However, Mountaineers graduate designated hitter Sean Smith crushed a grand slam in the sixth that broke open what had been a back-and-forth battle between senior right-handed pitcher Kole Klecker and sophomore right-handed pitcher Chansen Cole, leading to a 9-5 loss to the Mountaineers on Sunday, March 29. 

Head coach Willie Bloomquist said he didn’t think Klecker’s final line did the right-hander justice. 

“I had no problem with how he threw the ball,” Bloomquist said. “He thought he threw it really, really well, but there are some things we got to clear up.”

In the first five innings, only seven hits and one run decorated the scoreboard, with each pitcher utilizing their defense to the max.

Klecker and Cole combined for five strikeouts, with a bulk of their outs resulting from hard-hit fly balls or groundouts in the infield. 

Klecker’s sixth-inning troubles began with a leadoff single past the outstretched glove of junior shortstop PJ Moutzouridis.

Following the single, sophomore shortstop Matt Ineich singled, immediately drawing a mound visit between the ASU infielders.

After the visit, Klecker retired sophomore catcher Gavin Kelly, yet a lengthy at bat turned walk set up Smith’s “gut punch” grand slam.

“He just made one tough pitch where it was a hanging breaking ball right down the middle,” Bloomquist said. “And the kid did not miss it.”

Following the sixth, West Virginia scored a run in each of the final three innings. 

While the round tripper played a part in the loss, ASU’s defense struggled to contain Mountaineer runners on the bases.

“They have some athletic kids that are fast,” Bloomquist said. “They do a really good job of stealing bases in the right counts.”

West Virginia stole five bags on Sunday, including a successful attempt of home. 

After ASU failed to score a run in five straight innings, it mustered across a run in the seventh, but senior left-fielder Matthew Graveline responded to the comeback attempt with a trick up his sleeve. 

In the eighth, Graveline doubled with one out in the inning and cruised to third after a sacrifice.

Then, the left-fielder caught senior left-handed pitcher Sean Fitzpatrick asleep by bolting home and scoring after sophomore catcher Brody Briggs bobbled the ball. 

“We just got to catch the ball,” Bloomquist said. “He’s the guy that I want there every single time, and he just got sped up and did not catch it.”

In addition to the Sun Devils' failed attempt to stop West Virginia’s base runners, the Mountaineers picked off crucial ASU stolen base opportunities. 

In the bottom of the third, senior right-fielder Dean Toigo opened the inning with a ground-rule double.

Junior second baseman Nu’u Contrades followed Toigo with no outs, but a single pitch sent each Sun Devil back to the dugout. 

After Contrades waved at strike three, Toigo took off to third, and Kelly threw him out.

“I got a bit of a late jump and the catcher made a good play,” Toigo said. “It is what it is. That is baseball.”

Defending his team, Bloomquist took responsibility for ASU’s base-running woes. 

Despite trouble on the bases, ASU thrived getting on base to start innings.

In total, the Sun Devils delivered six leadoff base hits and advanced 10 total runners. 

Yet, the Sun Devils went 3-18 with runners on and 1-9 with runners in scoring position, including hitting into two double plays.

Bloomquist said he believed the team did “okay” in situational hitting, but believes they can be better.

“We have to do a better job of pushing those runs across,” Bloomquist said. “Obviously, it is nice to get that lead-off hitter on and move them over.”

Corresponding to ASU’s increased productivity leading off, sophomore center fielder Landon Hairston took part in the success.

On Sunday, Hairston concluded his historic series by delivering a lead-off solo home run while going 2-for-4 and scoring two runs. 

“He is on another level right now,” Bloomquist said. “He is in that zone where you just let him go and do his thing.”

While Hairston provides a successful presence on the field, Bloomquist said the team can do better, including himself.

“I have to do a better job myself, first and foremost, and then I can continue coaching our players,” Bloomquist said.

After playing its eighth game in ten days, Bloomquist believes competing against good opponents helps ASU see where it “stacks up” against others.

“I know that there is more in there for sure,” Bloomquist said. “And it is our job to get the maximum out of it.”