#1 baseball sweeps Trojans 5-2

The top ranked Sun Devils used a four run first inning and stellar bullpen work to sweep the USC Trojans 5-2 on Sunday afternoon in Tempe. 3,387 fans came out to Winkles Field-Packard Stadium at Brock Ballpark to witness Arizona State improve to 25-1 on the year, including a 3-0 mark in Pac-10 play. A total of 11,358 fans came out during the weekend to see ASU sweep the Trojans in a regular season Pac-10 series for the first time since 1998.

The Devils got on the board first when Petey Paramore blooped a ball to left field to score Jason Kipnis from third. Matt Newman made it 3-0 with a single to left that scored Brett Wallace and Petey Paramore. With Ryan Sontag on third, Marcel Champagnie hit a tapper to the pitcher that scored a run to push it to 4-0. USC got one back in the top of the second on a Hector Rabago solo homer that made it 4-1.

ASU would add to their lead in the third, when Raoul Torrez was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. The Trojans would cut it to 5-2 in the fourth, but neither team would score again the rest of the afternoon. Tommy Rafferty and Reyes Dorado came out of the Sun Devil bullpen and combined to shut down the Trojan offense. Stephen Sauer got the start for ASU, lasting three innings and allowing two runs.

Rafferty (5-0) picked up the win, his second of the series. He threw 3.1 innings, allowing three hits and striking out two. Dorado threw the final 2.1 innings, working out of a jam in the seventh and finishing out the game to pick up his first save. He struck out four and allowed only two hits.

Matt Newman and Marcel Champagnie each had two hits in the victory, with Newman picking up two RBI.

The Devils host Wofford for a two-game midweek series beginning Tuesday night. First pitch is scheduled for 7 p.m. from Winkles Field-Packard Stadium at Brock Ballpark.