March 5, 2004
TEMPE, Ariz. (www.TheSunDevils.com) -- Arizona State freshman designated hitter Zechry Zinicola hit a two-run home run to cap a five-run eighth inning to lead the No. 6 Sun Devils to a 7-6 come-from-behind victory over No. 18 East Carolina on Friday night at Packard Stadium.
The Devils improved to 13-2 overall and 6-0 against ranked opponents in 2004. The Devils have won seven straight overall and 17 consecutive at Packard Stadium dating back to the 2003 season. East Carolina had its perfect 12-0 record snapped to fall to 12-1 on the year.
Zinicola's two-run blast capped the five-run eighth to give the Devils their third win of the year in their last at-bat. Hot hitting sophomore Travis Buck started the rally with a run-scoring single and junior All-American Jeff Larish plated two with a single to right field. Zinicola then blasted his second home run of the year onto Rural Road over the right-center field fence to put ASU up 7-6.
Freshman reliever Pat Bresnehan recorded a 1-2-3 ninth inning for his second save of the year and made a winner of classmate Quentin Andes (0.2 IP, 0 R). ASU starter Jeff Mousser took the no-decision, giving up three runs and six hits in five and a third innings. He struck out one and tied a career high with five walks.
ECU closer Mike Flye (1-1) took the loss by giving up his first earned run of the year on the Zinicola homer. Flye entered the game having gave up only three hits and struck out 14 in 10.2 innings. ECU starter Brody Taylor was solid in his fourth start of the year, but recorded the no-decision. Taylor limited the potent Sun Devil bats to only six hits and four runs over seven and a third innings. The junior lefty struck out six and walked three.
Buck (Richland, Wash.) continued his torrid streak by going 3-for-4 with two runs scored and two RBI. With three more hits, Buck is now 13-for-16 (.813) in his last four games. With his homer in the first, the reigning Pac-10 and National Player of the Week extended his streak to hits in seven straight at-bats, tied for the third most in ASU history.
East Carolina center fielder Ryan Jones went 3-for-4 and hit a three-run home run to lead the Pirates at the plate. Jones, the reigning Conference USA Player of the Week, fell just a single short of hitting for the cycle. He tripled in the second, doubled in the eighth and drove home the game-winning runs with his three-run blast in the sixth. He extended his hitting streak to six games and is 11-for-22 over his last five games. The 5-7, left-handed swinger already has six home runs, six doubles and one triple this year. Junior All-American right fielder Darryl Lawhorn added five hits for the Pirates.
ECU was in control of the game from nearly the start when the Pirates drew first blood with a single tally in the first inning. Leadoff hitter Jamie Paige walked and later scored on a sacrifice fly by first baseman Ryan Norwood.
The Devils tied it on a solo homer by Buck in the bottom of the first. Junior catcher Tuffy Gosewisch (Scottsdale) gave ASU the lead on a solo homer to left field to lead off the second inning.
ECU chased Mousser from the game in the sixth and took the lead as Jones greeted reliever Erik Averill with a three-run homer over the right field fence. Second baseman Trevor Lawhorn padded ECU's lead to 5-2 with a two-out single off Averill to cap the four-run frame.
ASU and East Carolina continue the three-game non-conference series Saturday at 1 p.m. at Packard Stadium. ASU junior RHP Jason Urquidez (4-0, 1.17 ERA) is scheduled to face ECU right-hander Greg Bunn (2-0, 1.04 ERA).
Game Notes: ASU has scored in the first inning in nine of 15 games... Dustin Pedroia extended his hitting streak to nine games with a single in the third innings... the three home runs tied a season high... Jeff Larish extended his streak to six games with his two-run single in the eighth... Buck has homered in back-to-back games... freshman Colin Curtis had his nine-game hitting streak come to an end by going 0-for-3... junior catcher Tuffy Gosewisch hit his third career home run... former Sun Devil Chris Duffy (2001) threw out the ceremonial first pitch... Duffy is currently a top prospect for the Pittsburgh Pirates... other alumni in attendance included current minor leaguers Mel Stocker (2000-01) and Andre Ethier (2002-03)... East Carolina entered the game with a team ERA of 1.55. Arizona State 7, East Carolina 6 (Mar 05, 2004 at Tempe, Ariz.) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- East Carolina....... 100 004 010 - 6 10 1 (12-1) Arizona State....... 110 000 05X - 7 9 1 (13-2) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Pitchers: East Carolina - Taylor; Sasser(8); Flye(8). Arizona State - Mousser; Averill(6); Andes(8); Bresnehan(9). Win-Andes(1-0) Save-Bresnehan(2) Loss-Flye(1-1) T-2:39 A-2552 HR ECU - Jones (6). HR ASU - Buck (3); Zinicola (2); Gosewisch (1). --Sun Devil Baseball--