Bathing in the golden sun on a glorious Saturday afternoon, No. 19 Arizona State (7-2) took the diamond at Phoenix Municipal Stadium for the second of three games against the Utah Utes (1-7).

The Sun Devils, who were known across the country for the past two years for their ability to hit the long ball with players such as 2020 No.1 overall draft pick Spencer Torkleson, Hunter Bishop, and Trevor Hauver, have taken a different approach in 2021, opting for base hits and execution along the basepaths. Yet on Saturday afternoon, four of ASU’s nine hits were for extra bases, showing that the 2021 squad, despite tactical differences to teams of years past can still display power when they need to, as they cruised past Utah 4-1.

“It’s just a different team this year,” junior shortstop Drew Swift said. “We really had to adapt to being grinders, having good at-bats and playing through nine innings. We don’t have that luxury of (Torkelson) coming up and hitting bombs or anything.”

With Torkleson gone, Swift was right; there are no more freebie home run opportunities for this year’s squad – but that doesn’t mean they can’t hit the ball for four bags, and after Saturday’s game, redshirt freshman infielder Sean McLain can certainly speak to that.

In the bottom of the second, with freshman closer/designated hitter Ethan Long on first, McLain took multiple foul balls deep to left field in foul territory. With a full count, McLain finally straightened the ball out, sending it high, with just enough punch to put it over the left field wall for his first career knock in maroon and gold.

“He hung a curveball earlier in the at-bat, and I pulled it foul,” McClain said. “He came back with (a changeup), and I was able to put a good swing on it, and luckily it went over the left field wall. I’m happy to get the first one out of the way; hopefully, there’ll be more.”

McLain was also one of three players to hit grab a double in Saturday afternoon’s matchup. The other pairing, the players named Hunter, hit back-to-back doubles in the seventh. Freshman third baseman Hunter Haas struck first before redshirt junior outfielder Hunter Jump scored Haas on a ball hit to the left-center field gap, almost identical placement to the hit that preceded it.

The Sun Devils also managed to execute and score runs through singles and walks, taking every base the Utes gave them. In the sixth, Long and redshirt freshman infielder Brian Kalmer notched singles to lead off the inning. McLain managed to advance the runners via a bunt before freshman pinch hitting aficionado Blake Pivaroff stepped into the box. The Laguna Beach, California native, usually plugged into important scenarios when ASU needs a hit, remained perfect in his appearances, slotting an RBI single past the shortstop to give himself a perfect 4-4 start to the season.

On a day where Sun Devil skipper Tracy Smith put in 20 different players to diversify his defensive approach, as well as his chances in the batter’s box, everyone seemed to take advantage of their chances while also displaying a strong showing of depth.

“We’re a deep team,” McClain said. “I think that showed today, we had a bunch of guys get in the game, and Blake is 4-4 on pinch hits this year. Everyone on that bench can play.”

In the bottom of the seventh, Smith’s substitutions were put to the test on defense. Early in the frame, freshman righty Brock Peery, filling in for Brady Corrigan, gave up an RBI double to the Utes, closing the contest to a two-run affair. Peery was replaced for redshirt freshman lefty Graham Osman, who walked the only two batters he faced before he was also pulled.

With the bases loaded and two outs, redshirt freshman righty Christian Bodlovich entered the contest in the stickiest of jams. The Utes were lurking, and it was his job to put their approach to a halt. On a 1-0 count, Utah catcher Jayden Kiernan launched a ball deep to left-center field. Joe Lampe, who replaced McLain in center earlier in the inning, got on his horse and sprinted to intercept the screaming drive into the gap. Lampe dove with his left arm fully stretched out and made a game-saving grab.

“That was the game,” Smith asserted. “That took the momentum and a little bit of the wind out of the sails of that other dugout. That was a great play, but people don’t realize that catch is a result of the assistant coaches doing the scouting report and moving guys over, which they had just done prior to that… It’s everybody contributing to that play.”

“I was playing center field (earlier in the game) and the sun when you play that two o’clock game is tough,” McLain mentioned. “It was impressive to see him make that play. Joe is one of the best centerfielders I’ve seen play.”

Lampe’s incredible play in center was the cherry on top of yet another fantastic defensive performance from ASU across the board. From freshman to upperclassmen, the Sun Devils have been able to perform and make defensive plays, backing up another strong point of the team that is usually steadfast, but occasionally susceptible to falters – the pitching.

“Everyone’s stepping up, everyone’s playing well on defense; we are all very versatile,” Swift proclaimed. “A lot of people aren’t playing the same positions (as normal), but everyone’s ready to go no matter what.”

Sophomore lefty Erik Tolman earned the nod on Saturday, throwing five innings of four-hit no-run ball before being pulled due to fatigue. Tolman struggled in his first outing this season, but nearly halved his ERA with the stellar outing in the middle game of the series.

“Eric did a great job today,” Swift said. “He was coming off not the best outing last week, and he was able to deliver today.”

The Sun Devil pitching staff, one of the best in the country entering the season, took a massive hit this week when it was announced starters Cooper Benson and Boyd Vander Kooi would miss the rest of the season due to Tommy John surgery, increasing urgency and the magnitude of the staff’s performances after losing two of the best arms in the program.

“We all have our roles ad we know that our job is to go out there and compete and throw strikes,” Bodlovich said after earning the first save of his career. “It’s obviously tough losing Cooper and Boyd, but I try to keep my mentality the same at all times.”

For Smith though, it’s all about putting the ball in the right places and creating opportunities for outs, something he’ll continue to look for in the final game of the series at Phoenix Muni, the Sunday matinee.

“It’s just all about strikes,” the skipper said. “As we get deeper into this thing, there’s going to be more guys stepping up… If you want to toe the rubber, you have got to throw strikes. They know they have to bring it every single day in practice to earn the opportunity to be out on the mound.”