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It took a total team offensive effort and solid pitching by Jared Glenn for No. 23 Arizona State (12-3, 1-0 Pac-12) to secure a 6-3 victory over No. 19 Oregon (8-4, 0-1).
It was a game of firsts for the Sun Devils on Friday night. For starters, it was their first road game, first Pac-12 game, and first game against a ranked opponent this season.
Seth Tomczak started on the mound for ASU. He threw 30 pitches, which is around his pitch count this season, in 1.2 innings but gave up three runs on five hits, including two doubles.
After going down 3-0 in the bottom of the first, the Sun Devils scored six unanswered runs. The first came from a groundout by Sam Ferri that scored Sean McLain after his lead-off triple.
The following inning, the top of the order got it done when Drew Swift and Hunter Haas scored on a Hunter Jump double down the right field line. Ethan Long then kept the rally going with an RBI single that brought in Jump from second.
Long provided some insurance in the top of the eighth by blasting a two-run shot that looked to hit the scoreboard in left-center field. The Sun Devil offense totaled 11 hits from six different hitters, including a 3-4 day from Drew Swift at the plate.
WE. LOVE. LONG. BALLS.@EthanLong2534 with his first career dinger!
— Sun Devil Baseball (@ASU_Baseball) March 20, 2021
A two-out, two-run shot to give us some room here in the 8th!
6-3, Devils! pic.twitter.com/kxxhCCSTQS
The ability to come back and secure a lead in the early stages allowed Jared Glenn, who came in to relieve Tomczak, to get in a rhythm and dominate the Ducks.
The common theme among the ASU pitching staff this year has been to throw strikes and trust the defense. Glenn did just that on Friday night.
In just 80 pitches (54 strikes), Glenn threw the final 7.1 innings by giving up three hits and only striking out one. He forced 10 flyouts, nine groundouts and two double plays.
TWICE. AS. NICE.
— Sun Devil Baseball (@ASU_Baseball) March 20, 2021
Second double play of the game for the Devils to get us through 6!
Still on top as the rain starts to drizzle down now. pic.twitter.com/des3qQ6zha
This efficiency helped the Arizona State bullpen that has been used a lot recently due to the injuries of multiple starting pitchers.
The Sun Devils and Ducks will go at it in game two of the three-game set tomorrow afternoon at 2 p.m. local time.