Baseball team heads to World Series

Sun Devils defeat Arkansas 7-5 in 12 innings to win the Tempe Super Regional

Drew Maggi's two-run homer in the 12th inning gave the No. 1 Arizona State University baseball team a 7-5 victory over Arkansas on Sunday to send the Sun Devils to the College World Series. A sellout crowd at Winkles Field-Packard Stadium at Brock Ballpark saw the Devils improve to 52-8 overall with the victory in Game Two of the Tempe Super Regional.

It is ASU's 22nd overall trip to the College World Series and the first time going in consecutive years since 1993 and 1994.

After Arkansas tied the game with a two-out, two-strike home run from Brett Eibner in the bottom of the ninth, ASU weathered the storm and took the lead back in the top of the 12th. Deven Marrero led off the inning with a single and then moved to second after a sacrifice bunt by Raoul Torrez. After Austin Barnes lined out to left for the second out of the inning, Maggi hit a 1-1 pitch out to left center for his fifth home run of the season.

Jordan Swagerty, who gave up the tying home run in the ninth, then sent the Razorbacks down in order in the bottom of the 12th inning to secure the victory. Swagerty went 4.1 innings, allowing three hits and the lone run while striking out seven to earn the win and improve to 2-0 on the season.

The Sun Devils got on the board first, as Zach Wilson hit a solo home run in the top of the second. An inning later, Riccio Torrez hit a two-run homer and Wilson made it back-to-back home runs with a solo shot on the first pitch he saw to make it Arkansas battled back with two runs in the fourth and one more in the fifth. Marrero's sacrifice fly in the seventh gave ASU a 5-3 lead, but the Razorbacks got back within one with a run in the eighth.

Swagerty got the final out of the eighth and then sent down the first two Arkansas hitters in the ninth before Eibner's home run tied the game. He bounced back though by retiring Andy Wilkins to end the ninth and then pitching a scoreless 10th and 11th innings before Maggi's two-run shot in the 12th put ASU back in front.

Merrill Kelly started for the Sun Devils, going 6.1 innings and allowing seven hits and three runs with five strikeouts and three walks. He left the game with a 5-3 lead but ended up with a no decision.

Barnes went 3-for-5, while Wilson, Marrero, Kole Calhoun and Zack MacPhee all had two hits each. Wilson's first career multi-homer game gives him eight on the season and Riccio Torrez now has 10 home runs this year.

The Sun Devils will face the winner of the Super Regional between Alabama and Clemson in their first game of the 2010 College World Series at Rosenblatt Stadium in Omaha, Neb. on either Saturday or Sunday. Game dates and times will be announced after the completion of all Super Regionals on Monday.