ball. In the fifth, Drew Swift tied Kai Murphy for the team-lead in homers (three) with a two-run shot to right. Jack Moss also picked up his third dinger of the year in the sixth with a solo bomb.
Later that inning, Murphy was able to reclaim sole possession of the home run leaderboard (four) with a three-run homer of his own.
WE LOVE TO SEE IT.
Right back in this one thanks to @kaijmurphy.
ASU back within a run, 7-6. pic.twitter.com/3CItkSubFV
— Sun Devil Baseball (@ASU_Baseball) April 11, 2021
The big sixth inning cut the Washington lead, making it a one-run game, but the Huskies recovered fast. Washington put up another three-run spot in the bottom of the sixth off of three extra-base hits. That extended their lead to four and took the wind out of ASU’s sails.
The Huskies tacked on three more insurance runs and set down nine of the last 10 ASU batters to seal the victory and avoid the series sweep.
Sean McLain was not in the lineup for Saturday or Sunday’s games. Head coach Tracy Smith said after the game that it was due to a small injury that they make sure does not turn into a bigger one. McLain currently is tied for the third-longest hitting streak in ASU history since 1998 (23 games).
Arizona State has a quick turnaround, as they will head to Las Vegas and take on the Running Rebels of UNLV at 6 p.m. local time on Tuesday night.
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