Under the glow of a red-tinted moon, Arizona State (1-0) played the heartbreakers, taking down Ohio State (0-1) in a 9-8 late-night slugfest. 

The Buckeyes and the Sun Devils split the four-game series they shared last season, highlighted by lopsided box scores and outstanding individual performances.

With the series shrunk to three games, it was apparent to coaches Willie Bloomquist and Justin Haire that only one team would walk out as the clear winner. 

Junior southpaw Ben Jacobs toed the rubber for ASU with hands-on experience facing Ohio State’s lineup, striking out eight in four and two-thirds innings against the Buckeyes in 2024. 

The Buckeyes fronted junior right-handed pitcher Blaine Wynk, a former bullpen arm who pitched two and third scoreless frames against the Sun Devils that weekend. 

It was a rough first inning for both starters, as Jacobs and Wynk surrendered the opening tallies on loud contact from the top of the order. 

The difference maker in the first was a 432-foot two-run blast from senior first baseman Jacob Tobias that gave the Sun Devils a 3-2 lead.

With the home run, Tobias successfully collected a hit in his first at-bat of the season in all four years as a Sun Devil.

Bloomquist was surprised like many others when Tobias’ name wasn’t called on draft day, something he believes will be his motivator for the season.

“Oh, I think he’s got a little chip on his shoulder,” Bloomquist said. “It’s lucky for us. We got not only a phenomenal young man, but I got my four hole hitter back who had 18 homers and 64 RBIs last year.”

A player who didn’t return for the Sun Devils was star catcher Ryan Campos, who was drafted 109th overall by the St. Louis Cardinals last summer.

However, it didn’t take long for his replacement to fulfill his duties in the lineup.

In the bottom of the third in a tie ballgame, senior catcher Josiah Cromwick rocketed a go-ahead opposite field three-run shot to put ASU up 6-3. 

Cromwick, a redshirt junior, battled with injuries during his sophomore season, and the playing time when he was healthy didn’t come easy with Campos ahead of him.

When the catcher position was up for grabs this year, Cromwick wasted no time taking advantage of the opportunity.

“It was kind of a tough year for Crom(wick) last year,” Bloomquist said. “But when he was able to get another year of eligibility from his freshman year back at Oregon, he was stoked to come back.”

The home run by Cromwick would cut Wynk’s night short, as the Buckeyes brought on left-hander Hunter Shaw for relief. 

Wynk finished the night allowing six runs (five earned) on four hits and two walks while striking out two. 

Jacobs’ night would last until the fifth inning, where he would pass the baton to senior righty Jonah Giblin.

Jacobs, hailed as a top-100 draft prospect by MLB Pipeline, completed four innings of four-run ball with a walk and five strikeouts, halting his pitch count at 87.

The top of the fifth featured a defensive clinic by the Sun Devils, including the first-ever Kyle Walker-Matt King double-play tandem of the season. 

“They’re gonna do some great things,” Bloomquist said. “But I think the biggest thing that those two will do is just make consistent routine plays over and over.”

The highlight-worthy play came one batter later when Walker sprawled out to make a diving catch to end the inning with zero damage. 

ASU finished last season with the third-worst team fielding percentage (.970) and the second-most errors (62) in the Pac-12 conference, a problem the Sun Devils hope to resolve in 2025. 

Ohio State wouldn’t stay down for long as things began to unravel for the Sun Devils in the top of the seventh. 

The biggest blow came on a two-run double off the bat of sophomore designated hitter Mason Eckelman, a knock that capped off a four-run frame for the Buckeyes. 

“This is college baseball, man,” Bloomquist said. “There are no easy games, you are gonna be in a dog fight every night. You’re gonna get punched in the mouth a time or two and you’re gonna have to respond to it.”

It didn’t take long for the response to come. 

Reignited by the seventh-inning stretch, the Sun Devils battled back from the two-run deficit to reclaim a 9-8 lead.

Cromwick collected his second go-ahead hit of the night, an RBI double down the left field line, to cap off the comeback and signal to the bullpen it was time to close things out.

Things wouldn’t be easy for Louisville transfer Will Koger, who was tasked with closing out the ninth inning of ASU’s first win of the season.

A walk and a single would raise the stakes for the senior right-hander, but a line-out double play to Walker would end the game and begin the celebrations.

That was until the celebrations were cut short by a challenge of the out call at second base.

Malfunctioning equipment forced the umpires to review footage in the press box, a delay that the fans wouldn’t let them hear the end of.

Walker took the time to enjoy the moment amidst the negative emotions swirling around the ballpark.

“It was actually kind of fun,” Walker said. “We were just waiting for the verdict, didn’t know what was gonna happen.”

But after a lengthy walk back down to the field, the call was confirmed and the cheers erupted.

In the end, the Sun Devils rattled eight hits off the Buckeyes staff, five of which were for extra bases. 

As the power continues to play for ASU, the question remains how the pitching staff will fare against the season's competition.

New faces Lucas Kelly and Will Koger produced scoreless innings in their Sun Devil debuts, suggesting a new narrative could be in the works.

The answer lies in the season ahead, as the Sun Devils look to clinch the series victory on Saturday at 1 p.m.