#1 ASU baseball takes out New Mexico 18-1

Top ranked Arizona State improved to 8-0 on the year by defeating New Mexico 18-1 Tuesday night in front of a crowd of 2,236 at Winkles Field-Packard Stadium at Brock Ballpark. The Devils took advantage of 13 free passes by Lobo pitchers, ten walks and three hit batsmen, to pick up the victory.

The Sun Devils used the long ball to jump out to an early lead, as junior shortstop Marcel Champagnie hit a two-run homer to left, his first career home run, in the second inning.

Jason Kipnis had an RBI single in the third, then ASU used its power again in the fifth to take an eight run lead. Junior third baseman Brett Wallace crushed a two-run homer to center for his fourth of the year, and junior designated hitter Kiel Roling added a three-run blast to right to put the Sun Devils ahead 8-0 after five. It was Roling's second homer of the season.

Roling drove in two more in the seventh with a single to right, then junior first baseman Ike Davis added a sacrifice fly to make the lead 11-0.
The Lobos got on the board in the eighth on a sacrifice fly, but the Sun Devils responded with seven runs in the bottom half of the inning, including a bases-loaded, three-run double by Davis.

Stephen Sauer started and allowed just two hits in 4.2 innings, and senior Tommy Rafferty earned his first career victory with 2.1 shutout innings of relief. Rafferty did not allow a hit and struck out five for the win.

The Sun Devils host the Lobos again tomorrow evening, with first pitch scheduled for 6:30 p.m.