PHOENIX -- Tracy Smith climbed the dugout steps and marched to the mound late in Tuesday night's game, sensing his young team in need of a mental breather with the bases loaded and one out in the top of the ninth, the Sun Devils 4-2 lead in grave danger.
Smith’s message to his infield: don’t take risks; get the sure outs.
Alas, Spencer Torkelson didn’t heed his head coach’s advice.
Confident all year, ASU’s star first baseman -- who had jacked his team-high 14th home run of the season in his first at-bat of the game -- became the latest victim of ASU’s season-long battle with costly and novice mistakes. A one-out grounder was hit right at him but instead of stepping on first for an easy out, Torkelson turned, double-clutched and sent a throw intended for shortstop Drew Swift into left field.
Two Cal State Fullerton runs scored on the error, tying the game at 4-4 and sending the Sun Devils into a defensive capitulation. Before the top of the ninth was over, ASU surrendered five runs, committed two errors (both Torkelson), conceded two infield singles and allowed a run to score on a wild pitch -- a two-run lead turning into a three-run deficit in ASU’s eventual 7-6 loss to the Titans (11-15) at Phoenix Municipal Stadium.
“We keep throwing away victories,” Smith said postgame, still smoldering after the Sun Devils dropped to 13-15 on the season.
“We’ve got to mature. You cannot let (mental mistakes) affect you. You have to keep playing no matter what happened, no matter what the score is.”
For eight innings on Tuesday, the score was in ASU’s favor. Torkelson’s blast, a full-count drive to right center field in the first inning, gave ASU an early 1-0 advantage. Swift sent a 2-RBI single through the infield in the bottom of the second before junior center fielder Gage Canning tripled and scored on a wild pitch in the bottom of the fifth.
Junior starter Sam Romero, meanwhile, was “effective enough” according to Smith, bouncing back from two rough outings to throw a strong five innings of two-run baseball (only one of the runs was earned).
In the ninth, everything fell apart.
With one on and one out in the inning, CSF third baseman Brett Borgogno dropped a bunt down the third base line. Closer Chaz Montoya charged but couldn’t reach the ball in time to make a play. Montoya walked the next batter to load the bases and prompt Smith to visit the mound.
“In that situation, we literally at the mound meeting said, ‘Don’t take any chances. Just take the sure out,’” Smith said.
But when CSF center fielder Mitchell Berryhill lined a grounder to Torkelson at first, the freshman’s first instinct was to try and turn a game-ending double-play. He whipped around to second, shuffled his feet and unleashed a nervous throw that zipped into the outfield.
“If he makes an accurate throw, he probably gets the lead runner,” Smith said. “But in that situation, you just cut your losses, step on the bag and get the last out [in the next at-bat] and end the baseball game.”
Smith couldn’t help but sigh after explaining the game-tying sequence. Too often this season, his team -- its defense in particular -- has succumbed to such failures in high-leverage situations.
“I don’t care what the situation of the game is, I don’t care how many losses we’ve had before. You cannot let the nervousness creep in and let that affect your play,” Smith said.
Even after the Torkelson error, ASU had a chance to stop the bleeding and keep the score level. Instead, the Sun Devils collapsed further.
CSF right fielder Ruben Cardenas singled home the go-ahead run on a swinging bunt that dribbled no more than 15 feet in front of the plate before Torkelson committed another run-scoring throwing error and ASU reliever Connor Higgins, who entered the game following the first Torkelson error, plated a Fullerton's fifth run of the frame with a wild pitch that made it 7-4.
“I’m disappointed we lost, that stuff happens," Smith said. "But I’m upset with the fact that we left that stuff affect our next play. That’s where we have to grow as a ball club.”
Bottom of the ninth RBIs from ASU freshmen Gage Workman and Hunter Jump weren’t enough to salvage the game. The familiar collapse the half-inning before proved fatal.
“Defense is key,” reliever Dellan Raish said, who threw two innings of scoreless relief on Tuesday. “Make the plays behind the pitchers, we’ll win the game. We scratched a couple on the board, our starting pitcher did well – every time we do that we should win the game.”
It was the sixth time ASU (which committed four total errors on Tuesday) has surrendered five or more runs in an inning this year. It has lost the game on five of the six occasions.
“The moral victories are getting a little thin on me at this point,” Smith said. “You have to find a way to win. I don’t care if it’s ugly, we’re not [winning]. We lost.”
OTHER NOTES:
-Freshman starting pitcher Boyd Vander Kooi will likely be unavailable this week as he battles lingering arm soreness, according to Smith. The ASU skipper attributed Vander Kooi’s missed start at Washington State last weekend to the injury as well. Vander Kooi had been moved up in the rotation to ASU’s No. 2 starter a couple weeks ago, prior to the setback. He is 3-2 with a 3.25 ERA in five starts this season.
-Smith was unsure of who will pitch for the Sun Devils the rest of this week. Wednesday’s meeting with Cal State Fullerton might be a “bullpen” day for ASU and After usual Friday starter Sam Romero threw 79 pitches on Tuesday, the Sun Devils will need to find a different arm to open a home series against USC this weekend. Alec Marsh is a possibility to make the Friday night start, according to Smith.
-Hunter Bishop continued his midseason turnaround on Tuesday. The sophomore right fielder, who had just three hits through nine games this spring while battling a hamstring injury, went 3-for-4 with two runs scored against the Titans, improving his season batting average to .269. Bishop credited better vision at the plate for his streaky-hot bat of late.
