April 6, 2002
PULLMAN, Wash. -- Arizona State sophomore Ryan McKenna drilled a two-out, two-strike bases loaded double in the top of the eighth inning to help lift the 14th-ranked Sun Devils to a come-from-behind 13-7 victory over the Washington State Cougars Saturday afternoon in the second of a three-game Pac-10 series at Bailey-Brayton Field.
The Sun Devils trailed the Cougars 7-6 before McKenna broke the game open with his double to the right field gap. ASU added four more runs in the top of the ninth to seal the win and set up the rubber game of the three-game series Sunday at 1 p.m.. The Devils built an early 6-1 lead, but a five-run fourth inning for the Cougars tied the game at 6-6. WSU then scored the go-ahead run on an error by ASU second baseman Steve Garrabrants in the bottom of the seventh.
The win improves the Sun Devils to 21-12 overall and 5-3 in Pac-10 play. They will be vying for their seventh consecutive Pac-10 series victory in tomorrow's game. The Cougars dropped to 13-17 on the season and are 1-4 in league play.
"I am really proud of the way these guys battled back today and put together some clutch hits in the late innings," said ASU head coach Pat Murphy. "We had some role players really step up today and it shows the character of this team. I couldn't be happier for a guy like Ryan McKenna to get the big hit."
ASU closer Ryan Schroyer picked up the win out of the bullpen to improve to 2-1 on the year. Schroyer scattered only three hits in three shutout innings to pick up his first win as a reliever. In 11 outings now out of the bullpen (14.2 innings), Schroyer has a 0.61 ERA and has struck out 24 batters.
Cougar reliever Billy Gorrell gave up the double to McKenna in the eighth and was saddled with the loss to fall to 0-4 on the year. Washington State ace Brandon Hundt started the game and recorded the no-decision by allowing nine hits and five earned runs in six and a third innings.
Offensively the Sun Devils bounced back from a lackluster three-hit performance in Friday's series opener by tabbing 14 hits in the 13-7 win. Sophomore first baseman Jeremy West was 2-for-5 with a pair of RBI and hit his team-leading 10th home run of the year. McKenna finished the game 2-for-5 with three RBI and freshman shortstop Dustin Pedroia added a pair of hits for his 14th multi-hit game of the year.
The Cougars scored their seven runs behind 12 base hits. Leadoff hitter Evan Hecker continued his strong showing vs. the Devils with two more hits to add to his three-hit game Friday. Third baseman Jeff LaRue was 2-for-5 with a run scored as the only other WSU player to tally a multi-hit game. Two-sport star Collin Henderson was 1-for-4 with two RBI. The right fielder, who is also a starting wide receiver on the Cougar football team, also caught three passes earlier in the day in one of WSU's spring football scrimmages.
The Sun Devils came out of the gates hot by scoring at least one run in each of the first three innings to take an early 6-1 lead. The Devils scored three runs in the opening frame by sending nine batters to the plate. West started the rally with a double down the left field line and later scored on a single by freshman shortstop Dustin Pedroia. West provided another big hit in the top of the second with a towering solo home run over the left field fence.
The Cougs jumped right back into the game with five runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to tie the game at 6-6. Freshman shortstop Derek Bruce chased starter Bryce Kartler from the game with a bases loaded double to right field to plate two runs. Right fielder Collin Henderson greeted reliever Josh Perrault with a sacrifice fly to score a run and center fielder Evan Hecker brought WSU to within one run with soft single to center field. Perrault then gave up three consecutive singles and a bases loaded walk to designated hitter Wes Falkenborg to tie the game at 6-6.
The Cougars and Sun Devils will conclude the three-game Pac-10 series Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m. Junior right-hander Robbie McClellan (5-2, 4.25) will start for the Sun Devils against WSU's junior left-hander Garrett Alwert (2-1, 6.00). The game will be televised in Washington and Arizona on Fox Sports.
Game Notes: The Sun Devils used its 17th consecutive different starting lineup... with the three runs in the first inning marked the 20th time this year ASU has scored in the first inning... ASU extended its NCAA consecutive games scoring streak to 408 games... Cesar Castillo has made four straight starts after having only two in his career before this current streak... Jeremy West now has 16 career home runs. Arizona State 13, Washington State 7 (Apr 06, 2002 at Pullman, Wash.) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Arizona State....... 321 000 034 - 13 14 3 (21-12, 5-3 PAC-10) Washington State.... 100 500 100 - 7 12 2 (13-17, 1-4 PAC-10) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Pitchers: Arizona State - Kartler, Perrault(4), Liebeck(4), Schroyer(7). Washington State - Hundt, Gorrell(7), Niles(9), Freeman(9), Fisher(9). Win-Schroyer(2-1) Loss-Gorrell(0-4) T-3:24 A-587 HR ASU - West (10). --Sun Devil Baseball--