May 27, 2000
TEMPE, Ariz. - The top-seeded Arizona State baseball team (44-13) pulled out a 3-1 victory over the Texas Longhorns (41-19) in game four of the NCAA West Regional at Packard Stadium in Tempe, AZ. With the win, the Sun Devils advance to tomorrow's Regional championship game vs. the winner of tonight's Miami/Texas game.
The Sun Devils nailed down the victory behind the stellar pitching performance of starting pitcher Jason Fingers and relief pitchers Franco Pezely and Eric Doble. Fingers pitched five innings, giving up only three hits and one run, while striking out two. Pezely came in to relieve Fingers, and pitched three and two-thirds innings, giving up six hits and no runs. Eric Doble provided the most excitement of the game when he came in with two runners on and two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning. Doble walked the next batter, but struck out the final batter to end the game. Doble earned his ninth save of the season.
Offensively for the Devils, Jonah Martin, Jeff Duncan and Mel Stocker all went 1-for-4 with one RBI apiece. Mitch Jones went without a home run, but did finish the day with two hits. Right fielder Phil Downing also had two hits, and scored a run.
For Texas, starting pitcher Beau Hale pitched a complete game and picked up the loss. Hale scattered nine hits, gave up the three runs and struck out six. Second baseman Tommy Nicholson scored the lone run of the game for the Longhorns on his third home run of the season.
The Longhorns now will play Miami (OH) tonight to avoid elimination in the regional. ASU next takes on the winner of the Texas/Miami game tomorrow afternoon in the Regional championship game. ASU 000 120 000 3 9 1 Texas 000 010 000 1 9 0
WP - Fingers (2-1), LP - Hale (11-5), Save - Doble (9) Time: 2:50 Attendance: 2,598