Baseball sweeps Ohio State to open 2025 season

by Danny Sullivan and Brooklyn Cohen, SDA Media Relations
 

BOX SCORE
 

PHOENIX– In what was the epitome of the term "Sunday Baseball", Sun Devil Baseball outlasted Ohio State, 17-10, to complete the three-game Opening Weekend sweep of the Buckeyes in front of 3,780 at Phoenix Municipal Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
 
It took over four hours, but the Sun Devils (3-0) finally put the Buckeyes (0-3) away behind a slew of erratic pitching by both teams in the latter innings. The game featured 22 hits, 21 walks, eight hit batters, six errors and seven wild pitches to go along with the 27 total runs. 
 
The Muni faithful stuck it out through the end, capping off a weekend that featured 10,570 fans - the largest Opening Weekend crowd in Sun Devil Baseball history. 
 
Brandon Compton stayed hot, going 2-for-2 with three RBIs, a homer and drawing three walks and scoring four runs. Josiah Cromwick added his second homer of the weekend as part of a three-RBU day as well. 
 
Jaden Alba battled through 4.0 innings with just two runs allowed in his first career start, stranding five baserunners in the process. Lucas Kelly and Derek Schaefer stopped the bleeding in the final two frames, tossing 2.0 scoreless and hitless innings between them.  
 
TURNING POINT 
After going into an early 2-0 hole, the Sun Devils responded with a bang. Kien Vu worked his way around the bases after a walk, advancing on two stolen bases and an error, scoring the first run of the game for ASU. Brandon Compton and Josiah Cromwick followed it up with back-to-back home runs, giving the Devils a 3-2 lead. The two big bats sparked an offensive explosion in the next few innings, with ASU leading 10-2 after the fifth inning. 
 
BIG MOMENT 
Ohio State responded back in a big way in the seventh inning, cutting ASU's lead down to 10-7. The Sun Devils were able to reclaim control, catching a break on an infield fly rule. With the bases loaded and one out, Cromwick popped up to the Ohio State shortstop and was ruled out on the infield fly rule. However, the shortstop dropped the ball, allowing Nu'u Contrades and Compton to score. ASU tacked on one more in the inning on a wild pitch, extending the lead to 13-7, 
 
FINAL STRAW
After tumultuous later stages in the bullpen, relievers Lucas Kelly and Derek Schaefer fanned the flames of the Ohio State late game comeback effort. Kelly and Schaefer teamed up to record the final six outs of the game after the Buckeyes jumped right back into it with back-to-back home runs to leadoff the eighth. Kelly was able to successfully deescalate the Buckeye eighth inning surge, whereas Schaefer entered into the ninth and slammed the door in 1-2-3 fashion.   

PLAYER OF THE GAME 
Brandon Compton has been an absolute monster to start the 2025 season. The left-handed slugger reached base in each of his five at-bats, compiling a home run, a double, three walks and three RBIs in addition to four runs scored. The NCBWA Preseason All-American (1st Team Designated Hitter) and Golden Spikes Award Preseason Watch List member has lived up to the expectations and then some early on.  
 
NOTABLES

• Sun Devil Baseball has trailed in 41 of its last 56 victories dating back to the 2023 season - including the first two this year.
• 3,780 fans attended Sunday's game, the most that have attended a Sunday game during Opening Weekend dating back to at least 2000. The 10,570 total fans for the weekend were the most for an Opening Weekend in program history.
• The 14 walks issued to Sun Devil batters is tied for sixth-most in a single game since 1998. The 5 hit by pitches are tied for seventh-most in a single game since 1998.
• The offense had a strong night, scoring 17 runs. The Sun Devils have now averaged 11 runs per game over the last 20 games dating back to last season (220 runs).
• Jacob Tobias has now reached base in 27 consecutive games dating back to last season.
• The Sun Devils scored 33 runs over the weekend and enjoyed a combined 15 RBI and 11 runs scored from Brandon Compton and Josiah Cromwick. The middle of the order duo teamed up for nine total hits, with eight of which being for extra bases.
• Eight out of the nine ASU batters recorded a hit, with Kien Vu being the only batter without a hit. Vu contributed in other ways, picking up two walks and a hit by pitch, while scoring three times.
• The Sun Devils had eight three-run innings on Opening Weekend (five today), a season removed from posting 68 in 2024.

