PHOENIX (Interstat) — Landon Hairston’s third-inning grand slam capped a nine-run outburst that erased an early eight-run deficit and propelled the Arizona State Sun Devils to a 15-8 victory over the Texas Christian Horned Frogs in a wild Big 12 conference game Saturday at Phoenix Municipal Stadium.

The game’s defining moment came in the bottom of the third. The Horned Frogs had stunned the home crowd by building an 8-0 lead through two and a half innings, capitalizing on a two-run single by Lucas Franco and a two-run base hit from Karson Liddington in the fourth. TCU starter Chase Davis had kept the Sun Devils off the board through two frames.

Everything changed in the bottom of the third. Arizona State sent 14 batters to the plate. The inning began with five consecutive hits, including RBI singles from Jacob Moutzouridis, Garrett Michel, Ryan Dominic and Dean Toigo. After a pitching change, Isaiah Smaldino added another run-scoring single. With the bases loaded and two outs, Hairston stepped in. The left fielder, who had been held hitless in Friday’s series-opening loss, launched a 3-1 pitch deep over the right-field wall for his seventh home run of the season, a grand slam that turned an 8-5 deficit into a 9-8 Arizona State lead.

The slam was the centerpiece of Hairston’s 3-for-6, four-RBI day. It also shifted all momentum permanently to the Sun Devils, who never trailed again.

Arizona State’s bullpen took over from there. Reliever Taylor Penn entered with the bases loaded and one out in the fourth and induced an inning-ending double play to preserve the one-run lead. Penn earned the win with four dominant innings of relief, allowing just one hit and no earned runs while striking out four. He retired 12 of the 13 batters he faced.

The Sun Devils steadily extended their lead. An unearned run scored on a passed ball in the fourth. Michel blasted a two-run homer in the sixth, and Toigo followed later in the inning with a solo shot, his seventh of the year. Toigo was perfect at the plate, going 5 for 5 with a home run, two RBIs and four runs scored. Michel finished 2 for 5 with a homer and three RBIs.

Arizona State added single runs in the seventh on a sacrifice fly by Moutzouridis and in the eighth on a sac fly by Nick Briggs. The Sun Devils racked up 16 hits as a team and executed two sacrifice flies. Reliever Derek Schaefer closed the door with 1 1/3 scoreless innings, striking out three.

TCU’s offense was held in check after its early outburst. The Horned Frogs managed 10 hits but grounded into two double plays that stifled potential rallies. Franco led TCU with a 4-for-5 performance and an RBI. Sawyer Strosnider drove in two runs, and Kade Bell added a solo home run in the eighth.

The loss went to TCU starter Chase Davis, who was charged with eight earned runs in 2 2/3 innings. The Horned Frogs used six pitchers in the game.

With the win, Arizona State improved to 13-5 overall and evened the series at one game apiece. TCU fell to 11-7. The decisive third game of the series is scheduled for Sunday. The result defied the pregame projections from Interstat, whose game simulator had predicted an 8-7 TCU victory and gave the Horned Frogs a 55% probability to win.