Losers of seven of their last nine games, the Arizona State Sun Devils could ill afford another shaky start or late-game swoon.
The Sun Devils (14-16, 6-4 Pac-12) got both, but neither mattered in a 5-1 win over USC Friday night.
Sophomore starting pitcher Alec Marsh breezed through the first inning, but found himself dangling without a rope in the top of the second.
Marsh allowed the first three Trojans to reach base with a single, a double and a hit batsman.
On the verge of an early deficit, Marsh remained calm on the mound knowing how important the ensuing at-bats would be in how the rest of the game would be played.