Muni Magic as Baseball Walks Off Huskies in Extras

PHOENIX - It is said that it's hard not to be romantic about baseball and that sentiment was in full effect after an instant classic at Phoenix Municipal Stadium on Friday evening between Sun Devil Baseball and the Washington Huskies. After squandering an opportunity to win the game in the ninth inning, Nick McLain was given a chance to redeem himself in a frenetic tenth and didn't let the opportunity pass as he launched a game-winning grand slam to rally Arizona State (25-22, 13-12 Pac-12) past the Huskies, 11-7, in extras.
 
McLain was gifted a tailor-made chance to end the game in the ninth in a 5-5 tie, as the Huskies intentionally loaded the bases with just one out by putting the red-hot Kien Vu on base. McLain jumped out to a 3-1 count and needed only to take a pitch out of the zone or push one into the outfield to earn the victory. Instead, the redshirt sophomore fanned on a pair of high heaters and ASU was unable to capitalize on the opportunity, going to extra innings for the first time this season.
 
Things looked especially grim for the Sun Devils at that point - who had already seen a 4-0 lead after the first inning whittled away before the Huskies tied things at 5-5 in the ninth - as UW (17-21, 8-14) got a wall-scraping two-run shot in the tenth to take its first lead of the game. 
 
Twice in the bottom half of the inning, ASU was down to its final strike. Eamonn Lance fell into a 0-2 hole but battled back to bring the count full before knocking an RBI double to bring ASU with a run. The game looked to be over on the very next pitch, however - a first-pitch pop-up straight into the air that dropped harmlessly after the Husky catcher slipped just steps behind home plate. Steven Ondina showed his gratitude to the baseball deities for that gift with a two-out, two-strike RBI triple off the center field wall to tie the game at 7-7. 
 
The Huskies intentionally walked Ryan Campos and Vu to yet again load the bases and bring McLain to the plate for the second straight inning. McLain didn't let Washington get away with it twice, sending a 2-1 offering over the left center field wall for a walk-off grand slam and ASU's ninth win in its last 11 games. 
 
Vu continued to swing a hot streak with his tenth home run of the season and registering a second hit as well. Brandon Compton tallied his 37th RBI of the year, going 2-for-5. Ethan Mendoza tallied his 46th hit of the year, setting up an RBI for Isaiah Jackson in the bottom of the first and getting the late rally started with his one-out RBI triple in the tenth. Ondina added two hits as well as nine different Sun Devils registered a hit in the contest.
 
Ben Jacobs was solid yet again, giving ASU 6.0 innings on the bump in the start, fanning nine Huskies and allowing four runs. Matt Tieding had 1.2 scoreless innings of relief while Sean Fitzpatrick earned his first collegiate victory as he recorded the final two outs of the tenth and stranded a UW insurance run in the process.  The Sun Devil pitcher struck out 14 total batters and stranded seven on the bases.
 
TURNING POINT
After allowing a two-run homer in the top of the tenth, the Sun Devils needed big plays to stay alive, trailing 7-5 - a lead that could have been worse if not for Sean Fitzpatrick stranding an insurance run in scoring position to cap off the frame. Ethan Mendoza started the Sun Devil rally with a one-out triple to right center which boosted the dugout. Following that, Lance subbed in as a pinch hitter with two outs but quickly fell into an 0-2 count and ASU's last strike. The veteran fouled off several pitches and eventually worked the count full and won the eight pitch of the at-bat with a double to left center which allowed Mendoza to advance home and keep the rally alive. 
 
BIG MOMENT
Ondina was next up to the plate but his opportunity looked to be short-loved after getting under one and hitting a pop fly straight over home base. The baseball gods smiled down upon the Sun Devils, however, as the Husky slipped while getting under the ball as it dropped harmlessly for strike one. Following that, Ondina tripled one to center field on a 1-2 count, bringing in pinch runner Harris Williams to tie the ball game at 7-7 with two outs. 
 
FINAL STRAW
With the winning run 90 feet away, Ryan Campos and Kien Vu were intentionally walked to fill up the free bases. McLain was given his second opportunity to win the game in as many innings and did not let his chance slip away again. On a 2-1 count, McLain found the sweet spot and slammed one way out to opposite left-center field for a walk off grand slam. 
 
