By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Friday night's comeback bid fell just short for the Tennessee Tech baseball team, as the Golden Eagles (19-20) fell to the No. 5 ranked Arizona State Sun Devils (27-11) at Phoenix Municipal Stadium, 6-3.
It was all Arizona State early in the ball game, as the home squad got the scoring started early an often, plating three in the bottom of the first and two more in the second. The Sun Devils took advantage of a Golden Eagle miscue on the first play of the game, making two of their three first-inning runs unearned.
In the second, ASU quickly picked up where it left off the inning prior, collecting four hits in the first five at bats, including the first three of the frame. Two more Sun Devil runners crossed to give the home squad a 5-0 lead early.
But the Golden Eagles refused to go down without a fight. And they gave the No. 5 ranked squad all they could handle.
Tech hurler Chris Chism settled down after a tough start to the game, setting down the side in order in the third. After a leadoff hit and subsequent walk to start the fourth, the senior forced two straight pop ups and then ended the frame with a swinging punchout.
With Chism relatively settled in, the Golden Eagle offense took over in the fifth, sending eight to the plate to cross three and trim the Sun Devil lead down to 5-3. Redshirt freshman Ryan Flick got the inning started, missing a home run by inches. The designated hitter "settled" for a leadoff double of the top of the wall in right field.
Second baseman Jake Farr reached on an Arizona State error in the next at bat to put two on and set up Anthony El Chibani two batters later for the first RBI of the game for Tech. The sophomore outfielder drilled a single to left center field to plate Flick and start the Tech rally.
After the Sun Devils tallied the second out of the inning, David Allen singled through the left side to drive in the second Tech run of the game. All-American shortstop Dylan Bosheers followed, lacing his own RBI single to left center field and providing the third run of the inning for the Golden Eagles.
Chism made quick work of the Sun Devils in the fifth, setting down the side in order. In the sixth, ASU threatened to increase its lead, plating two of the first three batters. A senior veteran, Chism forced a fly out and ground out to wrap up the sixth.
The Tampa, Fla. native dug deep on the night, coming out for the seventh frame despite approaching the 100-pitch mark the previous inning. Chism forced a quick fly out, and after hitting the next batter, forced a ground out to grab the second out of the inning with a runner on second.
He focused in hard on the final batter of the frame, trading balls and strikes to load the count on five pitches. With a runner in scoring position, Chism got the batter to swing freely and whiff on a devastating slider to end the inning and his night.
After a scoring an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth on a Tech miscue, the Sun Devils looked to put the visiting squad away in the top of the ninth in quick fashion. Problem was, the Golden Eagles weren't having that.
Jake Farr led off the frame with a single up the middle and advanced to second on a ground out on the n next at bat. Arizona State did manage to tally the second out of the frame and brought in reliever Eric Melbostad for the final out.
The junior proved to be a little wild, walking Tyler Brazelton on four pitches. He then recorded a throwing error after fielding a swinging bunt by David Allen, tossing the ball too high for the first baseman and loading the bases for Dylan Bosheers. The Tech slugger just missed out on barreling the ball, grounding out to the pitcher to end the contest and have the Tech rally come up just short.
Chism took just his second loss of the season on the night, despite tossing seven innings and allowing just three earned runs. The senior fanned five on the evening while racking up a pitch count of 109. Flick led the Tech offense, going 2-for-4 with an extra-base hit and a run scored. Allen also tallied two hits in the contest.
Seth Martinez notched his second win of the year for the Sun Devils while Melbostad earned his third save. Colby Woodmansee was the top batter for the home squad, going 3-for-5 with three RBI and a run scored.
Game two between Tech and Arizona State is set for an 8:30 p.m. CT start Saturday evening.
Photo by Jim Dillon
