April 30, 2003
OKLAHOMA CITY (www.TheSunDevils.com) -- Arizona State junior Rod Allen hit a pinch-hit grand slam home run as part of a deciding six-run seventh inning as the No. 4 Sun Devils defeated the Oklahoma Sooners 9-4 Wednesday night at SBC Bricktown Ballpark. Allen's pinch-hit grand slam, his second of the year, was ASU's 12th grand slam in 2003 tying the NCAA record set by Oklahoma State in 1996.
The Sun Devils extended their win streak to five games improving to 43-9 overall and won the season series with the Sooners 3-1. ASU is also 4-1 all-time at Bricktown Ballpark, the Triple-A home of the Pacific Coast League Oklahoma Redhawks. The Sooners dropped to 16-25 overall and had their mini two-game win streak come to an end.
Allen's big hit highlighted the six-run seventh inning that broke a 2-2 tie. Sophomore shortstop Dustin Pedroia plated ASU's first three runs and tied a career high with the three RBI. Junior second baseman Steve Garrabrants was 2-for-4 as ASU's only player with a multi-hit game and stole two more bases to increase his team lead in that category to 21. Sophomore first baseman Jeff Larish also had a single to extend his career-high hitting streak to 13 games.
On the mound senior reliever Beau Vaughan picked up the win with three scoreless innings out of the bullpen. The senior transfer from New Orleans who prepped at Glendale's Mountain Ridge High school, is now 8-3 on the year after striking out five and allowing only one hit. He remains second in the Pac-10 with 88 strikeouts this year. Senior reliever Bryce Kartler sealed the win giving up one hit and striking out two in two innings.
Oklahoma reliever and second-team preseason All-American David Purcey was saddled with the loss to fall to 1-3 on the year giving up four runs and two hits in one and a third innings. In two appearances against the Sun Devils this year, Purcey is 0-2 with 13 runs and 10 hits given up in three and a one-third innings. Senior starter Austin Mix recorded the no-decision scattering four hits and two runs in four and two-thirds innings. Mix moved into fourth place on the school's all-time appearances list (68) and is within nine strikeouts of the career mark after fanning three Wednesday night.
The Sooners struck first with a single tally in the bottom of the first. Center fielder Reggie Willits drilled a one-out triple down the left field line and scored on a sacrifice fly by right fielder Greg Kish.
After the Devils tied the game on a run-scoring fielder's choice by Dustin Pedroia, Oklahoma retook the lead in the bottom of the third. Second baseman Eddie Cornejo drew a two-out walk to continue the inning and later scored the go-ahead run on a single to left field by third baseman Russell Raley.
The Sun Devils tied the game back up in the top of the fifth on a Pedroia sacrifice fly to right field. Second baseman Steve Garrabrants ignited the rally with a single and two stolen bases before scoring on Pedroia's second RBI of the game.
The Devils broke the game open in the top of the seventh sending 11 batters to the plate and scored six runs to take an 8-2 lead. ASU loaded the bases before an out was recorded and Pedroia plated the first run of the inning on a sharp single to center field. After Purcey was chased from the game, Allen greeted reliever Mike Swindell by depositing the first pitch he saw over the 415-foot sign in left-center field for his sixth home run of the year and second pinch-hit grand slam. Designated hitter Jeremy West added the Devils sixth run of the inning with a hard-hit single that scooted past the drawn in Sooner infield.
Oklahoma came right back with two runs in the bottom half of the seventh inning off ASU reliever Carlos Arguello, but senior right-hander Robbie McClellan quickly put out the fire by allowing only an infield single and retired the Sooner scoring threat with a double play.
The Sun Devils return to action next Tuesday after a weekend off from Pac-10 action with a non-conference tilt with UC Irvine. ASU is currently tied for first in the Pac-10 with Stanford at 10-5 and will next play a league series at Oregon State (May 12-14) in Corvallis. Arizona State 9, Oklahoma 4 (Apr 30, 2003 at Oklahoma City, Okla.) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Arizona State....... 001 010 601 - 9 9 0 (43-9) Oklahoma............ 101 000 200 - 4 11 3 (16-25) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Pitchers: Arizona State - Averill; Vaughan(4); Arguello(7); McClellan(7); Kartler(8). Oklahoma - Mix, A.; Purcey, D.(5); Swindell, M.(7); McAuliff, J.(9). Win-Vaughan(8-3) Loss-Purcey, D.(1-3) T-2:57 A-2118 HR ASU - Allen (6). --Sun Devil Baseball--