QUOTABLES
Arizona State Infielder Eamonn Lance
On what Coach Willie told him before his tenth inning pinch hit
"Look for the heater and I've actually been in that spot before and I kind of just envisioned success and had a lot of time on the bench to get prepared for it. Yeah, he finally gave me this, made a mistake over the heart and didn't miss it."
 
Arizona State Left Fielder Kien Vu
On his mood going into extra innings
"Honestly, I was a little defeated because it does suck. But, that does no one any good. So, I think I feel like everyone, no one was too down and everyone kind of used this as like a watch what we can do opportunity. And so I think as soon as that first pitch at the bottom of the 10th, everyone was on the top of the railing and just yelling and yelling, trying to win each pitch."
 
Arizona State Right Fielder Nick McLain
On hitting a walk off grand slam
"That was one of the coolest moments of my baseball career. So that was fun to see everyone fired up for me. And, again, it was just a cool team win." 
 
On being able to bounce back and what that shows of the team's growth
"Our coaches have been awesome with everything. I think it's just a lot of blooming. He's always preaching about mentality and it's kind of what I think our team's really good about."
 
NOTABLES 

• Ryan Campos' ninth-inning single means he has now reached base safely in 126-of-136 career games (92.7 percent) with the Sun Devils and all but one game this season.
• Catching a runner stealing in the first, Campos has now thrown out 15 of the last 27 baserunners attempting to steal against him after starting the year out at just a 2-for-19 clip.
• ASU has scored 10 or more runs in six of its last seven games.
• This season, ASU has posted 46 3+ run innings and 30 4+ run innings following its four-run first and six-run tenth. The team now has 13 innings this season scoring five or more runs.
• Nick McLain's walk-off grand slam was the second walk-off granny under head coach Willie Bloomquist. From 1998-2022, the Sun Devils didn't have a single walk-off grand slam. 
• In ASU's last 11 games, in which it has gone 9-2, McLain is batting .333 with 12 RBIs - third-best on the team and slugging .692 behind three homers and five doubles. 
• Washington reliever Grant Cunningham entered the weekend with All-America-type numbers, sitting third in the country and tops in the Pac-12 with a 1.36 ERA over 39.2 innings - striking out 45 and walking just nine with a .194 average against. The sophomore had given up just seven extra-base hits TOTAL this season before giving up four to the Sun Devils in the tenth inning alone tonight (two triples, a double and the walk-off grand slam). It was just the second homer allowed by Cunningham this season.
• Cunningham had never given up more than four earned runs in his career in 35 previous appearances and over 90 innings pitched before giving up six to ASU in the tenth. Cunningham had allowed only six earned runs ALL SEASON prior to the six given up to the Sun Devils on Friday. 
• With another two hits and a homer tonight, Kien Vu extended his impressive 23-game stretch since entering the starting lineup against UNLV where he is batting .469 with 10 homers, five doubles, a triple and a team-best 33 RBIs - 10 more than any other player in that stretch. 
• Vu's two-run homer tonight gives him 39 RBIs overall on the season - good for second on the team despite starting between 10-23 games less than the team's eight primary starters. 
• He extended his active hitting streak to 13 games today, the longest by a Sun Devil this season.
• ASU pitchers struck out 14 Washington batters, the 23rd time this season accomplishing the feat. It had just 21 such games all of last season. 
• Steven Ondina has put together quite the stretch in ASU's last ten games, posting a .415 average that is second on the team in that stretch with 10 RBIs, which are fourth. He has slugged .659 in that stretch with two homers and two triples.
• ASU has trailed at some point in 34 of the team's last 46 victories dating back to last season. 
• In Eamonn Lance's last 19 appearances, he has slugged .690 with seven of his 12 hits going for extra bases (five homers, two doubles) after his pinch hit RBI double in the 10 inning tonight.He has 15 RBIs in that stretch - fifth on the team despite starting just nine games in the last 23. As a pinch hitter this season, Lance is now batting .333 with five RBIs, slugging .917 on two homers and a double. 
• It was the fifth time this season ASU has won a game as a result of a lead change in the ninth inning or later, walking off Oregon and GCU in the ninth and going ahead in the top of the ninth against Arizona and UNLV on the road. 

INNING BY INNING 
First Inning
Jacob Tobias recorded the first out of the night with a foul out sent hovering first base. After a fly out was caught by Nick McLain, Ryan Campos was able to make the throw to second where Ondina laid the easy tag to put out the runner stealing for the third and final out. Campos reached first on a fielding error to give the Sun Devils their first base runner of the night. Kien Vu launched one out of the park for a two-run homer to give ASU its first score of the game. Brandon Compton doubled down the right field line and was brought home by Ethan Mendoza after he reached on an infield single and advanced on an error. Following that, Isaiah Jackson doubled to right center field to bring in Ethan Mendoza. A fly out ended the Sun Devils four run inning, with the Sun Devils holding a 4-0 lead over the Huskies.
 
