Spence leads baseball to win over Clemson, ASU goes to Omaha

June 07, 2009

Behind a complete game gem from <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/m-basebl/mtt/spence_josh00.html">Jo… Spence</a>, the Arizona State University baseball team advanced to the 2009 College World Series with an 8-2 win over Clemson on Sunday to win the Tempe Super Regional. A second straight above-capacity crowd of 4,406 at Winkles Field-Packard Stadium at Brock Ballpark saw the Sun Devils improve to 49-12 on the season with the victory.<separator></separator>The win puts ASU in the College World Series for the 21st time in school history and the third time in the last five seasons.<separator></separator>Spence, in just his third game back after missing a month due to injury, allowed just four hits and two runs while striking out 10 in his second complete game of the season. He moved to 9-1 with the win, and he now has 109 strikeouts on the year, giving the Sun Devils two pitchers with more than 100 strikeouts for the first time since 1992.<separator></separator><a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/m-basebl/mtt/calhoun_kole00.html">K… Calhoun</a>, <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/m-basebl/mtt/kipnis_jason00.html">J… Kipnis</a> and <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/m-basebl/mtt/newman_matt00.html">Ma… Newman</a> all drove in two runs apiece to lead the offense, with Kipnis and Calhoun each coming through with two-run hits in a five-run fifth inning that put the Sun Devils ahead for good.<separator></separator>Spence sent down 11 straight hitters to start the game, but Clemson left fielder Jeff Schaus broke up the scoreless tie with a solo home run in the bottom of the fourth to put the Tigers, the designated home team in the game, up 1-0.<separator></separator>The Sun Devils did not trail for long, however. <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/m-basebl/mtt/ruettiger_johnny00.htm… Ruettiger</a> led off the fifth with a single and <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/m-basebl/mtt/macphee_zack00.html">Z… MacPhee</a> then walked before <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/m-basebl/mtt/maggi_drew00.html">Drew Maggi</a>. After a <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/m-basebl/mtt/ramirez_carlos00.html"… Ramirez</a> walk, Calhoun doubled to center and brought in two more runs. Newman then capped off the inning with a double into the gap in right center that plated Calhoun and gave the Devils a 5-1 lead.  advanced the runners with a sacrifice bunt. Kipnis then singled up the middle to drive in two and put ASU on top.<separator></separator>Spence made the lead stand up, allowing just one hit over the next four innings, and ASU added three insurance runs in the top of the ninth. Clemson got a run in the bottom of the ninth, but Spence got Kyle Parker to ground out to end the game and send the Sun Devils into the College World Series.<separator></separator>The Devils will face North Carolina in the opening game of the College World Series in Omaha, Neb. on June 13 or June 14.