May 2, 2006
TEMPE, Ariz. - After dropping two of three on the road to UCLA and Stanford over the last two weeks, the #20 Sun Devils were eager for the chance to once again play at Winkles Field-Packard Stadium at Brock Ballpark. Hosting Arizona in a non-conference match-up, the Devils showed their appreciation for the home field with a 22-8 route of their in-state rivals. The win is the 30th of the season for Arizona State, upping their record to 30-16.
CJ Retherford flexed his muscles, homering twice and driving in six runs, part of his 3-5 night. Colin Curtis had four hits and scored four runs, while Eric Sogard finished a single shy of the cycle during his 3-5 night. Ike Davis added three hits and an RBI for the Devils. The Sun Devils pounded out 22 hits to go along with the 22 runs, both season highs. Eleven of the 22 hits were of the extra base variety.
Tony Barnette went five innings, striking out eight and allowing four runs to improve to 3-1 on the year. Ryan Perry (2-1) took the loss for the Wildcats.
Arizona State gave up a run in the first inning for the fifth time in their last six games when Arizona's Jon Gaston had an RBI ground out that gave UA a 1-0 lead. Gaston would leave the game after colliding with first baseman Brett Wallace on the play.
The Devils would answer back in the home half of the first when Eric Sogard doubled off the wall in right center to score Colin Curtis and tie it up at one. CJ Retherford gave ASU the lead with his RBI single up the middle making it 2-1. After ASU loaded the bases, Seth Dhaenens reached on an error allowing a run to score. Andrew Romine singled to left, scoring two more, giving the Devils a 5-1 lead at the conclusion of one.
Sogard increased the lead in the second with a solo home run to centerfield, his seventh of the year. Retherford then hit a two-run home run to left field, bringing home Ike Davis to increase the lead to 8-1.
The Devils continued with their hot hitting in the third when Andrew Romine hit a double to left center, scoring Dhaenens. Willy Fox then doubled down the left field line bringing home Romine. Curtis singled through the right side scoring Fox. Sogard then tripled to right center scoring Curtis, then Wallace reached on an error by the pitcher, which brought home Sogard to put the Devils up 13-1.
After Arizona scored three times in the top of the fifth, the Devils added six more in their half of the fifth to push their lead to 19-4. Ike Davis singled home a run, his 54th RBI of the year, tying him with Barry Bonds for third most runs batted in by a Sun Devil in his debut season. CJ Retherford brought three more home with his second home run of the game, a shot to left field. Seth Dhaenens got in on the long ball act, sending a two-run job over the right field wall for his first round-tripper of the year.
Joe Persichina continued the onslaught in the sixth, doubling down the right field line to score Curtis. Preston Paramore then knocked in two more with a single to center to make it 22-5. Arizona would score three in the ninth.
In all, seven Sun Devils had RBI, led by Retherford's six. Six Devils had multi-hit games, led by the four of Colin Curtis, who also scored four runs.
Arizona State will take this weekend off for finals, then host Oregon State in a three-game Pac-10 series in Tempe beginning May 12th.