With a tough four-game road stretch ahead against Arizona and TCU, Arizona State aimed to finish strong at home, securing a series sweep over Gonzaga. The Sun Devils wasted no time, jumping out to an early lead and never looking back. Fueled by strong pitching, timely hitting, and a late-game power surge, ASU delivered a commanding 11-4 victory.

With a tough 4-game road schedule coming up against Arizona and TCU, the Sun Devils hoped to make quick work of Gonzaga on Sunday to complete the series sweep.

Despite allowing an early runner due to a walk with one out, ASU’s Rohan Lettow then struck out the next batter, and forced a ground out to end the inning.

In bottom half of the first, ASU drew two walks to start the frame. With one out, Jacob Tobias hits a sacrifice fly to right field, scoring Kien Vu from third. Landon Hairston moves to third on the throw. After another walk by ASU, drawn by Nu’u Contrades, Isaiah Jackson hit an RBI single to center field, scoring Hairston, and extending the Sun Devils lead to 2-0 over Ganzaga with 2 outs in the frame. With runners on the corners, Jax Ryan would barely (inches) miss his first home run of the year as he doubles off the top of the left field wall, scoring Contrades and putting up a 3-0 score for ASU in the bottom of the first.

Despite having two runners on in the top of the second inning, the Sun Devils starter, Rohan Lettow was able to get out of the jam after an outstanding diving play in right field by Kien Vu. Heading to the bottom frame, the Sun Devils still maintained a 3-0 lead over Gonzaga.

After Kyle Walker was hit by a pitch to lead off the bottom frame for Arizona State, Kien Vu doubled to right field, putting runners on second and third for the Sun Devils. Gonzaga’s starting pitcher, Justin Feld, was replaced by Erik Hoffberg with no outs in the bottom of the second and ASU leading 3-0.

With no outs in the second inning, Landon Hairston single to right field, scoring both Walker and Vu and extending ASU’s lead to 5-0 over Gonzaga

Gonzaga was once again kept off the scoreboard in the top of the third inning after Rohan Lettow induced a 5-4-3 double play to end the inning.

The Sun Devils went down in order in the bottom of the third inning, still leading 5-0, heading to the top of the fourth inning. Sean Fitzpatrick is coming in to replace Rohan Lettow. Lettow’s stat line: 3.0 innings pitched, 1K, 2BB, 1HP, 0ER’s.

With runners on first and second and two outs, pinch hitter for the Bulldogs, Max Coupe, hit an RBI single to right field, scoring Elsenstat from second. The very next batter, Race Schuerman hit a three run home run to right field, cutting the ASU lead to 5-4 with two outs in the top of the fourth.

So a bloop and a blast makes this a one run game heading to the bottom of the fourth.

Arizona State went down in order in the bottom of the fourth inning.

After Gonzaga got their first runner on base with a leadoff single, ASU’s pitcher Lucas Kelly buckled down and struck out two of the next three batters which surrounded a line out to left field. To the bottom of the fifth we go, the Sun Devils still maintaining a 5-4 lead.

Arizona State got their first batter on base in the bottom of the fifth with a single to left field by Landon Hairston. That was followed by a double to right field by Brandon Compton which was bobbled by Vincent Temesvary, and allowed Hairston to score first. The score is now 6-4, ASU. Jacob Tobias followed that with an RBI single to right field, scoring Compton and extending ASU’s lead to 7-4. After Contrades struck out, a passed ball moved Tobias to second, and he was moved over to third with two outs by Jackson’s ground out to second. And that’s where the score stood at the end of the fifth with ASU leading 7-4 over Gonzaga.

After getting a leadoff single to start the top of the sixth by Jace Phelan, Gonzaga was able to capitalize and the inning ended with a strikeout and a double play to keep them off the board. ASU is heading to the bottom of the sixth with a 7-4 lead.

Arizona State went scoreless in the bottom of the sixth. The score is still 7-4, ASU with the lead over Gonzaga heading to the top of the seventh inning.

Wyatt Halvorson came in to pitch for Arizona State in the top of the seventh, and promptly shuts down Gonzaga in order, including two strikeouts. The Sun Devils still lead 7-4 heading into the stretch.

In the bottom of the seventh, Isaiah Jackson hits an RBI double to right center field, scoring Jacob Tobias from first base. This extended the ASU lead to 8-4 over Gonzaga. The very next batter, Jax Ryan, would bring in Jackson with an RBI single to right field, extending the Sun Devils lead to 9-4. And that’s where the game stood heading to the top of the eighth.

Gonzaga gets a runner on base in the top of the eighth, but can’t make anything happen as they are held scoreless in the frame. To the bottom of the eighth we go with the Sun Devils still holding an 8-4 lead.

After Gonzaga allowed a leadoff single to Kyle Walker, Kien Vu hits a home run to center field, extending the Sun Devils lead over Gonzaga to 11-4.

And that was the final score for the day, Arizona State completes the sweep over Gonzaga, with the 11-4 final. The win goes to Sun Devil pitcher, Lucas Kelly. He is now 2-0 on the young season. Kien Vu gets the offensive MVP for the game. He went 2 for 3, with a home run, a double, two RBI’s, and scored three runs.

Arizona State wrapped up its series against Gonzaga in emphatic fashion, riding a potent offense and solid bullpen performance to an 11-4 win. Kien Vu’s standout performance at the plate, combined with strong outings from the ASU pitching staff, secured the sweep. Now 12-4 on the season, the Sun Devils will hit the road for a crucial four-game stretch, facing in-state rival Arizona before taking on TCU.


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