Jan. 30, 2005
TEMPE, Ariz. (www.TheSunDevils.com) -- The ninth-ranked Arizona State University baseball team dropped the final game of a season-opening three-game series against No. 14 Long Beach State, 11-1, Sunday afternoon in non-conference action at Packard Stadium.
The Sun Devils dropped to 1-2 on the season after losing the Friday and Sunday games of the series against the 49ers. Long Beach State improved to 2-1 on the season and 6-29 in the all-time series against ASU.
"I am pretty disappointed in the way we played, but it was a good test playing a great team like Long Beach State and now we know what we need to work on," said 11th year head coach Pat Murphy. "I do know that this group of guys won't give up and will get better from this experience. It is never fun losing, but we need to use this as a learning experience, move on and get back to work next weekend."
Long Beach State junior starting pitcher Marco Estrada recorded the victory with six impressive innings in his Dirtbag debut. Estrada scattered eight hits and allowed only one run while striking out three. Relievers Steve Hammond, Brian Anderson and closer Neil Jamison finished out the win with three shutout innings.
ASU starter Brett Bordes (Mesa, Ariz.) earned the tough luck loss giving up three unearned runs in four innings of work. The junior lefty struck out four and did not allow a walk in his 2005 debut. Relievers Tony Barnette (Federal Way, Wash.), Pat Bresnehan (Sherborn, Mass.), freshman Seth Garrison (Coppell, Texas) and Quentin Andes (Albuquerque, N.M.) combined to give up eight runs over the final five innings.
Preseason All-American shortstop Troy Tulowitzki led the Dirtbag's 16-hit offensive attack by going 4-for-5 with a double and two runs scored. Tulowitzki, rated by Baseball America as the No. 10 prospect for the 2005 MLB Draft and the No. 6 junior in the nation, finished the weekend series 7-for-14 (.500). Leadoff hitter Jose Hernandez added three hits and designated hitter Jordan Struble went 2-for-5 with two doubles and a pair of RBI.
ASU designated hitter Zechry Zinicola (San Bernadino, Calif.) and senior catcher Tuffy Gosewisch (Scottsdale, Ariz.) each recorded two hits for the Sun Devils. Junior preseason All-American Travis Buck (Richland, Wash.) went 1-for-4 with a double and finished the weekend 5-for-12 (.417).
The Dirtbags capitalized on a fielding error to lead off the third inning to take a 3-0 lead. Leadoff hitter plated the first run with a two-out single to center field and second baseman Chuck Sindlinger blasted a two-run homer over the left field fence to stake the 49ers to a 3-0 lead.
ASU cut into the 49er lead with a single tally in the bottom of the fourth. Senior third baseman Jeff Larish (Tempe, Ariz.) led off with a double and scored on a single by sophomore left fielder Colin Curtis (Issaquah, Wash.).
ASU threatened to pull even in the sixth putting a pair of runners on base, but a spectacular diving catch by LBSU right fielder Jose Hernandez robbed Joe Persichina (Rolling Hills Estates, Calif.) of a sure double that would have likely tied the game at 3-3.
The 49ers took advantage of the great defensive play, adding to their two-run lead with a three-run seventh inning. Tulowitzki started the scoring with a two-out single up the middle and Longoria also had an RBI single. A wild pitch by Bresnehan extended the Dirtbag lead to 6-1.
Back-to-back two-run doubles by designated hitter Jordan Struble and left fielder Jamie Huizar were part of a five-run ninth inning to bring the game to the final score of 11-1.
Arizona State returns to action next weekend hosting the annual Bob Schaefer Memorial Tournament at Packard Stadium. The tournament starts Thursday night with Oregon State playing New Mexico State at 6 p.m. The Sun Devils will be in action Friday night against New Mexico State at 7 p.m.
Long Beach State 11, Arizona State 1 (Jan 30, 2005 at Tempe, Ariz.) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Long Beach State.... 003 000 305 - 11 16 0 (2-1) Arizona State....... 000 100 000 - 1 9 1 (1-2) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Pitchers: Long Beach State - Estrada; Hammond(7); Anderson(8); Jamison(9). Arizona State - Bordes, B.; Barnette(5); Bresnehan(7); Garrison(8); Andes(9). Win-Estrada(1-0) Loss-Bordes, B.(0-1) T-3:24 A-2823 HR LBSU - Sindlinger (1).
--Sun Devil Baseball--