ASU Baseball: Sun Devils top Dirtbags 1-0

In their last two games, the Arizona State Sun Devils have scored just three runs.

They’re also 2-0.

The Sun Devils (4-4) knocked off the Long Beach State Dirtbags 1-0 at Blair Field in Long Beach Tuesday behind a dominant pitching effort across five arms.

ASU didn’t need to score much, but the Sun Devils got what they needed nearly immediately.

Following a leadoff single and stolen base by junior centerfielder Gage Canning, freshman left fielder Scott Mehan drilled a single to chase him home for a 1-0 lead.

That was all the pitching staff would need.

Senior Jake Godfrey started the game with two scoreless innings, followed up by a sterling outing by sophomore Alec Marsh.

ASU cruised behind its dominant pitching for nearly seven full innings before Long Beach State began a two-out rally with a double for freshman third baseman Chris Jimenez, followed by a walk from catcher Antonio Torres, chasing Marsh.

Head coach Tracy Smith turned to junior Connor Higgins to escape danger and he promptly induced a ground ball out by junior pinch-hitter Domenic Colacchio to end the threat.

Junior Sam Romero then breezed through the eighth inning, giving way to sophomore Chaz Montoya for a chance at his second save in a row.

This opportunity, though, did not go as smoothly as his effort Sunday.

Montoya allowed a one-out single and two-out double, putting two men in scoring position, giving junior pinch-hitter Shaq Robinson a chance to win the game.

On a 2-2 pitch from Montoya, Robinson lined a ball into shallow left field, but freshman left fielder Trevor Hauver — who entered the game in the eighth inning — made a diving snag to seal the victory.

The Sun Devils and Dirtbags conclude their two-game set Wednesday night before ASU returns home for a three-game series with Oklahoma State over the weekend.