March 14, 2004
TEMPE, Ariz. (www.TheSunDevils.com) -- Arizona State senior second baseman Nick Walsh was 2-for-3 with two RBI and four Sun Devil pitchers combined to allow only six hits as the No. 5 Sun Devils earned a series win over the No. 11 Tulane Green Wave with a 5-1 victory Sunday afternoon at Packard Stadium.
ASU bounced back from a series-opening 5-3 loss Friday, taking the next two games (11-3 Saturday and 5-1 Sunday) to earn the series victory and improve to 17-3 overall. Additionally, ASU improved to 10-1 overall against ranked opponents and have won 11 of the last 12 games. Tulane fell to 12-5 on the year.
Sophomore starting pitcher Brett Bordes (Mesa) was impressive in third career start, striking out six and allowing only three hits in four and a third scoreless frames. Due to a high pitch count, he gave way to classmate Erik Averill (Orange, Calif.) who picked up the victory by giving up two hits and one run in two and a third innings. Freshman Travis Webb (Spokane, Wash.) came in and got a critical out with the tying run in scoring position in the seventh and Pat Bresnehan (Sherborn, Mass.) nailed down the win with two scoreless innings for his fourth save.
Tulane starting pitcher Cory Hahn was saddled with the loss to fall to 3-1 on the year. Entering the game with a 0.50 ERA, Hahn was roughed up for nine hits and four runs in six and two-third innings. Senior closer Joey Charron finished the game for the Green Wave giving up two hits and one run in an inning and a third.
Sophomore shortstop Pedroia (Woodland, Calif.) had another solid day at the plate notching his 10th multi-hit game of the year by going 2-for-4 with one run and one RBI. Walsh (Alamo, Calif.) drove in the only run ASU would need with a sacrifice fly in the third and added an insurance run with a double in the seventh. Freshman Colin Curtis (Issaquah, Wash.) also had two hits in the victory.
The Devils jumped out to an early 2-0 lead with a pair of sacrifice flies accounting for the scoring. Consecutive singles from third baseman Seth Dhaenens (Chandler) and Pedroia led to Walsh's sacrifice fly in the third. Curtis and freshman Joe Persichina (Rolling Hills Estates, Calif.) tabbed back-to-back singles in the fourth before designated hitter Nick Cadena plated a run with a sacrifice fly to right field.
Tulane pulled to within one run in the seventh on a two-out single by Brian Bormaster. With runners on first and second, Webb entered the game in only his third career appearance to retire cleanup hitter Brian Bogusevic with a fly ball to left field.
ASU added a pair of insurance runs in the seventh on back-to-back two-out doubles from Pedroia and Walsh. Junior Josh Asanovich added another run with a safety squeeze bunt in the bottom of the eight to extend the lead to 5-1.
The Sun Devils have a busy week ahead of them with five games in the next seven days starting Tuesday (7 p.m.) and Wednesday (7 p.m.) against Oklahoma State. The Devils will open Pac-10 play next weekend with a three-game series against California starting Friday at 7 p.m. at Packard Stadium.
Game Notes: Dustin Pedroia now has 10 multi-hit games and hits in 17 of ASU's 20 games this year... he has 12 doubles this year and 59 in his career to rank fifth in the record books... he is also a career .387 hitter to rank seventh in ASU history... ASU is 10-1 against ranked opponents this year... Tulane head coach Rick Jones was ejected in the fifth inning for arguing with home plate umpire Kent Bruns. Arizona State 5, Tulane 1 (Mar 14, 2004 at Tempe, Ariz.) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Tulane.............. 000 000 100 - 1 6 1 (12-5) Arizona State....... 001 100 21X - 5 11 1 (17-3) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Pitchers: Tulane - Hahn; Charron(7). Arizona State - Bordes; Averill(5); Webb(7); Bresnehan(8). Win-Averill(2-0) Save-Bresnehan(4) Loss-Hahn(3-1) T-2:55 A-3005 --Sun Devil Baseball--