March 20, 2005
TEMPE, Ariz. (www.TheSunDevils.com) -- A bases loaded, three-run double by senior second baseman Joey Hooft that was lost in the sun by Oklahoma center fielder Jeff Scuderi led the Arizona State Sun Devils to a series sweeping 6-5 victory over the Sooners Sunday afternoon in front of 3,375 at Winkles Field at Packard Stadium.
With the game tied at 3-3 and the bases loaded with two outs, Hooft lofted the first offering from reliever Daniel McCutchen to center field for what looked to be the third out of the inning. But, Scuderi seemed to lose track of the ball and it dropped to allow three runs to score. Oklahoma climbed to within one run with a two-run pinch-hit double from Kevin Smith in the eighth and then put the tying run aboard in the ninth, but senior closer Jason Urquidez picked off Russell Raley at first base to end the game.
ASU's second weekend sweep of the season gave the Sun Devils their 10th win in the last 13 games and improved the squad to 16-12 overall. Oklahoma endured its first three-game losing streak of the season to fall to 12-8 overall. ASU swept the season series from the Sooners (4-0) and have won nine of the last 13 meetings.
Urquidez (Simi Valley, Calif.) nailed down his first career save giving up two hits in two scoreless innings to make a winner of junior right-handed reliever Tony Barnette (Federal Way, Wash.). Barnette gave up two hits and two runs in one inning of work to improve to 2-1 on the season. Junior lefty Brett Bordes (Mesa, Ariz.) filled the middle innings with three scoreless innings and has not give up a run in his last five outings (10.0 IP).
OU reliever Daniel McCutchen was saddled with the tough-luck loss, giving up four hits and three runs in three innings. McCutchen nearly got out of three bases loaded jams, but was the victim of the `sun ball' to center field for his only runs given up. Freshman starter Brad Burns scattered five hits and three runs in five innings to record the no-decision.
Preseason All-American third baseman Travis Buck (Richland, Wash.) led the Sun Devils at the plate going 3-for-4 with three runs scored and one RBI. He belted his second home run of the season and added his 10th double of the year while recording his team-leading 14th multi-hit game of the year. Senior left fielder Jeff Larish (Tempe, Ariz.) went 2-for-3 and was intentionally walked twice and Hooft (Reno, Nev.) went 2-for-3 with three RBI.
Oklahoma tied ASU with nine hits apiece and was led by two hits each from Raley (2-for-4, R) and freshman right fielder Kody Kaiser (2-for-4).
The Sun Devils took the early 1-0 lead on a solo home run over the right field fence by Buck.
Oklahoma answered right back with two runs in the top of the second to take a 2-1 lead. The Sooners loaded the bases on a single, walk and a hit-by-pitch before junior center fielder Chuckie Caufield drilled a two-out, two-run single to center field.
The Sooners added another run in the top of the fourth to extend the lead to 3-1 on a single by freshman catcher Jackson Williams.
Gosewisch homered with one out in the bottom of the fourth to pull ASU to within one run at 3-2 and a stolen base and an Oklahoma throwing error allowed Buck to score the tying run with two outs in the bottom of the fifth.
ASU had a chance to pull ahead in the sixth by loading the bases on a single, a walk and a hit-by-pitch, but McCutchen came into strike out pinch-hitter Joe Persichina looking and then got a groundout and a fly ball to escape the jam.
After Hooft's three-run double to center field, Smith pulled the Sooners to within one run with a two-run double off the base of the center field fence. With pinch-runner Aaron Ivey representing the tying run in scoring position, Urquidez fielded a hard comebacker off the bat of shortstop Freddy Rodriguez to preserve the one-run lead.
The Sun Devils open Pac-10 play next Thursday against USC at Dedeaux Field at 6 p.m. The three-game series against the Trojans runs Thursday through Saturday due to the Easter weekend. All three games will be broadcast in the Phoenix area on KDUS 1060 AM and are available around the world on www.thesundevils.com.
Game Notes: Sophomore center fielder Colin Curtis went 1-for-3 with a run scored to extend his hitting streak to seven games... Buck finished the series hitting .538 (7-for-15) with five runs scored... Jeff Larish went 4-for-8 (.500) in the series and drew six walks (five intentional walks)... senior second baseman Joey Hooft returns to the lineup by making two starts after missing the previous 11 games with a hamstring injury... Hooft went 3-for-5 (.600) in his two games of action vs. Oklahoma... senior catcher Tuffy Gosewisch belted his fifth home run of the season, which surpasses his four previous career home runs entering the season... sophomore designated hitter Zechry Zinicola had his six-game hitting streak snapped by going 0-for-1... the ASU defense did not make an error for only the fourth time this season... ASU is now 7-3 when scoring in the first inning... the three wins over the Sooners marked the first non-conference sweep for the Sun Devils since last season (March 5-7 vs. East Carolina).
Arizona State 6, Oklahoma 5 (Mar 20, 2005 at Tempe, Ariz.) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Oklahoma............ 020 100 020 - 5 9 4 (12-8) Arizona State....... 100 110 30X - 6 9 0 (16-12) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Pitchers: Oklahoma - Burns, B.; McCutchen(6). Arizona State - Bresnehan; Bordes, B.(4); Barnette(7); Urquidez(8). Win-Barnette(2-1) Save-Urquidez(1) Loss-McCutchen(1-2) T-3:28 A-3375 HR ASU - Buck (2); Gosewisch (5).
--Sun Devil Baseball--