ASU Baseball: UNLV upsets Sun Devils 7-6 after odd lighting delay

When a bank of lights refused to turn on Tuesday night at Wilson Field at UNLV, Arizona State walked off the field in the third inning content with a 5-2 lead and an extra night in Las Vegas. They would leave Wednesday afternoon with a much different feeling.

Bolstered by a four run second frame before the game was suspended, the Sun Devils led UNLV 5-2 when the coaches and umpires decided that the game could not continue because a bank of lights that was malfunctioning down the first base line.

The stoppage came at a good time for the visiting team as the Rebels had just loaded the bases with one out in their half of the third inning. The game resumed Wednesday morning with left-hander Eli Lingos on the mound, and the freshman was able to escape the jam with just one run coming across the plate.

Bishop Gorman product Cody Roper took over out of the bullpen for UNLV to start the fourth inning, and the Rebel coaching staff would turn to four more pitchers throughout the morning to keep the maroon and gold bats quiet.

It was not just their arms that were performing well, however. Lingos only allowed two hits over his next three innings of work, but the wheels would start to come off in the seventh. A hit batsmen, balk, and a full count walk put runners on first and second with only one out, and a bunt single by the next batter turned into a two run excursion on a throwing error by David Greer at third.

The mistake tied the game at five and brought David Graybill out of the bullpen to relieve Lingos. The righty recorded a strikeout for the second out of the inning, but A.J. Vanmeetren took the first pitch he saw into the gap in right center, easily scoring the go-ahead run for the Rebels.

While its pitching corps continued to dominate, UNLV added an insurance run in its half of the eighth on a Joey Swanner sacrifice fly to right field. Now down by two runs with just three outs remaining, that felt like the dagger for ASU. The Sun Devils were finally able to break their scoring drought in the ninth with a two out RBI single from Trever Allen, but a groundout back to the pitcher finally ended the 18 hour game.

Zack Hartman (1-1) ended up getting credit for the win for the Rebels, while Lingos (1-1) took the loss. The maroon and gold have now lost two of their last three games as they head into one of their biggest series of the year against rival Arizona.

ASU dropped to 21-9 with the loss, while UNLV improved to 13-18. The Sun Devils will look to return to their winning ways on Saturday as they start their three game set against the Wildcats. First pitch is set for 7:30 PM at Phoenix Municipal Stadium.