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Sun Devils Fall In CWS Opener To Nebraska, 5-3

Sun Devils Fall In CWS Opener To Nebraska, 5-3Sun Devils Fall In CWS Opener To Nebraska, 5-3
Sun Devil Athletics

June 17, 2005

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OMAHA, Neb. -- Arizona State senior catcher Tuffy Gosewisch hit a go-ahead two-run double in the top of the sixth inning to give the Sun Devils a 3-2 lead, but Nebraska answered with a three-run bottom half of the inning en route to a 5-3 Husker victory Friday evening during the opening day of the 2005 College World Series at Rosenblatt Stadium.

Nebraska starting pitcher Joba Chamberlain allowed just five hits in seven innings and Ryan Wehrle hit a two-run single, rallying Nebraska to its first College World Series victory in three appearances in school history.

The Cornhuskers (57-13) enjoyed the home-field advantage that comes with playing 58 miles away from their Lincoln campus. They were a combined 0-4 in their only other CWS appearances, in 2001 and '02.

Nebraska advances to a Sunday night game against Florida, a 6-4 winner over Tennessee in Friday's first game. ASU (39-24), making its 19th CWS appearance, faces the Volunteers in an elimination game Sunday at 1 p.m. The Sun Devils will once again be the road team after losing a coin flip. The ASU-Tennessee game will be televised nationally on ESPN and ESPNHD.

Chamberlain (10-2) allowed a run in the second inning and two in the sixth, before giving way to Zach Kroenke in the eighth. Chamberlain walked three and struck out four. Brett Jensen pitched the final 1 1-3 innings and earned his 16th save.

Sophomore relief pitcher Zechry Zinicola (3-4) took over for ASU starter Jason Urquidez at the start of the third inning and held Nebraska hitless until Andy Gerch singled to lead off the sixth. Zinicola then walked Ryan Bohanan and hit Daniel Bruce, loading the bases with no outs.

Junior left-hander Brett Bordes came out of the bullpen, and Wehrle sent his first pitch back up the middle for a two-run single that put Nebraska in front for good at 4-3. Wehrle scored on Jeff Christy's single down the right-field line.

The Huskers scored twice in the first inning, adding to the buzz of the charged-up "Sea of Red" crowd of 24,904. Joe Simokaitis singled and scored on Curtis Ledbetter's hit up the middle.

Ledbetter scored when right fielder Travis Buck, the Oakland Athletics' first-round supplemental draft pick, lost Bohanan's fly ball in the sun and had the ball glance off his glove for an error.

The Sun Devils got a run back with two out in the second on Joey Hooft's double.

Chamberlain retired 10 straight before giving up a walk to Andrew Romine leading off the Sun Devils' two-run sixth. Jeff Larish followed with a bloop single, and the runners advance on Buck's sacrifice.

Chamberlain issued an intentional walk to Colin Curtis, loading the bases. Gosewisch followed with a two-run double into the gap in right-center. Curtis tried to score from first on the play, but was thrown out at the plate for the second out of the inning.

Game Notes:

  • After entering the game during the bottom of the sixth inning, Brett Bordes moved into a tie with Chuck Crumpton (1998) for second place on ASU's single-season pitching appearances list with 36. Noah Peery leads the way with his 39 appearances recorded in the 1994 season.
  • Loss to Open the Series - By virtue of their 5-3 loss to Nebraska Friday night in Omaha, the Sun Devils now stand 12-7 all-time in their opening game of the College World Series. The loss also snaps a two-opener winning streak as the Sun Devils had defeated Miami (4-0) in 1994 and Florida State (11-10) in 1998.
  • We're Still in Contention - Despite the loss, the tournament is not over for ASU. In the previous six series that opened with a defeat, the Sun Devils managed to win several games, including the 1969 NCAA championship and a third-place finish at the 1983 tournament. Only twice has ASU gone 0-2 at the CWS; 1987 and 1993.
  • One Against Twelve - With the loss to Nebraska, the Sun Devils slipped to 2-3 when they open the College World Series against an opponent representing the present-day Big XII Conference. Overall, ASU has recorded wins in the opening game of the College World Series against Oklahoma State (7-2 in 1967) and Texas (11-2 in 1981) while suffering defeats to Missouri (7-0 in 1964) and Oklahoma State (8-3 in 1987).
  • Biggest Crowd Ever - The attendance of 24,904 not only set a College World Series record for session 2, but it was also the biggest crowd to ever the Sun Devils play. The previous biggest crowd to watch ASU play was 24,740 on May 31, 1998 against Miami (Fla.) in 1998 at the CWS... the biggest crowd for a non-CWS game is 10,619 against Arizona in 1978.
  • ASU in College World Series Openers (13-6):
    2005 - L, 5-3 to Nebraska
    1998 - W, 11-10 over Florida State
    1994 - W, 4-0 over Miami (Fla.)
    1993 - L, 4-3 (11) to Wichita State (then lost to Oklahoma State, 6-5)
    1988 - W, 4-2 over California
    1987 - L, 8-3 to Oklahoma State (then lost to Florida State, 3-0)
    1984 - W, 9-6 over Miami (Fla.)
    1983 - L, 6-5 (11) to Alabama before finishing tied for 3rd
    1981 - W, 11-3 over Texas
    1978 - W, 13-2 over St. John's
    1977 - W, 10-7 over Clemson
    1976 - W, 7-6 over Arizona
    1975 - W, 5-3 over CS Fullerton
    1973 - W, 3-1 over Penn State
    1972 - W, 2-1 over Iowa
    1969 - L, 4-0 to Texas before winning 5 in a row to claim their 3rd national title
    1967 - W, 7-2 over Oklahoma State
    1965 - W, 14-1 over Lafayette
    1964 - L, 7-0 to Missouri before finishing 1-2 on the tournament in their first CWS Appearance

    Nebraska 5, Arizona State 3 (Jun 17, 2005 at Omaha, Neb.) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Arizona State....... 010 002 000 - 3 6 1 (39-24) Nebraska............ 200 003 00X - 5 7 0 (57-13) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Pitchers: Arizona State - Urquidez; Zinicola(3); Bordes, B.(6); Bresnehan(8). Nebraska - Chamberlain; Kroenke, Z.(8); Jensen, B.(8). Win-Chamberlain(10-2) Save-Jensen, B.(16) Loss-Zinicola(3-4) T-3:13 A-24904