ORLANDO, Fla. – Engaged in a rubber match, No. 19 Arizona State and UCF entered the ninth inning on Sunday tied at three. Each team desperate to pull ahead and win a critical series for the Big 12 standings and the programs’ postseason hopes.

Having erased a deficit the previous inning, the Sun Devils’ offense exploded for three runs in the ninth and pushed past UCF for the series win.

Despite a suspended middle game on Saturday due to rain and a doubleheader on Sunday, ASU (33-15, 16-8 Big 12) claimed its seventh Big 12 series victory in 2026 over the weekend of May 1-3 at John Euliano Park Orlando, Florida. The Sun Devils took the series opener against UCF (27-17, 15-9 Big 12) on Friday and overcame an eighth-inning deficit on Sunday. 

Here are four takeaways

Explosive Offensive

Over the weekend, the Sun Devils showed their ability to put up big offensive spurts.

While UCF held ASU to just two runs in Game 2, which spanned two days due to a suspension because of inclement weather, the Sun Devils combined for 15 runs between the other two games.

ASU showed an ability in the first and last games of the series to string together hits, put up crooked numbers and come through in the clutch. 

The Sun Devils scored three runs in three different innings between these two games. However, ASU also showcased versatility in how to score runs.

In one of the innings in which they scored three times, ASU had four extra-base hits. Meanwhile, the Sun Devils only had one extra-base hit combined between the two other innings they scored three runs in.

Overall, while the offense went quiet at times, it showed no shortage of fire power.

Nu’u Contrades

Junior second baseman Nu’u Contrades was a force at the plate in ASU’s two wins in the series.

Contrades went a combined 6-for-9 between the two games with a double and a home run. On the year, Contrades is hitting .382 with a 1.197 OPS.

Sunday’s home run was No. 14 for the second baseman who’s proving that sophomore center fielder Landon Hairston isn’t the only thumper in the Sun Devils’ lineup.

Hairston’s covered

As Contrades’ performance in the UCF series would suggest, ASU didn’t just need sophomore outfielder Landon Hairston to live up to the “Hairy Bonds” nickname for the team to win.

The Sun Devils have a deep lineup–head coach Willie Bloomquist thinks 12-13 hitters can contribute–so all they need is for Hairston to do his job.

A perfect example was Friday, when Hairston lost his 28-game hit streak but still managed to get on base three times.

Bloomquist said his favorite at-bat of Hairston’s in that game was when he took a hit-by-pitch with the bases loaded to get the RBI.

In Friday’s game, Hairston was one of just two batters in the ASU lineup without a hit, with five ASU batters recording more than one hit.

Bloomquist’s got options in the bullpen

Some things didn’t go according to plan when it came to pitching in the UCF series. 

Since Saturday’s action was suspended, junior right-handed pitcher Jaden Alba’s start was scratched after just two innings. 

Then, senior right-hander Kole Klecker took over the resumed game on Sunday, but he left after two innings with right shoulder soreness, according to the team.

However, Bloomquist pieced together the games with the Sun Devils averaging just three runs allowed per game.

Bloomquist called upon 11 different pitchers during the series, eight of whom gave up one or no runs. 

Come postseason time, he’ll be glad to have multiple different pitchers he can go to in high-leverage situations.