April 23, 2004
PULLMAN, Wash. (www.TheSunDevils.com) -- The No. 18 Arizona State Sun Devils scored 17 runs in the first four innings, including a 10-run fourth inning, en route to a commanding 17-5 victory over Washington State Friday afternoon in Pac-10 baseball action at Bailey-Brayton Field.
Senior starting pitcher Jeff Mousser (Tempe, Ariz.) led the Devils to the victory, earning the complete-game win to improve to 3-3 on the season. Mousser, who registered a complete-game shutout over Washington State last season while at BYU, scattered nine hits and five runs.
With their fourth win in the last five games, the Sun Devils improved to 27-12 overall and 6-7 in Pac-10 play. The Cougars dropped to 22-14 overall and 4-6 in Pac-10 play.
ASU scored its 17 runs by way of 17 hits. Freshman second baseman Joe Persichina (Rolling Hills Estates, Calif.) had a career-high four hits (4-for-5) and scored two runs. Junior All-American shortstop Dustin Pedroia (Woodland, Calif.) recorded his 19th multi-hit game of the year, going 2-for-4 with three runs scored, three RBI and hit his sixth home run of the year. Catcher Tuffy Gosewisch (Scottsdale, Ariz.) went 3-for-5 with three RBI and junior first baseman Chris Cook (Mesa, Ariz.) added a pair of hits and belted his third home run of the year.
The Cougars and Sun Devils exchanged runs in the first inning with ASU grabbing the early 3-2 lead. Three WSU fielding errors led the ASU's big first frame. Junior left fielder Jeff Larish (Tempe, Ariz.) made the Cougars pay with a two-run single to left field to cap the rally.
The Sun Devils added two more runs in each the second and third innings before exploding for the 10-run frame in the fourth. Pedroia blasted a two-run home run to center field in the second.
The 10-run fourth marked ASU's highest run total in an inning this season and third against the Cougars in the last four meetings. Cook homered down the right field line to lead off inning and would also single later in the frame. Gosewisch plated three runs with a bases loaded double off the right field fence and Josh Asanovich (Gold Canyon, Ariz.) and Nick Walsh (Alamo, Calif.) also added run-scoring singles.
Washington State was led by the 3-for-4 performance by junior center fielder Kaeo Rubin. Rubin scored two runs and hit his fourth home run of the year in the loss. Second baseman Jason Freeman added two hits as the only other Cougar with a multiple-hit contest.
WSU starting pitcher Aaron MacKenzie was roughed up for 12 runs (9 earned) and nine hits in three and a third innings. MacKenzie walked four and struck out three to fall to 5-4 on the year. Relievers James Freeman, Dane Renkert and Bradley Selinger combined to limit the Sun Devils to five hits and one run over the final 5.2 innings.
Washington State (22-14, 4-6 Pac-10) and Arizona State (27-12, 6-7 Pac-10) continue the three-game conference series Saturday at 1 p.m. at Bailey-Brayton Field. Junior right-hander Jason Urquidez (8-2, 2.97 ERA) will take to the mound for the Sun Devils. The game will be broadcast live in the valley on 1440 AM and over the internet at www.TheSunDevils.com.
Game Notes: Every Sun Devil player and support staff member wore a black wristband or tape on their right wrist to pay tribute to fallen American hero Pat Tillman... Tillman's brother, Kevin, who is also in the Army, played on the Sun Devil baseball team in the late '90s... Pedroia's home run in the second was his sixth of the year and 11of of his career... the home run broke a streak of four straight games in which the Sun Devils had not homered... Mousser's complete-game effort was ASU's second of the year, as Jason Urquidez threw a complete-game victory against defending national champion Rice... Nick Walsh (7 games), Jeff Larish (5 games) and Colin Curtis (4 games) each extended their respective hitting streaks. Arizona State 17, Washington State 5 (Apr 23, 2004 at Pullman, Wash.) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Arizona State....... 322 (10)00 000 - 17 17 1 (27-12, 6-7 Pac-10) Washington State.... 200 0 01 011 - 5 9 4 (22-14, 4-6 Pac-10) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Pitchers: Arizona State - Mousser. Washington State - MacKenzie; Sommer(4); Freeman, Jam(4); Renkert(7); Selinger(9). Win-Mousser(3-3) Loss-MacKenzie(5-4) T-2:55 A-703 HR ASU - Pedroia (6); Cook (3). HR WSU - Rubin (4). --Sun Devil Baseball--