Colby Woodmansee celebrates walk-off photo courtesy Sun Devils Athletics
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Sophomore shortstop Colby Woodmansee hit a solo, walk-off home run in the 10th inning to give the No. 14 Arizona State Sun Devils a 4-3 win over the No. 8 Oklahoma State Cowboys at Phoenix Municipal Stadium. Woodmansee went 2-for-5 with two runs scored and two RBI as the Devils open the Head coach Tracy Smith era in dramatic fashion.
Arizona State got to Cowboys’ southpaw starter Tyler Nurdin (Sr.) in the fourth inning when Woodmansee singled in first baseman Joey Bielek (Sr.) who led the inning off with a single and then stole second. After advancing to second on a wild pitch, Woodmansee would score on a double by junior third baseman Dalton DiNatale for the early 2-0 lead.
The Cowboys’ would answer in the fifth against Devils’ hurler Brett Lilek (Jr., LHP) as junior Corey Hassel made him pay for allowing a pair of walks in the inning. Hassel drove the first pitch he saw to right center for a double that scored Jon Littell (Fr., LF) and Jacob Chappell (Fr., 3B) to tie the game at 2-2.
Junior right fielder Conor Costello led off the sixth with a walk for the Cowboys and advanced to third on a groundout and a wild pitch by Arizona State reliever Hever Bueno (So., RHP). Sophomore first baseman Kevin Bradley singled a 2-1 delivery from Bueno through the left side of the infield to score Costello and give Oklahoma State a 3-2 lead.
The lead remained solid until the eighth thanks to Cowboys’ reliever Blake Battenfield’s (So., RHP) strike out of Woodmansee with the bases loaded in the seventh to preserve the one run lead. However, Arizona State would break through against Battenfield in the eighth as junior second baseman Jordan Aboites doubled home Trever Allen (RSr., RF) to tie the game at 3-3.
Junior righty Ryan Burr threw two scoreless frames for the Sun Devils to keep the game tied going into the bottom of the 10th. Woodmansee homered off a 1-2 pitch from Cowboys’ reliever Koda Glover (Jr., RHP) to atone for his earlier bases-loaded strikeout.
Oklahoma State sends Jon Perrin (Sr., RHP) to the bump looking to even the series while Arizona State counters with Ryan Kellogg (Jr., LHP) in hopes of wrapping up the series win.
