April 16, 2004
LOS ANGELES (www.TheSunDevils.com) -- Arizona State junior shortstop Dustin Pedroia went 4-for-5 and starting pitcher Jeff Mousser threw seven innings of one-run ball to lead the No. 21 Sun Devils to a 12-4 victory over UCLA Friday night in Pac-10 Baseball action at Jackie Robinson Stadium. The game also featured a baseball oddity, with the Devils recording a triple play in the bottom of the seventh inning.
The Sun Devils improved to 25-11 overall and 4-6 in Pac-10 play. The Bruins, winners of five of their last six heading into the series, fell to 19-15 overall and 3-4 in conference action.
Mousser was spectacular in his 10th start of the year, limiting the Bruins to five hits and one run in a season-high seven innings. He struck out two and walked two to improve to 2-3 on the season and break a personal three-game losing streak. Junior reliever Ty Marotz (Crystal Lake, Ill.) came in and struck out two in 1.1 scoreless innings to seal the victory.
UCLA starter Bryan Beck took the loss giving up five runs and nine hits in 6.1 innings. Beck struck out five and walked three to fall to 2-3 on the season.
Pedroia (Woodland, Calif.) had singles in four consecutive at-bats to lead ASU's 14-hit attack. The junior All-American tied a career high in hits while notching his 17th multi-hit game of the year. With his four hits, he moved into sixth place in the ASU career record books with 265 hits, moving past Bob Horner (262, 1976-78) and Antone Williamson (264, 1992-94). Nick Walsh (2-for-4, 2 R), Tuffy Gosewisch (2-for-2, 2 R, 2 RBI) and Colin Curtis (2-for-5, 2 RBI) also recorded multi-hit games for the Devils.
With Mousser and Beck locked in a pitcher's duel, the Devils opened the scoring with a pair of runs in each the fourth and fifth innings to gain a 4-0 lead. Gosewisch (Scottsdale, Ariz.) started the rally with a double down the right field line to score freshman first baseman Joe Persichina (Rolling Hills Estates, Calif.). Gosewisch later scored on a two-out single by Curtis (Issaquah, Wash.) to left field.
ASU put the game out of reach with a six-run seventh inning to extend the lead to 10-0. Junior All-American Jeff Larish (Tempe, Ariz.) plated a pair of runs with a double to right field and Curtis and Travis Buck (Richland, Wash.) also added run-scoring singles.
UCLA finally got on the scoreboard in the seventh inning. After a pair of bloop singles by Brett McMillan and Brandon Averill, Wes Whisler plated the Bruins first run with a double down the left field line. Buck then single-handedly changed the momentum of the game, robbing catcher Chris Denove of a three-run home run and turned the first triple play in recorded ASU history. Buck nearly fell over the right field fence before bouncing back into play with the ball in his hand and then threw to the infield to record the triple play.
The Bruins added three more runs in the eighth off ASU freshman reliever Josh Blake (Overland Park, Kan.).
The Sun Devils and Bruins will continue the three-game Pac-10 series Saturday at 1 p.m. at Jackie Robinson Stadium. Junior right-hander Jason Urquidez (8-2, 2.70 ERA) is scheduled to start for the Sun Devils.
Game Notes: Dustin Pedroia tied a career high with four hits to notch his 17th multi-hit game of the year and 85th of his career... Josh Asanovich went 1-for-3 to extend his hitting streak to six games... Ty Marotz came on with the bases loaded in the eighth inning and struck catcher Aaron Markel to end the inning... it marked the third straight appearance that Marotz has inherited the bases loaded and each time he has not allowed a run to score. Arizona State 12, UCLA 4 (Apr 16, 2004 at Los Angeles, Calif.) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Arizona State....... 000 220 620 - 12 14 0 (25-11, 4-6 Pac-10) UCLA................ 000 000 130 - 4 7 2 (19-15, 3-4 Pac-10) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Pitchers: Arizona State - Mousser; Blake(8); Marotz(8). UCLA - Beck; Reid(7); Botterman(7); Brophy(8); Roenicke(9). Win-Mousser(2-3) Loss-Beck(2-3) T-3:05 A-450 --Sun Devil Baseball--