Monster 5th inning helps ASU baseball fend off elimination vs. South Dakota State

Arizona State baseball erupted for 11 runs in the fifth inning as the Sun Devils avoided elimination with a 17-0 win over South Dakota State in the Lincoln Regional on Saturday.

The Sun Devils will face Nebraska in an elimination game on Sunday. First pitch is scheduled for noon MST and can be seen on ESPN+.

Nebraska lost to Ole Miss in the Lincoln Regional on Sunday, a game that originally started Saturday evening before being suspended due to weather. 

Leading 1-0 in the bottom of the fourth inning, the Sun Devils scored two runs before Nu’u Contrades hit a grand slam to give ASU a 7-0 lead. It was his third home run in the last two games after he hit two homers against Ole Miss.

BLOW IT OPEN, NUUUUUUUUUU!

Grand slam and the Devils are in control.

💻ESPN+ pic.twitter.com/FiApoRJiZ4

— Sun Devil Baseball (@ASU_Baseball) May 30, 2026

Five South Dakota pitchers threw in the fifth before they made an out, as ASU finished the inning with a 12-0 lead. Sun Devil starter Kole Klecker went almost 45 minutes without throwing a pitch.

ASU would score five more runs in the sixth inning, four off a grand slam by Austen Roellig, to extend its lead to 17-0.

Roellig. Granny.

Devils in absolute control.

💻ESPN+ pic.twitter.com/srs2frpuW8

— Sun Devil Baseball (@ASU_Baseball) May 30, 2026

ASU slugger Landon Hairston went 2-for-5 with two RBIs in the win.

Meanwhile, Klecker was dealing on the mound for the Sun Devils, tossing eight innings, surrendering just three hits and registering a career-high 13 strikeouts in the win.

His previous career high was nine in the 2023 Super Regionals.

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