No. 5 ASU baseball scored its most runs in a single game since April, 19, 2013, in Sunday's 16-4 rubber-match win, which was highlighted by an 11-run fifth inning to give the Sun Devils their eighth-consecutive series win and ninth in 10 tries this season.
After scoring five runs through the first five innings, ASU (28-12, 13-5 Pac-12) put together an 11-run inning, tallying nine hits and sending 15 batters to the plate—Tennessee Tech also made two pitching changes in the inning. Also worth noting is that nine of those 11 runs were scored with no outs in the inning, and the Golden Eagles finally recorded the first out on the 11th batter of the inning.
The #Devils' 11-run fifth inning is the most runs in a single inning since they had 13 against the Other Team on April 29, 2009
— Sun Devil Baseball (@ASU_Baseball) April 26, 2015
ASU head coach Tracy Smith said the team had a better all-around approach after Saturday's loss.
"Guys obviously didn't have a good taste in their mouth after last night, and sometimes a punch in the jaw gets you to wake up and concentrate a little bit, and we got punched in the jaw last night," he said. "It shouldn't take that, but we responded appropriately."
The Sun Devils' blistering day at the plate was highlighted by Brian Serven's (3-for-4, 6 RBI, 2 R) six-RBI performance, where he reached four times and drove in the most runs in a single game for an ASU player since his five RBIs against Stanford back on March 29.
Contrary to Saturday night where ASU was held scoreless until the fifth inning, the Sun Devils got to Tennessee Tech (20-21) starter Jacob Honea (0-2) early and only expanded on the lead throughout the game, never looking back. The Sun Devils put together three multi-run innings in the onslaught, as well.
Sunday, ASU did something it has not done consistently all year—extend the lead.
"Typically when you're (extending leads), you're getting some big two-out hits," Smith said. "Yes, this was the first time in a long time that we've extended the lead. I would love to see us continue to do that."
ASU had a chance to score again when freshman Coltin Gerhart was on third and could've run home on a wild pitch, but Smith held him up.
"I think there's a right way and wrong way to play the game," Smith said. "We're up 12, I think that's enough. We're not going to try to embarrass anybody."
Not to be forgotten, though, was a dominant performance from junior lefty Brett Lilek (3-2), who held the Golden Eagles scoreless, gave up just four hits, and fanned five in five innings pitched. In a season where he began as the Friday starter but was relegated to Sunday games, Lilek is finally starting to find the consistency expected from him.
"He was good, and truthfully if we didn't extend it in the fifth, we were going to send him back out there again," Smith said. "I thought he was sharp. If we get that out of him, that's going to help us as we get down the stretch and make it interesting as to what we do on Fridays."
After the Stanford Sunday game where Lilek held a no-hitter through six innings, Smith noted Lilek's inconsistency and said he needed to back it up with another solid performance. He said the same after Sunday's game.
"He threw well, not real well, the last weekend and the weekend before," he said. "When he's on, it's as good as there is, and I think we all know that, and when he's not, it's very average. Today he was on—I think he's responded well to the challenge and has given us a lift when we've needed it."
CLEAR THE BENCHES...not because they're fighting, but because ASU is up 16-0 heading to the sixth.
— Justin Toscano (@justintoscano3) April 26, 2015
Tennessee Tech used six pitchers on Sunday and three of them gave up four earned runs.
The Sun Devils used six pitchers as well, but only as Smith always says, to get some "some dirt on the spikes." As for the other replacements, he said some gave good at-bats, but some did not.
"We're still trying to find roles and nothing is etched in stone yet," he said. "Dalton DiNatale gave some quality at-bats, Baca and Schneider threw the ball well. I was pleased that Dalton (DiNatale) gave mature at-bats, but some of the other guys gave very immature at-bats relative to the score, and that's the stuff that you look at as a coach.The score doesn't matter, you just go out there and do your job."
ASU travels to Tucson on Tuesday to play Arizona in another game that will not count toward conference play, and Smith said freshman Ryan Hingst will start on the mound.
Reach the reporter at Justin.Toscano@asu.edu or follow @justintoscano3 on Twitter.
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