April 2, 2004
TEMPE, Ariz. (www.TheSunDevils.com) -- Arizona State starting pitcher Jason Urquidez turned in a dominating performance in 8.1 innings and catcher Tuffy Gosewisch had a clutch two-out, three-run double in the fifth to help lead the No. 10 Sun Devils to a 10-3 victory over USC Friday night in Pac-10 Baseball action at Packard Stadium.
Arizona State improved to 22-7 overall and 3-4 in Pac-10 play with the victory. The Sun Devils are now an impressive 6-1 this season following a loss. USC had its string of four wins in the last five games snapped to fall to 13-15 overall and 0-1 in league play. The ASU victory also evened the all-time series at 85-85 dating back to the first game in 1961. ASU Head Coach Pat Murphy also recorded his 700th career Division I victory, improving to 700-301-2 during his 10 years at ASU and seven seasons as the skipper at Notre Dame.
Urquidez (Simi Valley, Calif.) came within two outs of his second complete game of the year. He dominated the Trojans scattering seven hits and three runs in 8.1 innings. He struck out seven and walked six to improve to 7-2 on the year.
Offensively, ASU recorded its most hits in a Pac-10 contest with 17. Senior second baseman Nick Walsh (Alamo, Calif.) went 4-for-5 with a pair of bunt singles and scored three runs. Junior All-American Jeff Larish (Tempe) also had a big game going 3-for-5 with two runs scored and an RBI. Junior shortstop Dustin Pedroia went 1-for-5 with two RBI to extend his hitting streak to a season-high 11 games.
For the fifth time this season the Devils beat an opposing teams ace who was previously undefeated. ASU got to freshman sensation Ian Kennedy early with eight hits and four runs in five innings. Kennedy struck out six and walked three to fall to 4-1 on the season. Four Trojan relievers combined to give up nine hits and six runs over the final three innings.
USC got four hits out of leadoff hitter Blake Sharpe (4-for-5, RBI) in the loss. No other Trojan had more than one hit.
The Devils jumped out to the 1-0 lead after one inning. After a bunt single by Nick Walsh (Alamo, Calif.) and a single by Travis Buck (Richland, Wash.), freshman designated hitter Zechry Zinicola doubled to right center to give the Devils the lead. Buck was thrown out at home on the play to end any further scoring threats.
ASU added to its one run lead by breaking open the game with a three-run fifth inning. Gosewisch plated all three runs with a three-run double down the left field line off Kennedy. The junior catcher drilled the 1-2 offering into the left field corner to score Colin Curtis, Walsh and Larish.
With Urquidez in cruise control, the Devils put six more runs on the board in the seventh to cushion the lead to 10-0. ASU recorded six hits and sent 11 men to the plate in the inning. Pedroia started the rally with a two-run single and later scored on a single by Larish.
The Trojans broke up the shutout with a three-run ninth inning. Right fielder Cyle Hankerd hit a two-run double to the right field gap and leadoff hitter Blake Sharp followed with a run-scoring single off reliever Pat Cassa. Second baseman Michael Moon bounced into a game-ending 4-6-3 double play.
ASU and USC will continue the three-game Pac-10 series Saturday at 1 p.m. at Packard Stadium. Sophomore left-hander Brett Bordes (2-0, 6.75 ERA) is scheduled to start for the Devils against USC senior left-hander Josh Rummonds (2-1, 5.97 ERA).
Game Notes: Dustin Pedroia extended his hitting streak to 11 games with a single in the six-run seventh inning... the streak is his seventh career hitting streak of 10 or more games... he now has hits in 26 of ASU's 29 games this season... Jeff Larish tied a season high with three hits... Nick Walsh set a season high with four hits, two of which were bunts... ASU has won six of the last eight against USC... the meeting was the first between the Trojans and the Sun Devils at Packard Stadium since 1999... ASU is 6-1 after a loss this season... the starting lineup, which featured Travis Buck hitting cleanup, was the 24th different hitting lineup authored by head coach Pat Murphy. Arizona State 10, USC 3 (Apr 02, 2004 at Tempe, Ariz.) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- USC................. 000 000 003 - 3 8 1 (13-15, 0-1 Pac-10) Arizona State....... 100 030 60X - 10 17 0 (22-7, 3-4 Pac-10) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Pitchers: USC - Kennedy; Miller(6); Zelenay(6); Luna(6); Aguilar(7). Arizona State - Urquidez; Cassa(9). Win-Urquidez(7-2) Loss-Kennedy(4-1) T-3:11 A-2687 --Sun Devil Baseball--