QUOTABLES
Head Coach Willie Bloomquist
Opening Statement
"The thing I'll say about Ohio State is they had plenty of chances to roll over and die and they didn't. They got some scrappers over there that just refused to give in. On the flip side of things, for us getting three wins this weekend, you always celebrate wins and especially a sweep against a team that battles like that.. I wasn't overly pleased with our performance today, especially on the mound. But, overall our guys, I guess what I could say is our guys were patient. (They) didn't chase out of the zone from an offensive standpoint, forced them to throw strikes. Obviously some of those guys had a tough time throwing strikes, but we didn't chase out of the zone or help them, which was good. (We) stayed disciplined and put the ball in play when needed to. We got some gift wrapped runs in there, which I'm not going to complain about, but at the end of the day we have to do a better job on our end defensively and on the mound."
 
On what this weekend showed about the team 
"I think that we're finding out who can come in and throw strikes out of the pen. I think that's a big thing. I think we have to find out who's capable of doing those things and who's to come in those situations and bridge us to the 8th and 9th inning if we can. We have to have those guys that are capable of doing that. So roles will form over here over the next few weeks on who we think can do those things. But, on the positive side of things, we were in three hard fought games and we came out on top in all three. So I think we're not going to have any easy games. Very rarely we're going to have an easy game. Just when I think we're going to have one - don't get too comfortable because you're never going to be that way in college baseball very often. But at the end of the day our guys battled and we're able to come out with 3 wins, like I said, against a team that I think is going to go on and win a lot of games this year. That team's a very capable and scrappy team that doesn't give in and they're very well coached so they'll win a lot of games and I think we we as the coaching staff learned some things this weekend too that we have to get better about and made some adjustments throughout the weekend that ultimately are gonna help us in the long run."
 
On Kyle Walker's early impact 
"He's hit .182 after three games. If I erased these numbers, I would have said he's hitting over .400. Numbers sometimes don't tell the whole story. That kids playing with energy, he's getting on base, he's making things happen. He arguably had the most important at bat of the weekend Friday night, where he put together the 12 pitch at bat and hit a double. He's making things happen. He's the leader out there from a defensive standpoint, chirping at everybody, making sure everyone's locked in. You ask the question about being locked in. That's that's the guy that's the vocal leader in there and keeping everybody locked in. So his value is extremely high regardless of numbers, I guess if you want to look at it that way. But he's doing a great job." 
 
Catcher Josiah Cromwick
On ASU facing 11 different pitchers
"You just have to stay locked in. Honestly, it's tough because a lot of the guys that they threw, we didn't have much of a scouting report on them, so you just have to watch them warm up as much as possible and see what they have, and then go from there."
 
On keeping focused during the long game
"It's a big game. Every game is a big game. Today, it's a huge game. So it matters a lot, and we have to keep that mindset and just come after every inning and keep competing, win every inning, win every pitch, and just go from there."
 
Starting Pitcher Jaden Alba
On his pitching performance
"It was my first start, so obviously it comes with a little bit of nerves at the beginning, but after that, I knew whatever happened in the first inning, my defense was going to have my back. I just have to go right after them."
 
On how the pitching staff can improve
"We just have to stick to our plan, just working in the heart of the zone, going right after guys, staying down the middle and letting our stuff play.Everything we've been preaching is to throw everything down the middle and let your stuff move the way it does, and that's how you get guys out. So just sticking to what we've been doing all fall and all spring."
 
INNING BY INNING 
First Inning 
Ohio State opened the scoring early, as a few defensive miscues and well placed hits gave the Buckeyes a 2-0 lead before recording an out. Starting pitcher Jaden Alba settled in, retiring the next three batters and picking up his first strikeout of the game to end the threat. 
 
The Devils responded quickly, as Kien Vu manufactured a run with a walk, two stolen bases, and an error. Brandon Compton followed it up by launching a ball to right center field for his second home run of the season. Josiah Cromwick continued his impressive start to the season, tacking on a home run of his own to left field, putting Arizona State up 3-2. 
 
Second Inning 
Alba settled in nicely to begin the second, racking up a pair of strikeouts to get the Buckeyes under control. After a double, Alba displayed a smooth pickoff move to catch the OSU runner off guard and end the top half of the second. 
 
