PHOENIX – Defense wins baseball games unless you’re ASU baseball’s redshirt sophomore outfielder Brandon Compton, then being an absolute slugger will work. The Sun Devils didn’t deserve Saturday’s 7-6 walk-off win over the Buckeyes. The game had countless defensive mistakes by ASU on the mound and in the field that gifted Ohio State three runs in three separate innings. However, Compton showed why he was one of the names on the Golden Spikes watch list with a sensational three-hit day with four RBIs, including a two-run RBI walk-off double that ironically fell because of a defensive mistake by Buckeyes’ junior outfielder Reggie Bussey, who dropped the ball to send the fans home happy at Phoenix Municipal Stadium.
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— Sun Devil Baseball (@ASU_Baseball) February 15, 2025
The Sun Devils fell behind four times on Saturday. The Buckeyes are top-heavy with experienced hitters like last year’s leading slugger senior third baseman Tyler Pettorini, who had a three-hit performance today. However, Ohio State didn’t need to rely on its hitting because of ASU’s defensive mistakes. The Sun Devils had to crawl their way out of holes that they dug themselves into with self-inflicted errors, like a wild pitch by freshman right-hander Eli Buxton gave Ohio State its fourth lead, 6-5, in the top of the eighth inning.
The Buxton’s wild pitch was the second time the Buckeyes scored on a pitching error, with the inning prior, sophomore left-hander Cole Caron doing the same thing. The mistakes weren’t just on the mound, as defensive mistakes, as a throwing error by graduate student catcher Josiah Cromwick gifted Ohio State another free run.
Josiah Cromwick (21) of the Arizona State Sun Devils celebrates as he reaches second base during ASU’s home opener against Ohio State on Feb. 14, 2025, in Phoenix, Ariz. Syndication: Arizona Republic
Enough can’t be said about head coach Willie Bloomquist’s squad’s mental fortitude to endure all the defensive miscues and still deliver in the clutch to secure Saturday and the series win. ASU plays the series finale against Ohio State tomorrow, and it’ll look to start the year with a sweep.
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Reporter Tanner Tortorella covers general assignment for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on his X account, @TannerTSports
