Arizona State’s postseason run came to an end Sunday in Lincoln when Ole Miss delivered a sacrifice fly with one out in the bottom of the 10th inning to claim a 5-4 victory and advance to a super regional. The decisive play — a fly ball lofted to left that scored pinch runner Cannon Goldin — closed the door on the Sun Devils’ season and replicated the heartache of an earlier extra‑innings loss to the same opponent in the regional. The Rebels improved to 43-17 with the win; Arizona State finished the year 39-21.
An Arizona State coach watches from the field during the 10‑inning loss to Ole Miss that ended ASU’s season.
The game’s final sequence began in the 10th when Ole Miss put two runners on after a walk to Collin Reuter and a single by Luke Romine. Dom Decker then lofted the fly to left that produced the winning tally. The Sun Devils were unable to answer in the top of the inning, retired in order by J.P. Robertson, who was credited with the victory after tossing two scoreless frames and allowing just one hit during his outing. Derek Schaefer, who had earned a save earlier in the day in an 11-8 win over Nebraska that pushed Arizona State into the later game, was charged with the loss in relief.
The contest had swung back and forth through nine innings, producing the same extended drama that had marked the teams’ previous meeting in the regional. Arizona State struck first for the fourth straight game in the tournament when Dean Toigo opened the scoring with a leadoff homer in the first inning. Toigo came to the plate in the top of the lineup in place of sophomore outfielder Landon Hairston, who was unavailable after receiving a one‑game suspension for an ejection in an earlier game when he flipped his bat following a called third strike. Klyer McGary took Hairston’s spot in the lineup.
The Sun Devils built on that early advantage in the second inning. A single by Kyler McGary, combined with walks to Cody Briggs and T.J. Moutzouridis, loaded the bases for Toigo, who laced a two‑run double to extend Arizona State’s lead to 3-0. Ole Miss countered in the bottom half of the second. The Rebels loaded the bases with no outs and pushed across a run on a single by Brayden Randle — the same player who delivered the extra‑innings winner against Arizona State two nights earlier — before Dom Decker’s sacrifice fly cut the deficit to 3-2.
Ole Miss tied the game in the third inning when Tristan Bissetta connected for a solo home run off ASU starter Colin Linder, leveling the score at 3-3. Linder departed after the frame, having allowed four hits, issuing two walks and hitting a batter over 51 pitches. The Sun Devils escaped further damage in the third on a defensive play at the plate: with two on and one out Brayden Randle singled and Hayden Frederico attempted to score from second. Left fielder Kyler McGary’s throw reached catcher Brody Briggs for the tag, and after a lengthy review the call at the plate was upheld, preserving the tie.
Arizona State reclaimed the lead in the fourth when P.J. Moutzouridis reached on a fielder’s choice, advanced on an error and later crossed the plate on a wild pitch, making it 4-3. Ole Miss starter Cade Townsend exited after five innings, having allowed six hits and four runs (three earned) while walking five and striking out seven; he finished with 115 pitches. Sophomore lefthander Wil Libbert took over on the mound for the Rebels following Townsend’s departure.
On the mound for Arizona State, right‑hander Alex Overbay entered in relief after Linder left in the third and turned in three and one‑third scoreless innings, giving up one hit, issuing three walks and striking out five before being replaced by Sean Fitzpatrick. Eli Buxton handled the ninth for the Sun Devils, setting the Rebels down in order to force extra innings. Each club finished with seven hits; Ole Miss stranded 11 runners while Arizona State left 10 on base. The earlier 14‑inning loss to Ole Miss in the regional — a 7-6 defeat two nights prior — and the late finish on Sunday underscored how the Rebels prevailed in both extended affairs. With the sacrifice fly in the 10th, Ole Miss moved on and Arizona State’s season concluded.