Feb. 1, 2002
TEMPE, Ariz. -- Arizona State sophomore right-handed pitcher Ryan Schroyer (1-0) was masterful in his start Friday night, striking out 11 and allowing only three hits in six and two-thirds innings to help lead the No. 17 Sun Devils to a 12-0 victory over Southern Utah in the second day of the inaugural Bill Kajikawa Baseball Classic at Hohokam Park.
The Sun Devils improved to 2-0 with the victory, while Southern Utah fell to 0-2. Both teams will meet on Sunday in the final game of the tournament at 1 p.m. ASU now leads the all-time series with the Thunderbirds 19-0.
Schroyer (Casa Grande) cruised through the early innings before falling into a groove in the fourth, fifth and sixth in which he struck out the side in all three innings. Nearly duplicating his first collegiate start last year against the same Southern Utah team (Feb. 3, 2001), Schroyer set a career high with his 11 strikeouts. Last year he recorded nine K's in 4.2 innings while allowing five hits. In 11.1 career innings vs. Southern Utah, Schroyer has now struck out 20 and has not allowed an earned run.
While Schroyer controlled the pace on the mound for the Devils, it was sophomore first baseman Jeremy West (Las Vegas) once again providing the pop at the plate. Coming off a 2-for-4, 4 RBI game vs. Oregon State, West was 3-for-3 with four runs scored, four RBI, a double and his first home run of the year. Through two games in 2002, West is 5-for-7 (.714) with three doubles, a home run and eight RBI.
Sophomore shortstop Ian Kinsler (Tucson) notched his first career multi-hit game with a pair of hits and freshman second baseman Dustin Pedroia (Woodland, Calif.) continues to swing a hot bat with his second consecutive 2-for-4 game.
The Sun Devil bullpen, featuring right-hander Josh Perrault (Mesa), sophomore Aaron Klusman (Phoenix) and freshman Josh Smith (Lake Havasu), closed out the win with 2.1 shutout and hitless innings of relief.
Southern Utah managed only three hits for the second game in a row and did not have a runner advance past second base after the first inning. Junior starting pitcher Steve Stoker was saddled with the loss, allowing seven hits and six runs in four and a third innings of work.
After the Thunderbirds threatened in the first with a runner on third, the Devils took the first lead of the game in the second inning. West started the rally with a leadoff single and later came around to score on a sacrifice fly by junior third baseman Dennis Wyrick (Azusa, Calif.). West provided ASU's second run of the game on a long solo home run to left field.
ASU broke open the game in the fifth and sixth innings, combining to score 10 runs and put the game out of reach. Batting around each inning, several Devils came up with big hits. West drove home two with a double to left field, while Kinsler and Wyrick both had run scoring singles.
Arizona State will be in action again tomorrow (Saturday) at 3 p.m. against Oral Roberts (1-1), who was a 10-9 loser to Oregon State in 10 innings in the early game Friday in the Kajikawa Classic. Arizona State will start junior LHP Bryce Kartler (Phoenix) on the mound against preseason All-American Mike Rogers. Rogers was 14-1 with a 2.37 ERA last year.
Game Notes: Ryan Schroyer struck out the side in the fourth, fifth and six innings en route to his (11) strikeout performance... at one point he struck out 9 of 11 batters... the home run by Jeremy West in the fourth inning was the first of the year for ASU... it took only 50 team at-bats to hit a home run, compared to 177 team at-bats and five games last year... walk-on redshirt freshman Garrett Schoenberger (Juneau, Alaska) recorded his first career at-bat, flying out to center field... in two games, ASU has scored 25 runs and pounded out 30 hits... ASU is now 19-0 all-time vs. Southern Utah... freshman catcher Joel Bocchi (Phoenix) was 1-for-1 to pick up his first collegiate hit... sophomore Nick Walsh (Alamo, Calif.) is 2-for-2 with two line drive singles this year as a pinch-hitter... the last time the Sun Devils shutout an opponent was Feb. 10, 2001 vs. Duke (9-0)... ASU has now scored at least one run in 377 straight games to extend its NCAA record.
--Sun Devil Baseball--