PHOENIX – In the previous matchup between No. 20 Arizona State and Grand Canyon on March 17, sophomore catcher Coen Niclai made the difference with a walk-off base hit in a 10-inning 4-3 victory.

Twenty-two days later, Niclai delivered once again.

The catcher’s two home runs and five RBI on Tuesday, April 7, at Brazell Field at GCU Ballpark powered ASU (24-9, 7-5 Big 12) to an improbable 12-8 comeback win over GCU (11-22, 3-6 MW). While the Sun Devils prevailed by a relatively comfortable margin, the Lopes’ blazing start made victory seem unlikely.

GCU jumped out to a quick 4-0 lead behind a string of hits that knocked the Sun Devils’ starter, sophomore left-handed pitcher Easton Barrett, out of the game after only recording four outs.

In relief of the southpaw, junior right-hander Jaden Alba surrendered a home run on his first pitch to junior outfielder Trevor Schmidt, increasing the deficit to 7-0.

Even in a tough spot early, head coach Willie Bloomquist credited the poise of his team.

“I am proud of the way our guys continued to battle and not panic,” Bloomquist said. “I might have panicked a little after that second inning.”

After a pair of home runs by fifth-year outfielder Dean Toigo and junior first baseman Dominic Smaldino, Niclai launched a solo home run to cut the Lopes’ lead to three in the fifth.

Despite a response by GCU on a solo home run from junior outfielder Griffin Cameron in the sixth, Niclai returned to the box in the seventh inning with the bases loaded and erased ASU’s 8-4 deficit with one swing, sending a fastball to the opposite field for his second homer of the day, fourth of the season and third against the Lopes.

Niclai said his improved approach on Tuesday stemmed from a learning moment in the first meeting between the Sun Devils and the Lopes.

“I didn’t put together a good at-bat with runners on base,” Niclai said. “I just knew to get the swing off early and that they were going to come after me.”

On the other hand, Bloomquist said Niclai’s big swing in the seventh inning simplified his managerial decisions. 

“We had a lot of guys ready to pinch-hit, pinch-run, do all kinds of different things,” Bloomquist said. “We didn’t have to go to plan C, D and E after that.”

Shortly after Niclai’s grand slam, sophomore center fielder Landon Hairston, who went 0-for-4 to start the game, homered for the 19th time this season to give ASU the lead for good.

Despite the cold at bats in the early innings, Bloomquist said he still trusted his star sophomore to come through in a tight ballgame.

“Regardless of whether he’s 4-for-4 or 0-for-4, you know that Landon’s (Hairston) probably going to put together a solid at-bat,” Bloomquist said. “Every time he comes up, he’s a threat to do something special.”

Adding to the fireworks, junior infielder PJ Moutzoridis provided insurance in the ninth, hitting his third home run of the year.

All in all, the Sun Devils hit six home runs on Tuesday, tying a season-high mark set in their 29-4 rout of Loyola Marymount on March 8, and tallied all 12 runs via homer.

While it may not be the most reliable style of play, ASU’s power surge left Bloomquist feeling thankful to get out of GCU Ballpark with a victory.

“We lived by the long ball tonight,” Bloomquist said. “I guess that’s one way to win.”

Of course, no great baseball comeback is complete without a strong bullpen performance.

Outside of the two mistakes to Schmidt and Cameron, the Sun Devils’ bullpen kept the Lopes off the board, allowing two earned runs over 7 ⅔ innings.

The back end of the bullpen especially delivered down the stretch, as senior left-hander Sean Fitzpatrick and junior right-hander Alex Overbay combined for the final eight outs while not allowing a GCU baserunner to make it beyond first base.

Tuesday marked a bounce-back for both Overbay and Fitzpatrick after each allowed at least a run in their most recent outings at Arizona on April 2-3.

Bloomquist praised the relief pitching as the first catalyst for Tuesday’s comeback.

“I can’t say enough about the job the bullpen did … giving our offense a chance to inch back in that game,” Bloomquist said.

ASU returns to Phoenix Municipal Stadium on Wednesday for its second midweek matchup against yet another Mountain West opponent.

The UNLV Rebels head south from Las Vegas and look to avenge a wild 12-11 loss to the Sun Devils on March 23.

With another game on the horizon, Bloomquist said ASU’s fierce comeback on Tuesday saved him from another tough postgame conversation.

“They’re still probably going to get a teaching moment tomorrow … but it will be a little bit less decibel than if we had come out of here with a loss,” Bloomquist said.