Second Inning
Ben Jacobs recorded his first strikeout of the night for the first out of the second inning. A ground out to Mendoza marked the second out for the Huskies. Jacobs earned his second strikeout of the night to end the frame for the Huskies. The Sun Devils were retired in order.
 
Third Inning
Jacobs struck out the first two batters to mark his fourth strikeout of the night. After a walk, a fly out caught by Isaiah Jackson ended the frame for the Huskies. The Sun Devils were retired in order. 
 
Fourth Inning
McLain fielded a fly out for the first out of the inning. A ground out caught by Mendoza and a pop fly caught by Campos ended the frame for the Huskies. The Sun Devils were retired in order. 
 
Fifth Inning
Jacobs gained his fifth strikeout of the night at the start of the frame. After a walk and another strikeout for Jacobs, the Huskies homered one over right field for a two-run homerun. Jacobs finished out strong with another strikeout to end the Huskies' frame. After Vu singled one through the right side, McLain reached on a fielder's choice to pitcher and then advanced to second on a throwing error while Vu was thrown out at second beforehand. After Tobias was walked, Compton singled one to right center to bring McLain home and advance Tobias to third. Tobias was caught stealing home to end the frame for the Sun Devils. The Sun Devils hold a 5-2 lead over the Huskies.
 
Sixth Inning
The Huskies homered one to right field to close their deficit to 5-3. Following a fly out and a strikeout, the Huskies managed to homer one over center field to bring it to a one score game. Jacobs finished the inning strong with another strikeout, earning his ninth strikeout of the night. After Demera singled one to shortstop, Ondina singled one to left field allowing Demera to advance to second. Ondina and Demera were left stranded as the Sun Devils were struck out for the last out of the inning. The Sun Devils hold a 5-4 lead over the Huskies.
 
Seventh Inning
Two strikeouts from Tieding and a groundout retired the Huskies in order. The Sun Devils retired in order as well. 
 
Eighth Inning 
Following Demera's nice play at the hot corner, Vu notched the second out of the inning by catching a fly out. With second and third base occupied by the Huskies, a fly out caught by Isaiah Jackson left them stranded at the end of the frame. The Sun Devils retired in order, keeping a 5-4 lead over the Huskies heading into the final inning.
 
Ninth Inning
Following a leadoff UW single up the middle, a sacrifice bunt advanced the runner to second. A single through the right side advanced the runner to home, tying the game 5-5. With first and second base occupied after a wild pitch and hit pitch, a fly out caught by Isaiah Jackson left both baseman stranded to end the frame. After Demera was walked, Ondina sacrificed a bunt allowing Demera to advance to second. Campos singled one through the left side, advancing Demera to third. An intentional walk by the Huskies advanced Vu to first and Campos to second with the bases loaded for the Sun Devils. The Sun Devils were left stranded on all bases to close out the ninth inning. The Sun Devils and Huskies head into extra innings tied at 5-5.
 
Tenth Inning
After a single to shortstop, the Huskies homered one just over the right field wall for a two-run homer. Schiefer earned another strikeout for the night to mark the first out of the tenth inning. After Fitzpatrick stepped in to pitch for Schiefer, a groundout and strikeout ended the frame for the Huskies. The Huskies held a 7-5 lead with the Sun Devils up to bat. Mendoza tripled one to right center off the first pitch to give the Sun Devils some breathing room with only one out. Eamonn Lance pinch hit for Demera and doubled one to left center, advancing Mendoza home to bring it to a one score game. Following that, Ondina tripled one deep to center field allowing pinch runner Harris Williams to advance home to tie the ball game. The Huskies intentionally walked Campos and Vu, leaving the bases loaded for the Sun Devils. A walk off grand slam hit by McLain secured a 11-7 win for the Sun Devils. 
 
ON DECK: 
The Sun Devils will remain at Phoenix Municipal Stadium for the second contest against Washington on Saturday evening at 6:30 p.m. AZT, looking for its third-straight series win. The game will be broadcast on Pac-12 Arizona and available over the airwaves on KDUS 1060 AM.