April 17, 2005
TEMPE, Ariz. (www.TheSunDevils.com) -- Arizona State sophomore shortstop Joe Persichina drew a bases loaded walk with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning to cap a three-run ninth inning to lead the Sun Devils to a dramatic 6-5 come-from-behind victory over the No. 14 Stanford Cardinal on Saturday night at Winkles Field at Packard Stadium. Junior preseason All-American Travis Buck hit a game-tying two-run home run earlier in the ninth inning to set up the game-winning rally.
With the victory, the Sun Devils sealed their first series victory over Stanford since taking two of three at home in 2000. With its 18th win in the last 24 games, ASU improves to 24-15 overall and 5-3 in Pac-10 play. Stanford falls to 20-13 overall and 4-4 in league play.
"This is a great victory for our team and really validates all the tough times we had early in the season with the tough schedule," said ASU head coach Pat Murphy. "We put together some great at-bats late in the game and were relentless all the way to the end. That's Sun Devil Baseball. Travis (Buck) had a big homer that really lifted us in the ninth. I am really proud of the way our guys battled tonight."
Trailing 5-3 heading into their last at-bat, the Devils mounted a rally that ended in the third walk-off win of the season. After designated hitter Rocky Laguna (Yuma, Ariz.) led off the ninth with a single to center field, Buck (Richland, Wash.) drove a 2-2 pitch from Stanford ace reliever Blake Holler onto Rural Road over the right field fence to tie the game. Holler got two quick outs, but then walked left fielder Colin Curtis (Issaquah, Wash.) and then was removed from the game after surrendering an infield single to second baseman Seth Dhaenens (Chandler, Ariz.). Freshman Nolan Gallagher came out of the bullpen and walked Joey Hooft (Reno, Nev.) to load the bases and then forced home the game-winner by missing on four out of five pitches to Persichina.
Senior right-handed pitcher Ty Marotz (Crystal Lake, Ill.) benefited from the ninth inning rally to pick up his first career win. Marotz gave up one hit and struck out two in a scoreless inning of work. Senior right-hander Jason Urquidez (Simi Valley, Calif.) had his third straight solid start by allowing eight hits and four runs in six innings. He struck out eight and did not walk a batter to remain 5-3 on the season.
Holler was saddled with the loss by giving up five hits and three runs in two innings to fall to 6-2. He walked three and struck out four. Junior starting pitcher Jeff Gilmore walked a career-high five batters and struck out six while recording the no-decision. The three Cardinal pitchers combined to allow a season-high 10 walks.
The Sun Devils took the early lead on a two-run, two-out double by Persichina (Rolling Hills Estates, Calif.) in the bottom of the second inning.
Stanford cut into the lead with a single tally in the top of the third and then tied the game on a two-out double off the center field wall by All-American first baseman John Mayberry Jr. The Cardinal forged ahead with two more runs in the seventh, with a RBI single to left field by left fielder Chris Lewis plating the go-ahead run.
ASU cut the lead to one at 4-3 with a run-scoring single by Buck to score Laguna, but Stanford added an insurance run in the eighth off reliever Brett Bordes (Mesa, Ariz.).
Buck (Richland, Wash.) led the Sun Devils at the plate going 2-for-5 with three RBI. He notched his team-leading 20th multi-hit game of the year and hit his third home run of the year. Laguna was the only other ASU player to record a multi-hit game going 2-for-4 with two runs scored and a double. Dhaenens singled in his final at-bat to extend his hitting streak to a career-high eight games.
Center fielder Jim Rapoport (2-for-4, 2 R), Lewis (2-for-4, RBI) and Mayberry (2-for-4, 2B, RBI) combined to record six of Stanford's nine hits.
The Sun Devils will go for the series sweep Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m. at Packard Stadium. Sophomore right-hander Pat Bresnehan (3-3, 4.22 ERA) is scheduled to start for the Sun Devils.
Arizona State 6, Stanford 5 (Apr 16, 2005 at Tempe, Ariz.) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Stanford............ 001 001 210 - 5 9 0 (20-13, 4-4 Pac-10) Arizona State....... 020 000 103 - 6 9 2 (24-15, 5-3 Pac-10) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Pitchers: Stanford - Gilmore; Holler(7); Gallagher(9). Arizona State - Urquidez; Bordes, B.(7); Barnette(8); Zinicola(8); Marotz(9). Win-Marotz(1-1) Loss-Holler(6-2) T-3:44 A-3337 HR ASU - Buck (3).
--Sun Devil Baseball--