PHOENIX, Ariz. — Sparked by a six-run seventh inning and carried by lights-out relief from
Chandler Murphy, the Arizona Wildcats (17-7, 4-3) took game one from the Arizona State Sun Devils (15-6, 4-3) by a final score of 10-5 on Thursday night.
Murphy, who relieved starting pitcher
Chase Silseth in the fifth inning, was untouchable out of the bullpen. He moved to 3-0 on the year after tossing 5.0 innings of hitless ball while striking out a career-high eight. At one point, Murphy fanned six Sun Devil batters in a row.
In the middle of Murphy's heroic performance, the Arizona offense came to life in the seventh inning. The Wildcats pounded out five hits and took advantage of three ASU errors to plate six runs and take the lead after trailing 5-3 earlier in the evening.
Jacob Berry crossed home on a wild pitch to tie the game in the seventh and
Jacob Blas delivered what would ultimately be the game-winning hit two batters later, poking an RBI single past the first base bag to bring home
Branden Boissiere.
Tanner O'Tremba broke the game open with a bases-clearing three-run triple later in the frame.
Arizona WildBATS
- 1B Branden Boissiere: 3-for-5, 2 R, 2B, 2 RBI, BB
- LF Tanner O'Tremba: 2-for-5, R, 3B, 3 RBI
- 3B Nik McClaughry: 1-for-3, 2 RBI, BB
- 2B Kobe Kato: 3-for-5, 2 R, 2B
Bullpen Bullies
Numbers of the Night
- The 10 runs scored by the Wildcats on Friday night is tied for the most surrendered by ASU all year. It marks the 11th time the Arizona offense has posted double-digit runs.
Tweet of the Night
Up Next
Arizona looks the clinch the rivalry series in game two on Friday night. First pitch is against set for 6:00 p.m. MST with a television broadcast on the Pac-12 Networks.