Baseball Devils hold Cal scoreless over final two games
Jake Barrett threw a five-hit, complete game shutout, leading Arizona State to a 6-0, series sweeping victory over the California Golden Bears on Saturday at Evans Diamond. The Devils swept Cal in Berkeley for the first time since 2003 and improve to 28-9 on the year, 11-4 in Pac-10 play.
Barrett (5-3) dominated the Bears all afternoon, scattering the five hits. It was the first career complete game for Barrett and the second consecutive complete game shutout by an ASU pitcher after Kramer Champlin accomplished it on Friday. After the 17-inning series opener, Arizona State pitching limited Cal hitters to zero runs and 10 hits over the final 18 innings.
Joey DeMichele gave the Devils the lead in the top of the fourth, singling home Johnny Ruettiger to make it 1-0. Controversy struck mere seconds later, resulting in Cal head coach David Esquer being ejected from the game. With DeMichele at first and Riccio Torrez at third, Anderson appeared to have DeMichele picked off with a quick move to first. The umpires instead called a balk on Anderson, allowing Torrez to trot home and make it 2-0. Esquer immediately came out of the dugout to argue and was ultimately thrown out of the game.
Johnny Ruettiger and Joey DeMichele each had two hits in the victory, while Zach Wilson and DeMichele each drove in a pair of runs. The Sun Devils now head to Tucson on Tuesday evening for a non-conference meeting with the Wildcats. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. from Sancet Stadium.
Arizona State would add three more in the sixth, extending their lead to 5-0. The first run was eerily similar to their second run, as Anderson again committed a balk with runners on first and third. Cal assistant coach Dan Hubbs came out and argued, but went back to the dugout without further incident. Later in the inning, Zach Wilson unloaded on a ball, blasting it two left centerfield for a two-run homer, his fifth of the year. Hubbs then came out to make a pitching change and on his way back to the dugout was ejected by the umpiring crew after appearing to say something to the first base umpire. Joey DeMichele put an exclamation point on the weekend, crushing a ball off the scoreboard in right center for his second homer of the year and a 6-0 ASU lead.