Sun Devils overpower Bears 11‑4 in Big 12 series finale

PHOENIX (Interstat) — Arizona State routed Baylor 11-4 in the series finale Sunday evening at Phoenix Municipal Stadium.

The Sun Devils improved to 31-14 overall, while the Bears fell to 22-21.

Arizona State’s offense pounded 15 hits, including home runs from Dominic Smaldino, Austen Roellig and Kole Klecker. Smaldino finished 3-for-5 with a homer and three RBIs. Roellig went 2-for-5 with a two-run blast. Klecker also starred on the mound, tossing six innings of four-hit ball with eight strikeouts and two earned runs. Beckett Zavorek added two hits and an RBI.

Baylor’s Tyce Armstrong had a standout performance, going 3-for-3 with two home runs and three RBIs. The Bears managed only seven hits overall.

Arizona State scored in the first inning on an unearned run. Armstrong tied it with a solo homer in the second, but the Sun Devils took the lead for good in the third on a sacrifice fly and an RBI single. Roellig’s two-run homer in the fifth made it 5-4, and Arizona State broke the game open with five runs in the fifth and sixth innings. Smaldino added a solo homer in the eighth, and Armstrong hit his second homer of the afternoon in the ninth.

Arizona State grounded into two double plays. The Sun Devils host Oklahoma State next weekend.