Inning by inning
First inning
Austin Musso started the game for the Sun Devils, where he sent the Wildcats down in order for a scoreless first inning capped off by a strikeout.
Austen Roellig reached for ASU on a walk, but was thrown out on a fielder’s choice that saw Dean Toigo reach first. Toigo made his way to third base on a double by Nu’u Contrades, but the inning was ended on a fly out by Dominic Smaldino.
Second inning
Musso got back to work in the second, giving up a leadoff homerun to give the Wildcats a 1-0 lead. After a flyout marked the first out of the inning, Musso gave up another solo homerun. No further runs were scored as the frame concluded on back-to-back strikeouts,
The Sun Devils were unable to make any noise in the second, with all three batters going down via flyout.
Third inning
Back on the mound, Musso got a flyout before giving up another solo shot to extend U of A’s lead to 3-0. However, Musso was able to get two more flyouts to end the frame.
PJ Moutzouridis and Landon Hairston got things going for ASU in the third, both reaching on singles. Both runners advanced into scoring position on a sac bunt by Austen Roellig. Moutzouridis rounded home on a sac fly from Toigo, getting ASU on the board before the inning ended on a strikeout, leaving Hairston stranded at third.
Fourth inning
A quick 1-2-3 inning for Musso was closed out with his fourth strikeout of the game.
A new pitcher came in for Arizona, sending the Devils hitters down in order.
Fifth inning
Easton Barrett came in to pitch for the Sun Devils, delivering a scoreless inning and only allowing one baserunner on a two-out walk.
Arizona State could not get anything going in the fifth inning, going down in order.
Sixth inning
Alex Overbay stepped onto the mound for ASU, allowing two hits, but no runs to keep the score 3-1.
Roellig and Toigo both reached on walks, but a subsequent double play left Toigo as the only baserunner at second. Toigo was stranded after a ground out by Smaldino ended the inning.
Seventh inning
Eli Buxton was the next pitcher out of the bullpen for the Sun Devils, working around a leadoff walk to keep it a 3-1 game.
A new pitcher came in for Arizona, who nailed Matt Polk on the first pitch. Dominic Longo followed up with a single into left field, and both runners advanced on a wild pitch. Following this, the Wildcats made a call to the bullpen. Hairston was intentionally walked to load the bases, but the inning was snuffed by a groundout, allowing no runs to score.
Eighth inning
Coming out of the bullpen to pitch was Sean Fitzpatrick, who struck out the side.
Toigo was hit by a pitch to open the frame and quickly advanced to second on a wild pitch. Nu’u Contrades tied the game with one swing, launching a 2-run home run to deep right center.
Ninth inning
Derek Schaefer was the next guy up for Arizona State, striking out the side on three consecutive looking strikes and sending the game to the bottom of the ninth.
Following a flyout, Moutzouridis was issued a walk, but the next two batters went down to send the game to extra innings.
Tenth inning
Schaefer remained in the game for the Sun Devils. A leadoff single allowed a baserunner for the Wildcats, and after a strikeout from Schaefer, another single put runners on first and second. The next batter lined into a double play as Smaldino snagged a line drive and dove back to first to get the third out.
Three straight outs ended the inning for the Sun Devils.
Eleventh inning
Colin Linder got the call, and started out by giving up back-to-back doubles to give the Wildcats a 4-3 lead. A pass ball and catcher’s interference put runners on the corners for Arizona. An additional run scored after a fielding error by ASU. Following this, Linder issued a walk to the batter, signaling Finn Edwards to come in for relief. Edwards was able to strike out the next two batters to close out the frame.
After a strikeout from Beckett Zavorek, both Longo and Coen Niclai reached on singles. A flyout from Moutzouridis allowed Longo to advance to third, but a flyout by Hairston ended the game, with the Sun Devils falling 5-3.
