PHOENIX — Oregon rallied from two runs down twice eventually taking the lead, but Arizona State scored runs in the eighth and ninth to win in walk-off fashion Friday night at Phoenix Municipal Stadium in the Pac-12 opener for both teams.
Arizona State (7-6, 1-0) loaded the bases with one out in the ninth and scored the winning run on a ground ball up the middle that resulted in an out but also platedthe winning run. How It Happened: Arizona State took an early lead scoring a run in the first inning, but it could have been worse for the Ducks with three Sun Devils drawing base on balls and another reaching on a hit by pitch.
Brandon Compton made it 2-0 with a solo home run to dead center field to lead off the second, but Oregon answered scoring the next two runs to tie the game. Bennett Thompson pulled the Ducks within one with a solo two-out homer to left in the third before Carter Garate tied it with a sacrifice fly that scored Ryan Cooney, who led off the fourth with a double.
Compton put the Sun Devils back on top in the bottom of the fourth with a nearly identical solo home run to his second-inning shot to center field, but Oregon answered again to tie it in the sixth. Boettcher walked to lead off the inning, stole second and moved to third after back-to-back walks to Garate and Justin Cassella, before scoring on a Drew Smith bases-loaded walk.
Thompson gave Oregon its only lead of the game in the seventh. The Ducks catcher singled past the third baseman and moved to second on a fielding error in left field. Thompson then stole third and scored when catcher Ryan Campos’ throw sailed into left field.
ASU tied the game in the bottom of the eighth on a two-out single.
Box Score Notes: First pitch was delayed by 48 minutes because of lighting in the area … Jeffery Heard (0-for-3) had his 12-game hitting streak snapped but he extended his reached base streak to 13 games with a pair of walks … Thompson’shome run was his first of the season and the sixth of his career … Thompson (2-for-4) had his 17th career multiple-hit game … The Ducks stranded 10 runners including seven in scoring position … The Ducks left the bases loaded twice, in the second and sixth innings … The Ducks drew 10 walks, the second time in the last four games they have had double-digit base on balls.
On Deck: The Ducks and Sun Devils meet in game two of their series on Saturday. First pitch is 5:35 p.m. (PT).
