Feb. 12, 2006
SURPRISE, Ariz. - For the third straight game it was a big inning that killed ASU, this time a six run fifth by Nevada as the Sun Devils fell to the Wolf Pack 12-8 in the final game of the Fourth Annual Coca-Cola Classic at Surprise Stadium in Surprise, Arizona. The Sun Devils were winless during the weekend, the first time in the history of the tournament that ASU has failed to win a game. In the earlier game on Sunday, Gonzaga defeated Oregon State, scoring two runs in the bottom of the ninth to win 6-5.
Sun Devil starter Drew Bowman was touched for three runs in the top of the second inning before being removed for Brett Bordes. Bowman lasted 1.1 innings, giving up three runs on five hits.
ASU finally had the breakout offensive inning they were looking for in the fifth, batting around and scoring five runs, breaking a drought that had seen them score one run in their lst 20 innings. Colin Curtis had a two-run double to left center and scored on Willy Fox's triple to dead center. Fox scored on CJ Retherford's text book squeeze bunt, and it appeared as if the Devils had found their groove once again.
The groove was short-lived however, as Nevada would come roaring back in the fifth inning. After getting the first batter of the inning, Bordes would walk the next batter then allow back to back hits and giving up three runs. Tony Barnette would relieve Bordes, but he had limited success himself, giving up three runs of his own, including a two-run homer to Wolf Pack shortstop Leo Radkowski.
ASU would answer with two of their own in the bottom of the fifth, thanks to a Brett Wallace RBI double and a Rocky Laguna sacrifice fly, but the Wolf Pack would score three more times, including two in the eighth of Zechry Zinicola to secure their first victory of the season. The loss drops ASU to 5-4 on the year. Brett Bordes was hung with the loss, his first of the season while Nevada's Travis Sutton picked up the win to even his record at 1-1.
ASU's Preston Paramore and Willy Fox both earned Coca-Cola Classic All-Tournament Team honors. Fox went 6-11 on the weekend , while Paramore hit 4-9 and caught almost every inning of the three games, taking a dearth of balls off his body all weekend.
The Sun Devils will now try to regroup in time for their three-game series with the Houston Cougars next weekend at Winkles Field-Packard Stadium at Brock Ballpark. First pitch Friday is scheduled for 7 PM, with 1 PM start times on both Saturday and Sunday.