May 16, 2007
TEMPE, Ariz. - Before heading to Oregon State for a big weekend series, the Sun Devils had to face Utah Valley State, a team that shocked ASU back in 2005. There was no repeat of that upset, as Arizona State took care of business, scoring an 11-3 victory over the Wolverines. With the win, ASU improves to 38-12 on the year.
Pitching was the story for the Sun Devils as Brian Flores and CJ Retherford both were highly effective, scattering eight Utah Valley State hits. Flores, pitching on a pitch count, lasted four innings and allowed only one run on six hits while fanning six. He picked up the win to improve to 8-1. Retherford went the final five innings, the longest outing of his career, to earn his first save of the year. He allowed two runs on two hits and struck out two.
The Devils jumped on Utah Valley State early, scoring four runs in the first innings, thanks to a three-run homer by Ike Davis. It was Ike's sixth round-tripper of the year. ASU scored two more in the second on a Brett Wallace RBI double and an Eric Sogard RBI single.
After the Arizona State added runs in the third and fifth, Petey Paramore put the exclamation point on the evening with a two-run shot in the eighth, his fifth of the year.
Sogard finished 4-4 on the night with two RBI and two runs scored. Brett Wallace, Paramore, Andrew Romine and Rocky Laguna all had two hits for the Devils in the win.
Arizona State now heads to Corvallis, Oregon for a three-game series with the Oregon State Beavers that begins Friday night.