May 21, 2004
TUCSON, Ariz. (www.TheSunDevils.com) -- Arizona State's Jeff Mousser and Erik Averill combined to allow only five hits and All-American shortstop Dustin Pedroia went 3-for-5 as the No. 13 Sun Devils cruised past the Arizona Wildcats 8-3 Friday night at Kindall Field at Sancet Stadium.
The victory of their rivals marked the 10th straight win for the Sun Devils overall and the sixth straight over Arizona. Riding a streak of 15 wins in its last 17 games, ASU improved to 38-13 overall and 11-8 in Pac-10 play. The victory was also the 15th in the last 18 meetings against Arizona and improved the Devils to 3-0 this season against the Wildcats, continuing a streak that has never seen 10th year head coach Pat Murphy lose a series to the in-state rivals. Arizona, which entered the series winners of four of their last five, drops to 27-22-1 overall and 9-10 in league play.
The Devils led 2-1 after two innings before junior catcher Tuffy Gosewisch (Scottsdale) provided the big blow with a two-run triple down the right field line. ASU added a run in the fourth and a pair of runs in the eighth to seal the win.
Mousser, a senior transfer from BYU, gave a gutsy effort to run his undefeated streak to five straight decisions, improving to 6-3 on the year. The right-hander gave up three hits and two runs in five innings. He was the victim of an erratic strike zone as he walked a career-high tying five. Averill (Orange, Calif.) was brilliant again out of the bullpen, limiting the Wildcats to two hits and one run in four innings. He struck out three to pick up his second save of the season.
Arizona starter Koley Kolberg recorded a career-high 10 strikeouts, but was tagged for nine hits and six runs in seven innings. He was the victim of three fielding errors and walked four while running his pitch count to 145. Junior reliever Sean Jarrett gave up two runs in an inning of work and Luis Cortez worked a perfect ninth inning.
Pedroia (Woodland, Calif.) notched his 26th multi-hit game of the year while extending his hitting streak to six games. He finished 3-for-5 with his 23rd double of the season and 70th of his career. Sophomore outfielder Travis Buck (Richland, Wash.) went 2-for-5 with two runs scored to extend his hitting streak to 14 games. Junior infielder Josh Asanovich (Gold Canyon) also went 2-for-4 with a pair of RBI, extending his career-high hitting streak to 10 games. Junior All-American Jeff Larish (Tempe) also had a solid game going 2-for-4.
The Wildcats could only manage five hits in their sixth straight loss to the Sun Devils. Jeff Van Houten went 1-for-2 with a pair of sacrifice flies and reigning Pac-10 Player of the Week Trevor Crowe finished 2-for-3.
The Devils struck first with a pair of runs in their first at-bat. Pedroia led off reaching base on a hit-by-pitch and moved to second on a single by Buck. A fielding error by UA third baseman Moises Duran plated the first run on a grounder by Zechry Zinicola. Third baseman Josh Asanovich followed with a fielder's choice to extend the lead to 2-0.
After a UA run in the first to cut the lead to 2-1, the Devils extended the lead with a three-run third inning. Singles by Jeff Larish and Asanovich started the rally and then catcher Tuffy Gosewisch cleared the bases with his first career triple down the right field line. Gosewisch also scored on the play on a throwing error by Wildcat second baseman John Hardy.
Arizona put a run on the board in the fourth, but Mousser again escaped any further damage by pitching out of a jam. The Wildcats loaded the bases on two walks and a single, but Mousser struck out Hardy and then allowed only a sacrifice fly by Jeff Van Houten.
ASU added to its lead with two more runs in the top of the eighth inning. Zinicola plated a run on a bases loaded sacrifice fly and Asanovich pushed across another run on a perfectly executed safety squeeze bunt for a hit.
The Sun Devils and Wildcats return to action Saturday evening with a 7 p.m. game at Kindall Field at Sancet Stadium. ASU will start Pac-10 wins leader Jason Urquidez (10-2, 2.94 ERA) against UA junior Kevin Guyette (6-5, 6.93 ERA). Friday's game was televised live nationally on CSTV and can be seen on replays throughout the next week (check your local listings).
Game Notes: ASU scored in the first inning for the third straight game and 27th time this season... ASU is now 24-3 this season when scoring in the first frame... Pedroia notched his 26th multi-hit game of the year and 94th of his career... his 23rd double of the season give him 70 in his career, moving into a tie for third in the ASU record books with Antone Williamson (1992-94)... with his 10th three-hit game of the year, Pedroia now has 290 career hits for a .389 career batting average... his second-inning strikeout was only his 10th of the season and first in a string of 51 at-bats... Buck extended his career-high hitting streak to 14 games (.407, 24-for-59) and is now 7-for-12 (.583) in the last three games... the 10-game win streak is a season high for the Devils, besting a nine-game streak earlier in the season... ASU has also won 15 of its last 17 overall... Asanovich extended his hitting streak to 10 games going 2-for-4 and is 17-for-33 (.515) during the streak... Chris Cook notched his ninth multi-hit game of the year by going 2-for-3... the triple by Gosewisch was the first of his career, coming in his 351st career at-bat... the ASU offense tied a season high striking out 11 times... Averill has been brilliant in his last five outings, going 2-0 with two saves and a 1.86 ERA in 9.2 innings. Arizona State 8, Arizona 3 (May 21, 2004 at Tucson, Ariz.) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Arizona State....... 203 100 020 - 8 12 1 (38-13, 11-8 Pac-10) Arizona............. 100 100 010 - 3 5 3 (27-22-1, 9-10 Pac-10) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Pitchers: Arizona State - Mousser; Averill(6). Arizona - Kolberg; Jarrett(8); Cortez(9). Win-Mousser(6-3) Save-Averill(2) Loss-Kolberg(7-6) T-3:08 A-1586 --Sun Devil Baseball--