April 6, 2007
TEMPE, Ariz. - In a game of ups and downs for the Sun Devils, CJ Retherford was able to provide a big lift off the bench, hitting a three-run pinch-hit double to lead Arizona State to a 12-8 win over Stanford in front of 4,042 fans at Winkles Field-Packard Stadium at Brock Ballpark. The win improves ASU to 25-10 on the year, 6-2 in the Pac-10.
Matt Hall got the scoring started in the second, doubling to deep center to score Andrew Romine. Brett Wallace then singled to bring Hall home for a 2-0 lead. After Stanford pushed a run across in the fifth to make it 2-1, the Devils added three more in the bottom of the inning. Wallace started things off with his 12th home run of the year, then Matt Spencer hit an RBI single to left scoring Petey Paramore. Kiel Roling would also come around to score on an error by the leftfielder to give ASU a 5-1 lead.
The Cardinal would even things up in the seventh, scoring four times off starter Josh Satow. The four runs came home on an inside the park grand slam by Sean Ratliff. Ratliff hit the ball to center, where centerfielder Tim Smith made a diving attempt. The ball got by Smith, allowing the speedy Stanford leadoff man to circle the bases. It is the second straight year Stanford has hit an inside the park grand slam against the Sun Devils.
The Sun Devil bats responded in the bottom of the inning, pushing six across to put ASU back on top. Arizona State loaded the bases with one away when Stanford made a pitching change. Head coach Pat Murphy went to his bench, calling on CJ Retherford. Retherford delivered, smashing a ball into the right-center gap, scoring all three runs and giving ASU an 8-5. Andrew Romine extended the lead, doubling down the left field line to bring home Rocky Laguna, who came in as a pinch runner for Retherford. Tim Smith and Wallace then delivered back-to-back RBI singles to make it 11-5.
Stanford would fight back in the eighth, as Ratliff hit a three-run homer off Joey Parigi to make it 11-8. But the Devils would add an insurance run in the bottom of the inning when Matt Hall drew a bases loaded walk to make it 12-8.
Jason Jarvis would close things out from there to pick up his third save of the year. Joey Parigi (3-1) got the win in relief of Josh Satow, who lasted 6.2 innings.
Brett Wallace was 3-4 with three RBI, while Petey Paramore added three hits of his own.
Before the game, the Sun Devils were joined on the field by the Ahwatukee Little League All-Star team, who played in last season's Little League World Series.
The Devils and Cardinal close out their three game series tomorrow with first pitch at 1 p.m. at Winkles Field-Packard Stadium at Brock Ballpark.