Baseball edges Cal State Fullerton

March 18, 2010

<a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/m-basebl/stats/2009-2010/game17.htm… Score</a> <separator></separator>Top-ranked Arizona State baseball, on the strength of a five-run eighth inning, came from behind to defeat Cal State Fullerton 8-6 and sweep the Titans in a two-game series at Goodwin Field. The Sun Devils improve to 17-0 on the year. <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/m-basebl/mtt/barrett_jake00.html">J… Barrett</a>, who recovered from a rough seventh to shut the Titans down in the eighth, improved to 2-0 on the year. <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/m-basebl/mtt/swagerty_jordan00.html… Swagerty</a> threw the ninth to pick up his sixth save of the season.<separator></separator>The Torrez brothers helped start the ASU rally in the eighth, as Riccio led the inning off with a double and Raoul brought him home, sparking the five-run inning.<separator></separator>Both starters picked up no decisions on the evening, as the game was decided by the bullpens. <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/m-basebl/mtt/patterson_jimmy00.html… Patterson</a> got the start on the mound for ASU, going 6.1 innings, the longest start by a Sun Devil starting pitcher this season. He allowed three runs, two earned, on five hits. Tyler Pill went seven innings for the Titans, allowing only one earned run and striking out five.<separator></separator>The Sun Devils drew first blood, pushing a run across in the top of the third. After a two out triple by <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/m-basebl/mtt/macphee_zack00.html">Z… MacPhee</a>, his 8th of the season, <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/m-basebl/mtt/calhoun_kole00.html">K… Calhoun</a> drove him home with a sharp single to right center to make it 1-0 ASU. The Titans tied the game in the bottom of the fourth on a throwing error by MacPhee that allowed Nick Ramirez to score and make it 1-1.<separator></separator>Arizona State would grab the lead back in the top half of the seventh inning, scoring two unearned runs off Pill to go ahead 3-1. <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/m-basebl/mtt/barnes_austin00.html">… Barnes</a> started the inning by reaching on a throwing error by the third baseman and would later score on an RBI single by MacPhee. A Calhoun sac fly would bring in the second run. Cal State Fullerton would respond in the bottom of the seventh, plating four runs off Patterson and Barrett to take a 5-3 lead. Patterson gave up back-to-back singles and a sac bunt before giving way to Barrett. Barrett hit the first batter he faced to load the bases, then allowed a two-run single and a two-run double before getting out of the inning.<separator></separator>Like they have done all season, the Sun Devils responded, plating five runs to take an 8-5 lead. After a leadoff double by <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/m-basebl/mtt/torrez_riccio00.html">… Torrez</a> and a single by <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/m-basebl/mtt/wilson_zach00.html">Za… Wilson</a>, <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/m-basebl/mtt/torrez_raoul00.html">R… Torrez</a> plated brother Riccio with a single to left center that cut the lead to 5-4. <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/m-basebl/mtt/barnes_austin00.html">… Barnes</a> would tie the game with an infield single that brought home Wilson. <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/m-basebl/mtt/aplin_andrew00.html">A… Aplin</a> would give the Sun Devils a lead with a triple to right centerfield that scored two more to put ASU up 7-5. <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/m-basebl/mtt/maggi_drew00.html">Drew Maggi</a> made it 8-5 with a single to right that scored Aplin.<separator></separator>The Titans would score a single unearned run in the ninth, but Swagerty was able to work out of a jam and finish off the Titans and earn the save.<separator></separator><a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/m-basebl/mtt/maggi_drew00.html">Drew Maggi</a> paced the Sun Devil offense with four hits, while <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/m-basebl/mtt/macphee_zack00.html">Z… MacPhee</a>, <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/m-basebl/mtt/torrez_riccio00.html">… Torrez</a> and <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/m-basebl/mtt/wilson_zach00.html">Za… Wilson</a> each had two hits. <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/m-basebl/mtt/calhoun_kole00.html">K… Calhoun</a> drove in two runs in the victory.<separator></separator>The Devils return home on Friday night as they host the Houston Cougars in game one of a three-game series. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. from Winkles Field-Packard Stadium at Brock Ballpark.<separator></separator>

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