Sun Devils massive 6th inning saves bullpen from collapse in 8-7 win over Gophers

Syndication: Arizona Republic

TEMPE – Arizona state baseball is coming off back-to-back heartbreaking losses to Minnesota because of utter collapses from its bullpen. Blown lead in the ninth, and a grand slam in the eighth led to the Sun Devils entering Sunday’s matchup looking to avoid the sweep. ASU bats struggled initially, but a five-run sixth inning blew open the game that was too much for Minnesota, despite a four home run seventh frame, in the 8-6 win for the Sun Devils.

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Head coach Willie Bloomquist went with the usual Sunday starting sophomore right-hander Jaden Alba. Today was Alba’s third start, and again the right-hander was productive. ASU starters have all been great to start the year, and Alba continues that work in 3.0 innings of work, striking out five Minnesota batters and allowing three hits.

Alba was pulled after only three innings, as Bloomquist went with a bullpen game that worked initially because of freshman left-hander Easton Barrett. The Springville, Utah native picked up where Alba left off striking out Gophers’ batters. Barrett’s stint went 2.2 innings, allowing two baserunners for one run and two strikeouts.

After two straight games of ASU’s bullpen costing it the game, it was saving them early in the series finale as the bats struggled early.

Besides, graduate student catcher Josiah Cromwick’s fifth homer of the year that gifted the Sun Devils the lead, putting runs on the scoreboard was like pulling teeth. Neither team could grab the edge heading into the bottom of the sixth inning, with ASU up 3-2.

CromBo Number 5️⃣

Devils back on top.

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— Sun Devil Baseball (@ASU_Baseball) March 2, 2025

However, once Ty McDevitt went to his bullpen, the Sun Devils eyes lit up. Junior right-hander Caden Capomaccio pitched a perfect fifth but got rammed in the sixth, allowing runners on second and third for redshirt junior to an RBI single for the inning’s first run.

After Walker’s hit snowballed into two RBI hits from freshman infielder Beckett Zavorek and a two-out double from redshirt sophomore Brandon Compton. In half an inning, ASU had flipped the game on its head to explode the lead 8-2.

The Sun Devils gave its inconsistent bullpen some much-needed insurance runs, which were immediately discarded with a hilariously bad seventh inning. ASU allowed back-to-back homers to start the frame. Bloomquist responded by going to the pen for junior left-hander Sean Fitzpatrick, who proceeded to allow another two more homers.

Minnesota hit four solo home runs in the seventh inning to cut the six-run deficit back to two, 8-6. ASU has seen this movie before in the previous two games and didn’t want to end the trilogy similar to the other ones.

Bloomquist doesn’t have a lot of trustworthy arms but believed he found one in sophomore right-hander Josh Butler. Butler ended the nightmare seventh and brought ASU two outs away from winning. However, the Sun Devil right-hander loaded two on and allowed an RBI double by sophomore outfielder Brayden Hellum.

ASU’s six-run lead shrunk to one with two runners in scoring positions. Bloomquist was taking no risk going with sophomore right-hander Derek Schaefer, who was stellar in his start against UCLA in the midweek series. Schaefer responded to his manager’s call and struck out the final two batters to save ASU’s 8-7 win.

The program’s next game will be a midweek one-off against UNLV on Tuesday at Phoenix Municipal Park.

ASU bullpen allows late Grand Slam in 6-4 loss to Minnesota

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Reporter Tanner Tortorella covers general assignment for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on his X account, @TannerTSports