The Sun Devils got some momentum going after a walk and HBP to turn things back to the top of the order. Leadoff man Nu'u Contrades laced a single back up the middle to drive in Jax Ryan and make it 4-2, Devils. ASU wound up loading the bases, but couldn't push across anymore runs.
 
Third Inning 
Alba returned to the mound for his third inning of work, issuing two walks while getting help from his defense. Contrades, Walker, and Tobias turned a clean inning ending double play, sending the Buckeyes back to the dugout. 
 
The Devils saw a new pitcher in the bottom half of the inning, but were unable to get anything going on the basepaths. With two outs, Jonathon Hernandez took a four-pitch walk, but was then thrown out trying to steal second. 
 
Fourth Inning 
The fourth began with Isaiah Jackson laying out to snag a sinking line drive for a beautiful first out of the inning. The Buckeyes were able to load the bases after a few HBPs and a single, but Alba held his ground and was able to work out the jam unscathed. His efforts kept his team ahead 4-2 heading into the bottom half of the frame. 
 
ASU struck again in the fourth as Jax Ryan found his way to first by way of an error. He then traveled to third after a wild pitch and a sac bunt, where Compton delivered a double off the right field fence to bring him home. A walk of Jacob Tobias loaded the bases up for the Devils as they now led 5-2. Cromwick cashed in yet again, grinding out an eight pitch at-bat which resulted in a two-run double to extend the lead to 7-2. The fourth inning then came to a close after a pair of doubles and three runs for ASU. 
 
Fifth Inning 
Josh Butler was the first man out of the bullpen for the Devils, coming on to pitch the top of the fifth inning. He got a quick strikeout to open the inning, followed by an infield single. An error allowed the runner to get to third, but a heads up play from Jax Ryan got the out at first. Butler struck out the next batter to end the inning. 
 
Hernandez led off the inning with a single to left, then advanced to third on a wild pitch. Ryan drove him in with a single to center, then stole second. Walker picked up the baton, tacking on a single of his own. Contrades was hit by a pitch, and Compton lifted a sacrifice fly to right to put ASU up 9-2. Tobias then singled in a run to make it 10-2 before Contrades got thrown out at home. 
 
Sixth Inning 
Butler returned for his second inning in relief, and picked up a quick couple of outs to open the sixth. A pair of singles wound up scoring a run for OSU to bring the score to 10-3. After a brief mound visit, it took just one pitch from Butler to record the third out and close out the frame.
 
After a leadoff HBP, the Sun Devils went down quietly as things remained 10-3 after six. 
 
Seventh Inning 
Jake Neely was the next relief pitcher for ASU, issuing a four-pitch walk to start off his NCAA debut. He picked up an out on a fielder's choice ground out, but followed it up with another walk and a single, cutting the lead to six and ending his outing. Bradyn Barnes came into the game with one out and struggled, giving up three runs before closing out the inning. 
 
Contrades led off with another HBP, his second of the game and the fifth for ASU. Back-to-back walks from Compton and Tobias loaded the bases for Cromwick, who popped out for an infield fly-rule and the second out. Two runs scored on a throwing error, extending the Devils lead to 12-7. Jackson took first on a HBP wild ball that also allowed Tobias to score from third. Ryan reached on an error, loading the bases again, this time for Walker, who grounded out to shortstop to end the inning. 
 
Eighth Inning 
Bradyn Barnes returned to the hill to get things going in the top half of the eighth where he surrendered back-to-back Buckeye home runs to keep them alive at 13-10. He was relieved by Lucas Kelly in hopes of cooling down their offense. Kelly had a rather up and down outing with some baserunning threats, but he was able to find the zone and limit the Buckeyes to close the top of the eighth with no further damage.
 
The Sun Devils opened their half of the inning with three straight walks and Nu'u Contrades coming home to score on an E2, pushing this one to 14-10. A wild pitch saw Kien Vu advance home to extend things to 15-10. Isaiah Jackson then dumped in a two-run single to keep the marathon going and put ASU up 17-10. A 4-6-3 double play wrapped up the eighth as the Devils entered the ninth with a sizable lead.  
 
Ninth Inning 
Derek Schaefer was the fifth pitcher out of the bullpen for the Devils, and he quickly got two outs on a flyout and a groundout. He then got the final out on a ground ball to short to end the game.