April 24, 2005
TEMPE, Ariz. (www.TheSunDevils.com) -- Arizona State senior first baseman Jeff Larish hit a go-ahead two-run home run in the bottom of the sixth inning and the No. 21 Sun Devils held off a late UCLA rally in a 10-8 series-sweeping victory over the Bruins Sunday afternoon at Winkles Field at Packard Stadium.
Extending their winning streak to a season-high tying six games, the Sun Devils improved to 28-15 overall and remain in second place with a 9-3 record in Pac-10 play. ASU has swept its last four home series against Oklahoma, Wright State, Stanford and UCLA for a 12-game winning streak at Packard Stadium and an overall 18-4 record at home. UCLA drops to 8-28 overall and 0-9 in Pac-10 play.
The Sun Devils led early 5-1, but UCLA rallied for five runs in the top of the sixth inning to take a 6-5 lead. After a walk to junior right fielder Travis Buck (Richland, Wash.) to lead off the bottom of the sixth inning, Larish (Tempe, Ariz.) hit his Pac-10 leading 15th home run of the season to give ASU the lead for good.
The Devils added three more runs in the bottom of the seventh and then held off a late rally that saw the Bruins score a pair of runs on bases loaded walks from sophomore Zechry Zinicola (San Bernadino, Calif.). Inheriting a bases loaded jam, junior right-hander Tony Barnette (Federal Way, Wash.) needed only three pitches to strike out shortstop Tommy Lansdon to end the game and earn his second save of the weekend.
Zinicola earned the win to improve to 3-2 on the season despite giving up four walks and a hit-by-pitch in the ninth inning. He had cruised through the first two innings of work, allowing only one hit and striking out three. Sophomore starter Pat Bresnehan (Sherborn, Mass.) did not give up a hit until the fourth inning, but was the victim of the five-run sixth to take the no-decision. Bresnehan scattered 10 hits and struck out six in 5.2 innings of work.
The Sun Devils continued their recent offensive surge scoring in double-digits for the fourth straight game. ASU also stole a season high eight bases, ranking tied for fourth in the single-game record books. ASU out-hit the Bruins 16-11 and were led by multi-hit games from Buck, left fielder Colin Curtis (2-for-5, R, RBI), Larish (2-for-4, 2 R, 2 RBI), second baseman Seth Dhaenens (2-for-4, R, 2 SB) and center fielder J.J. Sferra (2-for-5, R, 2 RBI, SB).
Buck finished 3-for-4 with two runs, two RBI and set a career high with three stolen bases. The reigning Pac-10 Player of the Week notched his seventh straight multi-hit game and finished the series hitting .714 (10-for-14) with five stolen bases. Dhaenens (Chandler, Ariz.) extended his hitting streak to 12 games with his 11th multi-hit game of the season and Sferra (Phoenix, Ariz.) capped his stellar weekend (.600, 9-for-15) with his 13th multi-hit game of the year.
The Bruins got two hits each from leadoff hitter Anthony Norman, designated hitter Chris Jensen, second baseman Sean Carpenter and catcher Chris Denove. Pinch-hitter Hector Ambriz, who started Friday's game on the mound, hit a three-run double in the five-run sixth inning. Relief pitcher Brian Schroeder was saddled with the loss giving up six runs and 10 hits in 4.2 innings to fall to 1-5 on the year. Starter Paul Oseguera lasted only two innings after giving up six hits and four runs.
The Sun Devils take back to the road next weekend with a conference showdown with Oregon State at Goss Stadium at Coleman Field. The series with the Beavers starts Friday at 5 p.m. and continues Saturday and Sunday at 1 p.m. in Corvallis.
Game Notes: The Sun Devils swept their fourth straight series at Packard Stadium (Oklahoma, Wright State, Stanford, UCLA) and have won 12 straight home games... after a 6-9 start, ASU has won 22 of its last 28 games, including a string of 12 of the last 14... the Devils scored in the first inning for the 16th time this season and improved to 13-3 when scoring in the opening frame... behind a career-high three stolen bases from Travis Buck and two from Seth Dhaenens, ASU stole a season-high eight bases... the eight SB are two off the school record of 10 set in 2001 vs. Southern Utah and tied for fourth most in the ASU single-game record books... Travis Buck extended his hitting streak to seven games (.581, 18-for-31) with his seventh straight multi-hit game and 24th of the season... Buck finished the series vs. UCLA 10-for-14 and over the last 28 games is hitting .454 (59-for-130), raising his season batting average from .246 to .387... Tuffy Gosewisch extended hitting streak to six games (.348, 8-for-23)... Seth Dhaenens extends hitting streak to 12 games (.524, 22-for-42)... J.J. Sferra is hitting .432 (16-for-37) in Pac-10 play and was 9-for-15 in weekend series vs. UCLA... Jeff Larish hits his 15th home run of the season and 43rd of his career... Joey Hooft extends hitting streak to season-high seven games... Zechry Zinicola records Pac-10 leading third pickoff of the year.
Arizona State 10, UCLA 8 (Apr 24, 2005 at Tempe, Ariz.) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- UCLA................ 000 105 002 - 8 11 3 (8-28, 0-9 Pac-10) Arizona State....... 310 012 30X - 10 16 1 (28-15, 9-3 Pac-10) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Pitchers: UCLA - Oseguera; Schroeder(3); Simon(7). Arizona State - Bresnehan; Zinicola(6); Barnette(9). Win-Zinicola(3-2) Save-Barnette(2) Loss-Schroeder(1-5) T-3:53 A-2259 HR ASU - Larish (15).
--Sun Devil Baseball--