March 1, 2003
TEMPE, Ariz. (www.TheSunDevils.com) -- The No. 2 Arizona State Baseball team scored double-digits for the sixth straight game in a 12-1 victory over Penn State to improve to 23-1, tying the best start to a season in school history. ASU used a balanced 10-hit attack and five pitchers combined to allow only one Nittany Lion run Saturday afternoon in front of 2,219 at Packard Stadium.
Winning for the 14th straight time since falling to nationally ranked Long Beach State (1/31), ASU's torrid start includes four wins against ranked teams. The victory over PSU secured the series win and notched win No. 800 for the program at Packard Stadium (dating back to 1974). The 1972 team also started the season 23-1. Penn State fell to 0-2 on the season and is 0-3 all-time vs. ASU.
Senior right-hander Robbie McClellan (Liberal, Kan.) pitched well scattering six hits and gave up one run in five innings to improve to 4-0. McClellan walked two and struck out a season-high five in his first start of the year. The ASU bullpen corps of Mark Sopko, Chris Beatty, Javy Lopez and Bryce Kartler combined to throw four scoreless innings to seal the win.
Once again the ASU offense was sparked by big innings early in the game. The Devils came out swinging with six runs in the first frame behind a two-run single from Steve Garrabrants and a run-scoring double off the bat of third baseman Frank Mesa. Freshman left fielder Travis Buck sparked the rally with a double to center field.
The Devils added four more in the bottom of the second to take a commanding 10-0 lead. Mesa started the scoring with a two-run single and sophomore catcher Tuffy Gosewisch also drove home a run on a single to right field. Freshman center fielder Ryan Bosch capped ASU's scoring with a two-run home run, his second of the year, in the fourth.
Mesa (Yuma) led ASU at the plate going 2-for-5 with three RBI. Gosewisch was 2-for-3 with a pair of RBI while recording his sixth multi-hit game of the year. Bosch, who continues to experiment as a switch-hitter, was 2-for-3 with a single left-handed and a home run from the right side of the plate. Sophomore shortstop Dustin Pedroia continued his assault at the ASU record books going 2-for-3 with two runs scored to extend his hitting streak to 12 games. Pedroia (Woodland, Calif.) now has a hit in 23 of ASU's 24 games and 34 of his last 35 games dating back to the end of the 2002 season.
ASU and Penn State conclude the three-game non-conference series Sunday at noon at Packard Stadium. Senior Ben Thurmond (2-0, 1.80 ERA) is scheduled to start for the Sun Devils. The game also marks the 30th anniversary of Eddie Bane's perfect game in 1973, ASU's only one in varsity baseball history (1959-P). Bane will be at the game to throw out the ceremonial first pitch.
Game Notes: ASU scored in the first inning for the 14th time with the six-run first frame... ASU extended its NCAA record consecutive games scoring streak to 457 games... ASU scored 10 or more runs for the sixth straight game and 13th time overall this season... with Bosch's home runs ASU now has at least one homer in 11 of the 12 home games... ASU has won 16 straight at Packard Stadium dating back to the end of the 2001 season... Pedroia made his 82nd straight start (every game of his ASU career)... with Bosch's second home run of the year seven Devils now have two ore more home runs... ASU has 34 home runs overall, only four short of the total of 38 from last year... Robbie McClellan, Erik Averill and Jered Liebeck are tied for the team lead with four wins each... after 24 games the starting pitchers have a combined 11-0, 2.33 ERA and the relievers stand at 12-1, 3.98 ERA... overall the pitchers boast a combined 3.15 team ERA... the offense has also been stellar averaging 11.13 runs per game and hitting .348. Arizona State 12, Penn State 1 (Mar 01, 2003 at Tempe, Ariz.) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Penn State.......... 000 100 000 - 1 8 3 (0-2) Arizona State....... 640 200 00X - 12 10 0 (23-1) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Pitchers: Penn State - Tressler; Cline(2); Hopewell(7). Arizona State - McClellan; Sopko(6); Beatty(7); Lopez, J.(8); Kartler(9). Win-McClellan(4-0) Loss-Tressler(0-1) T-2:42 A-2219 HR PSU - Harter (1); HR ASU - Bosch (2). --Sun Devil Baseball--