March 30, 2002
MESA, Ariz. -- The 15th-ranked Arizona State baseball team recorded a season-high 20 hits, including four from freshman designated hitter Jeff Larish, in a series closing 13-6 victory over the University of Washington on Saturday afternoon at a sun-drenched Hohokam Stadium.
The Devils came back to win the three-game Pac-10 series 2-1 after dropping the opener 14-11. ASU outscored the Huskies in the three games 32-23, and if you were take away UW's big eight-run seventh Thursday, ASU controlled the Pac-10 contests by a commanding 32-15 margin. ASU improved to 20-10 on the year and are off to a 4-2 start in Pac-10 play. The Huskies fall to 12-10-1 with the loss and 1-2 in conference action.
Larish led a hit parade that saw seven Sun Devils notch multi-hit contests against the league's top pitcher in UW's Shawn Kohn. Kohn, a senior right-hander who has a deceptive three-quarters delivery, entered the game with a 6-0 record and a stellar 2.25 ERA. The Devils handed the senior his first loss of the year by tagging him with 15 hits and eight runs in his six innings of work.
ASU combated UW's ace with a staff outing that featured all normal relief pitchers. Junior left-hander Carlos Arguello picked up the win in his first career start, tossing three allowing five hits and two runs in three and a third innings. Mark Sopko, J.J. Jackson and Ryan Schroyer sealed the win out of the bullpen. Schroyer (Casa Grande) allowed only one hit and struck out four in the final two innings. The sophomore now has 21 strikeouts and a 0.82 ERA in 11.0 total innings out of the bullpen.
In addition to Larish's big game at the plate, freshman shortstop Dustin Pedroia put a cap on an excellent weekend with a 3-for-4 performance Saturday. Pedroia finished the series hitting .538 (7x13) with three runs scored, two doubles a triple and six RBI. For the season the Woodland, Calif., native is hitting .339 with 13 extra base hits. Senior center fielder Jon Sheaffer also had an excellent weekend at the plate, going 7-for-12 (.583), including a strong 2-for-4 game in the series finale. Junior third baseman Dennis Wyrick and sophomore right fielder Andre Ethier also chipped in three-hit games for ASU.
The Sun Devils jumped out to an early 5-2 lead after three innings. ASU scored a pair of runs right out of the gate with Ethier connecting on a clutch two-out single to left field. Reserve catcher Cesar Castillo, who made only his third career start, plated ASU's third run with a single down the right field line in the bottom of the second.
ASU added to its lead with two more runs in the bottom of the third. After a Jeremy West double and Jeff Larish reached on an error on UW right fielder Tyler Davidson, Ethier drove home a run on a sacrifice fly to center field and junior Dennis Wyrick singled in a run to extend the lead to 5-2.
Jeremy West clubbed a leadoff home run in the bottom of the fifth for his team-leading eighth home run, giving ASU a 7-2 lead. The Huskies finally built some momentum in the top of the sixth and seventh innings, leading to a pair of two-run home runs. Mike Wagner and Jay Garthwaite both clubbed a pair of two-run home runs in the sixth and seventh innings respectively to pull the Huskies to within one run. For Garthwaite, UW's junior center fielder, it was his team-leading ninth round-tripper of the year and his second of the series.
The Devils bounced right back in the bottom of the seventh to regain control of the game by sending 10 batters to the plate and scoring four key insurance runs. With two runs already in by way of a bases loaded wild pitch and walk, Larish drove home his first two runs as a Sun Devil with a two-out single to center field.
The Sun Devils will play the next seven games on the road, including a rare Monday contest at UNLV in Las Vegas. ASU will then play consecutive Pac-10 series' at Washington State and UCLA. The Sun Devils will next play at home with a three-game series against Cal Apr. 19-21 at Hohokam Stadium.
Game Notes: The Devils used their 13th different lineup in as many games... Doug Schutt made his first career start as a left fielder, giving normal left fielder Rod Allen his first day off of the year... ASU has now scored in the first inning in 18 of its 30 games this year... after two Pac-10 series last year, ASU was 3-3... Arguello made his first career start on the mound... the Devils hit .373 as a team over the three games against Washington. Arizona State 13, Washington 6 (Mar 30, 2002 at Mesa, Ariz.) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Washington.......... 002 002 200 - 6 9 0 (12-10-1, 1-2 PAC-10) Arizona State....... 212 020 42X - 13 20 2 (20-10, 4-2 PAC-10) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Pitchers: Washington - Kohn, Gibson(7), Shepple(7), Colburn(8), Conover(8). Arizona State - Arguello, Sopko(4), Jackson(7), Schroyer(8). Win-Arguello(1-0) Loss-Kohn(6-1) T-3:14 A-2637 HR WASH - Garthwaite (9), Wagner (1), HR ASU - West (8). --Sun Devil Baseball--