Nebraska hits three home runs to beat No. 20 ASU in series-deciding finale

Nebraska baseball hit three home runs Sunday in an 8-5, series-clinching win over No. 20 Arizona State.

ASU also hit three homers but all were solo. Nebraska had a two-run homer in the second, erasing a 3-1 deficit, and a three-run homer by Jaxon Hallmark in the fifth for a 7-3 lead. A hit batter, walk and wild pitch hurt ASU ahead of Hallmark's homer. 

Trevor Hauver and Lyle Lin homered for ASU in the seventh and eighth but could get no closer. Nebraska added an insurance run in the eighth. Lin hit two homers and has eight for the season.

Erik Tolman (3-1), the second of five ASU pitchers, took the loss. 

ASU, which won the series opener Friday then lost Saturday, falls to 35-14. Nebraska improves to 26-19. ASU is 10-13 since the beginning of April with just one weekend series win over that span.

The Sun Devils are at California next week (May 17-19) before closing the regular season at home against Stanford (May 23-25).

Nebraska edges No. 20 ASU baseball to even series

No. 20 Arizona State baseball left nine runners on base Saturday in a 2-1 loss at Nebraska.

Spencer Torkelson hit his 19th home run and fourth in the the last four games in the sixth inning, but ASU could not push across at least the tying run over the final three innings.

Torkelson, a sophomore, now is tied with Dan Rumsey for sixth in school career home runs with 44. 

In the ninth, Carter Aldrete singled leading off for ASU. After a sacrifice bunt attempt by Myles Denson failed, Drew Swift hit a fly to deep left that Mojo Hagge caught at the wall.

ASU's Boyd Vander Kooi (4-3) pitched well for seven innings but took the loss.

Nate Fisher (5-3) was the winning pitcher with Colby Gomes picking up his 10th save. Three Nebraska pitchers struck out 14.

ASU drops to 35-13, ending its three-game win streak. Nebraska improves to 25-19. The series-deciding game is at 11 a.m. Sunday. 

Hunter Bishop, Spencer Torkelson homer again in No. 20 ASU baseball's opening win at Nebraska

Hunter Bishop and Spencer Torkelson each homered for a third consecutive game Friday in No. 20 Arizona State’s 15-6, series-opening win at Nebraska.

Bishop hit a two-run, opposite-field homer in the third inning, his 22nd of the season. Torkelson hit a three-run homer in the seventh, his 18th.

Torkelson led the nation in 2018 with 25 home runs and has 43 for his two-year ASU career. Bishop is second nationally in homers this season.

Trevor Hauver also homered leading off the game for ASU, his 12th of the season. Gage Workman joined in with a three-run homer in the eighth, his seventh.

Sam Ferri had a two-run hit in the second and Spencer Torkelson hit a sacrifice fly RBI in the fourth. ASU knocked out Nebraska starter Matt Waldron after four innings with nine hits and six runs.

The Sun Devils finished with 21 hits. 

Alec Marsh (9-3) struck out a career-best-tying 10 in seven innings, allowing five hits and two runs. Chaz Montoya gave up a three-run Nebraska homer in the eighth. Will Levine pitched in the ninth. 

Cole Austin had his first hit in his second ASU game, driving in a run in the seventh.

ASU improves to 35-12 with its third consecutive win. Nebraska drops to 24-19. Game 2 is at 12 p.m. Saturday.

More:No. 20 ASU baseball completes season sweep of Arizona

Reach the reporter at jeff.metcalfe@arizonarepublic.com or 602-444-8053. Follow him on Twitter @jeffmetcalfe.

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