Feb. 27, 2007
TUCSON, Ariz. - The Arizona State Sun Devils put their offensive prowess on display for their in-state rivals on Tuesday night, slugging their way to a 22-8 victory over Arizona in front of 1,422 fans at Kindall Field. ASU pounded out 20 hits off of six Wildcat pitchers to improve their record to 11-3 on the year.
The Sun Devils got out to a hot start on a warm afternoon in Tucson, scoring six times in the first before Arizona could record an out. Brett Wallace got the Devils started, singling up the middle to score Andrew Romine from second. Kiel Roling made it 2-0 when his single to left brought Wallace home. Petey Paramore knocked in a run to make it 3-0, then Matt Spencer made it 4-0 with his RBI single to left. Matt Hall made it 6-0 with a two-run double to right. Wallace knocked in his second and third runs of the inning with a double to left-center that made it 8-0 and chased Arizona starter Paul Bargas. Bargas lasted two thirds of an inning, allowing eight runs on seven hits.
Roling added another run in the top of the second, homering down the left field line to lead off the inning. Matt Hall got into the long ball act, taking one deep to left for a two-run job that made it 11-0. Brett Wallace added a two-run shot of his own, taking it out to left-center to put ASU up 13-0 in the third.
Arizona State pushed it to 18-1 after posting five more runs in the fourth. Arizona walked four of the first five batters of the inning, making it 14-1, then a two run single by Roling, an RBI double by Ike Davis and an RBI groundout by Paramore finished off the inning's scoring.
Starter Joey Parigi ran in to some trouble in the bottom of the fourth, giving up back-to-back single to start the inning. He worked his way out of the jam when John Gaston hit a sharp liner to Sogard, who threw to Wallace at first to double off the runner, who then threw to Romine at second for a triple play to end the threat. It was the second triple play in as many seasons for ASU, who turned a trifecta on January 28, 2006 against Cal State Northridge. Sogard started that triple play as well.
Parigi went five innings, allowing one run on four hits to earn the victory, putting him at 2-1 on the year. Scott Mueller threw one inning of relief before giving way to Adam Bailey. Bailey cruised through the seventh and eighth innings before running into trouble in the bottom of the ninth. Bailey allowed six runs, including back-to-back home runs to start the ninth. Mike Leake came on to retire the final two batters and secure the win.
Brett Wallace led the way for the Sun Devils at the plate, going 3-4 with seven runs batted in and two walks, falling a triple short of the cycle. Matt Hall went 3-4 with four RBI and five runs scored, while Ike Davis added four hits. Ten Sun Devils recorded a hit, including five with multi-hits.
The Sun Devils now head to Auburn, Alabama for a three-game set at Plainsman Park beginning Friday night.