OMAHA, Neb.—This was not the way Arizona State coach Pat Murphy could have envisioned his team’s season would end.
Just when the Sun Devils were poised to set up a Saturday rematch with Texas for the Bracket 2 title at the College World Series, Texas got home runs from Cameron Rupp and Connor Rowe to pull out a 4-3 win Friday night.
The Longhorns move to the CWS finals against LSU starting Monday. The Sun Devils, who finished 51-14, go home.
“It’s a pretty emotional time,” Murphy said. “That was a pretty tough one, but the credit goes to Texas.”
Texas forged a 2-2 tie in the fifth on Travis Tucker’s single, setting the stage for the dramatic ninth.
A two-out triple by ASU freshman Zach Wilson scored Jason Kipnis to put the Sun Devils in front 3-2. Then came the solo homers by Rupp—estimated at 420 feet over dead center—and Rowe’s walkoff shot to left with two outs.
“It ended up 2-1 that inning,” Murphy said, “but it wasn’t the 2-1 you want.”
Texas coach Augie Garrido said he felt for the ASU players.
“Tonight was very cruel to a team in a very cruel sport,” Garrido said.
Mike Leake got the start for the Sun Devils on two days’ rest and allowed two runs on eight hits before giving way to Mitchell Lambson, victim of the two ninth-inning blasts.
Murphy said another day off for Leake wouldn’t have made much difference.
“I wanted to be the one to take the ball and get us into tomorrow,” Leake said.
Murphy praised the CWS performance of the junior right-hander, the Cincinnati Reds’ first-round draft pick.
“I think we’re going to see Mike Leake be inducted into the College Baseball Hall of Fame,” Murphy said. “Whenever we needed him to step up, he stepped up. He stepped up today.”
Asked if the pain of the loss will ever go away, Kipnis said, “This one is going to set with me for a while. Eventually, as time goes on, yeah, I’ll remember it.”
