West Virginia (17-5, 5-2) dropped the first of its three-game series against Arizona State (20-6, 5-2) on Friday night at Phoenix Municipal Stadium. Read more: ASU takes advantage of WVU’s pitching woes.
The Mountaineers fell 14-4 in large part due to their poor pitching in the middle innings. Starting pitcher Dawson Montesa was awarded the loss after giving up six runs on five hits in 3.1 innings of work.
Landon Hairston led the way for the Sun Devils, hitting two no-doubt home runs while driving in eight RBIs. His grand slam in the fifth inning helped power ASU to the win.
Early offense for both teams
The Mountaineers struck first after sophomore utility player Gavin Kelly roped a liner down the left field line, driving in WVU’s first run of the game. The Big 12’s third-leading hitter extended his hitting streak to 18 games.
However, Arizona State’s Cole Carlon managed to hold the damage to just one after striking out both Paul Schoenfeld and Tyrus Hall.
Hairston quickly evened the score after jumping on a 1-0 pitch that ended up sailing over 400 feet (411). That blast gave Hairston his team-leading 12th home run of the season.
Similar to Carlon, Montesa escaped the inning allowing just one run. Armani Guzman assisted by throwing out Dean Toigo at home after Austen Roellig hit a shallow single to right field for the final out of the first inning.
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WVU added another run to the board in the second after Sean Smith singled in Brock Wills from third. Wills started the inning with a leadoff double and reached to third after a throwing error from Carlon.
Once again, Carlon escaped the top of the inning after surrendering just one, capped off with his third strikeout of the afternoon.
Besides a two-out walk, Montesa made quick work of the Sun Devil hitters in the bottom of the second to retain WVU’s early 2-1 lead.
After recording two quick strikeouts, Carlon allowed back-to-back singles. The Mountaineers however weren’t able to make him pay as the southpaw fought back to strike out Wills for the final out of the frame.
Montesa tossed another stress-free inning after recording a 1-2-3 inning. He added his third strikeout of the game in the process.
Crucial fourth inning for ASU
Despite back-to-back singles to lead off the fourth inning, the Mountaineers couldn’t bring any runners home after an inning-ending double play that saw Smith thrown out at the plate.
Smith broke for home after Matthew Graveline misplayed the ground ball and advanced to third, forcing Smith to the plate.
Arizona State’s Nuu Contrades responded with the second home run of the night for the Sun Devils. Contrades’ 440-foot leadoff blast marked his seventh of the year. After loading the bases, Montesa walked in the third run for ASU.
That ended his night as left-hander Bryson Thacker came in for relief with the bases juiced and just one out. Hairston continued his scorching hot season with a 403-foot grand slam to jump Arizona State’s lead to five.
Thacker managed to record back-to-back strikeouts to end ASU’s productive inning.
WVU attempts to battle back
Cole’s outing ended in the fifth after allowing a one-out bunt single to Schoenfeld. He finished with seven strikeouts and just two earned runs on 4.1 innings.
RHP Taylor Penn came in for relief for him and allowed an RBI double to Brodie Kresser, his first batter of the night. Penn bounced back and recorded the final two outs of the inning.
ASU takes advantage of WVU’s pitching woes
Contrades hit his second leadoff home run of the game to erase WVU’s run in the top of the frame.
Yoak was forced out after walking in a run and hitting two batters in the inning. Joshua Surigao came on in relief and immediately issued another bases-loaded walk for the Sun Devils.
ASU left the bases loaded on the next batter, as Dean Toigo went down on strikes.
After an early double from Guzman, Kelly matched him with a double of his own to drive him in. Schoenfeld slapped a single to right field, putting WVU runners on the corners with just one out in the sixth.
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Kresser was moments away from driving them both in, but Hairston made an improbable diving catch to end the threat. That kept the Sun Devils’ six-run advantage intact.
After two early singles from ASU, JT Huether replaced Surigao. Huether loaded the bases after a hit batter, a wild pitch and a walk. He managed to bounce back with a strikeout, which was his final batter of the night.
Andrew Middleton came in for relief for his first outing of the season. Hairston made him pay with a two RBI single. After issuing a walk, Middleton escaped the inning with a bases-loaded strikeout.
Later innings
Penn made quick work of the Mountaineers in the top of the seventh after allowing just a two-out single to Smith.
Weston Smith came in for relief for Middleton, making his third appearance of the season. He completed a quick 1-2-3 inning.
RHP Finn Edwards replaced Penn at the start of the eighth inning. Other than issuing a walk to Kelly, he completed a scoreless frame.
JD Costanzo replaced Smith in the eighth, and immediately issued back-to-back singles. After loading the bases, ASU scored its 14th run of the game off a sacrifice fly. That issued the 10-run rule and ended the game in the bottom of the eighth inning.
What’s next
The Mountaineers will attempt to even up the series on Saturday. First pitch is scheduled for 9:35 p.m. ET / 6:35 p.m. PT.
LHP Maxx Yehl is set to take the mound for West Virginia. He’ll attempt to continue his dominant stretch as he boasts a 4-0 record and a 0.84 ERA. The southpaw is coming off two-straight 10-plus strikeout starts.
As for Arizona State, RHP ALex Overbay is expected to make his fourth start of the season. He holds a 0-0 record with a 5.19 ERA.
