Mike Leake & #1 baseball top New Mexico 10-1

Top ranked Arizona State improved to 9-0 and swept a two-game series with New Mexico with a 10-1 victory Wednesday night in front of a crowd of 2,242 at Winkles Field-Packard Stadium at Brock Ballpark.

Sophomore pitcher Mike Leake went six shutout innings, allowing just two hits and striking out eight Lobos, to earn the win. Leake is now 3-0 on the season, and he has struck out 19 batters while walking just one in his first three starts.

The Sun Devils sent 10 men to the plate in the first inning and chased New Mexico starter Ryan Escarcega after just two thirds of an inning. Junior Ike Davis got the scoring started with an RBI single, freshman Matt Newman walked with the bases loaded and junior Marcel Champagnie drove in a run on a fielder's choice to make it 3-0. Sophomore Raoul Torrez then had a two-run double to left to give his team a five-run cushion after the first inning.

ASU added to its lead in the fourth when sophomore Jason Kipnis hit his team-leading fifth home run of the season, a two-run shot to right to make it 7-0.

The Sun Devils then scored three more runs in the seventh. Senior Ryan Sontag had a sacrifice fly RBI, junior Mike Murphy scored after a throwing error by New Mexico and Kipnis then drove in junior Brett Wallace with a single up the middle.

New Mexico avoided the shutout with two outs in the ninth, as Lobo catcher Rafael Neda had an RBI double to center to bring in his team's only run of the night.

Kipnis, Newman, Torrez and Murphy had two hits apiece in the victory, and Kipnis' three RBI give him a team-high 28 on the season.

The Sun Devils return to action Friday, when they begin a three-game series hosting Massachusetts. First pitch is scheduled for 7 p.m.