Los Angeles –After Arizona State baseball had two nightmare innings in its loss yesterday to UCLA, head coach Willie Bloomquist needed better control from his arms. ASU responded by holding UCLA to a goose egg on the scoreboard, allowing four hits and only two walks. The Sun Devils had its best pitching day of the season, and had their first shutout in a midweek game over a Power 4/5 team since 2004. ASU starting sophomore right-hander Derek Schaefer shined in his first start as a Sun Devil with a 2-0 win over the Bruins, splitting the two-game series.
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Sun Devils pitcher Matt Tieding (#44) against Oregon State at Scottsdale Stadium on May 23, 2024. Syndication: Arizona Republic
In Schaefer’s first start as a Sun Devil, the former Volunteer dominated on the bump. Schaefer pitched 4.0 innings, allowing only two hits and striking out five Bruin batters. He gave up zero walks and made no mistakes on the mound, like HBP or wild pitches that gave UCLA any momentum. ASU arms have struggled with their control, but Schaefer broke the mold and gave his team confidence.
We see you, Schaef ????
Strikes out the side in his first Sun Devil start.
???? Big+ pic.twitter.com/PZ2QSR8638
— Sun Devil Baseball (@ASU_Baseball) February 26, 2025
However, UCLA had similar success on the mound with starting sophomore right-hander Luke Rodriguez. Sun Devil batters had no answer to Rodriguez, who only allowed three baserunners in his 5.0 innings of work. The Shafter, Calif. native off-speed pitches had ASU whiffing for four strikeouts and couldn’t generate solid contact.
The Sun Devils looked to be stunted at the plate in back-to-back games until the Bruins went to their bullpen. In the top of the seventh inning, ASU, on two outs, would rally, generating a walk that allowed junior outfielder Isaiah Jackson, on a 2-2 count, to hit an RBI-double to score the game’s first run.
Sun Devils outfielder Isaiah Jackson (#24) up to bat against Oregon State at Scottsdale Stadium on May 23, 2024. Syndication: Arizona Republic
Graduate left-hander Ryan Rissas started to fluster after the Jackson double, loading the bases via an HBP and a single. Head coach John Savage went to the bullpen to salvage the inning, but it wouldn’t stop freshman infielder Beckett Zavorek from driving in an RBI single down the middle to give ASU the 2-0 lead.
ASU finally responded at the plate while the play on the mound remained excellent. Bloomquist let sophomore left-hander Cole Carlon carry the bullpen in the middle innings. Carlon worked 3.0 innings, only allowing one hit and one walk, striking out five UCLA batters. The Bruins were stumped, with junior left-hander Sean Fitzpatrick coming into record the save in Sun Devils’ 2-0 win.
ASU’s new head baseball coach, Willie Bloomquist, speaks to the media during ASU Baseball’s first official media day ahead of practice on Friday, Jan. 28, 2022. Syndication: Arizona Republic
Bloomquist and his sqaud get revenge against the Bruins to split the series and head back to Tempe 7-2. ASU will play a 3-game series against Minnesota at Phoenix Municipal Stadium.
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Reporter Tanner Tortorella covers general assignment for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on his X account, @TannerTSports
