TEMPE, Ariz. - Arizona State's Mitch Jones hit a bases loaded single in the bottom of the ninth inning to score the tying and game-winning runs capping a five-run inning to give the No. 15 ranked Sun Devils a come-from-behind 10-9 win over the Washington State Cougars in a Pac-10 Conference game played Friday night at Packard Stadium.
The Cougars are now 17-13 overall and 1-6 in Pac-10 play. The Sun Devils improved to 30-12 and 6-4 in league play. WSU is now 1-8 against ranked opponents in 1999.
The Cougars jumped out to an early 4-0 lead after the first inning and took a 9-5 lead heading into the ninth inning. After giving up five runs in the first three innings, Cougar starting pitcher Todd Meldahl (Butte, Mont.) settled down to pitch a spectacular game.
The left-handed Meldahl threw four perfect innings from the fourth to the eighth, and did not give up a hit in his final five innings of work. In eight total innings of work Meldahl gave up five hits and five runs while striking out seven.
Cougar reliever Reggie Rivard entered in the ninth giving up three runs in one-third of an inning. Lanakila Niles (Pearl City, Hawaii) gave up the winning runs to pick up the loss falling to 2-1 on the season. Casey Myers provided the big blow to the Cougs with a bases loaded double so pull the Sun Devils within one, 9-8. Jones then followed with a sharp single to left field to seal the come from behind victory.
ASU came into the game as the NCAA leader in team batting average at .369, but managed to record only eight hits. Willie Bloomquist (Port Orchard, Wash.) was the only Sun Devil to record more than one hit with a 2-for-5 night. Relief pitcher Robby Milner pitched a perfect ninth inning to pick up the victory for ASU.
The Cougars hit the ball well for the second consecutive game out-hitting ASU 12-8. Zach Bode (Issaquah, Wash.) hit a first-inning, three-run home run to cap the four-run inning. Bode now has a home run in each of his last two games and seven on the season. Ray Hattenburg (Spokane, Wash.) was 3-for-5, and Steve Gleason (Spokane, Wash.) and Jason Grove (Walla Walla, Wash.) each had two hits apiece for WSU.
The Cougars and Sun Devils will play the second game of the three-game series Saturday at 1 p.m. The game will be nationally televised on Fox Sports Net (Ch. 40 local). Jamaal Gaines (2-2, 5.86) will start for WSU and Chuck Crumton (5-1, 3.34) will go to the mound for ASU.
WSU 401 120 010 - 9 12 2 ASU 401 000 005 - 10 8 0 Todd Meldahl, Reggie Rivard (9), Lanakila Niles (9), and Jeff Scherer. Will Waldrip, Eric Doble (4), Jon Switzer (8), Robby Milner (9), and Trent Pratt.W - Milner (1-0); L - Niles (2-1); S - None, HR - Bode (7). T - 3:06; A - 2,079. WSU Hits - Stevenson, Gates, Grove 2, Hattenburg 3, Bode 2, Edler, Gleason 2. ASU Hits - Bloomquist 2, Sitzman, Myers, Ernster, Duncan, Jones, Pratt. E - Scherer (4), Gates, 8). 2B - Stevenson (9), Gates (10), Gleason (5), Myers (10). 3B - Bloomquist (5).