PHOENIX - When Arizona State singled in three-straight at-bats with two outs to plate a run and a 1-0 lead in the first inning, it was a lesson to always compete through the completion of an inning.
That lesson did not translate to the defensive side of the field, as the Sun Devils would surrender 14 two-out runs — nine of them unearned — in a brutal series-opening 16-6 loss to UC Irvine at home Friday night.
“In my mind that’s four games in a row where we have beat ourselves,” head coach Willie Bloomquist said. “We have a chance to be okay when we are not beating ourselves.