March 31, 2007
SEATTLE, Wash. - The Arizona State Sun Devils snapped out of their three-game funk, coming from behind to score an 11-5 victory over Washington on Saturday afternoon at Husky Ballpark. Matt Spencer did a little bit of everything, homering and picking up the victory on the mound as ASU improved to 22-10 on the year, 3-2 in Pac-10 play.
Spencer threw 2.1 innings to pick up his first collegiate victory. He also went 2-5 at the dish, homering and driving in three.
Washington drew first blood, scoring a run off starter Mike Leake to take a 1-0 lead after one inning. They would add another run off Leake in the second to make it 2-0. Spencer got the Sun Devils on the board in the fourth, taking UW starter Jordan Merry deep to right to make it 2-1.
Arizona State jumped ahead in the fifth off Merry. After a leadoff double by Andrew Romine, who was moved to third on a Matt Hall sac bunt, Tim Smith evened the game with an RBI single to right. Brett Wallace then put the Devils on top 4-2 with his 11th homer of the season, a two-run shot over the wall in right.
The lead was short lived, as Washington pushed three runs across in the fifth to regain the lead, 5-4. That was as far as Leake would go, as he got a no decision. Leake went five innings, allowing five runs, four earned, on nine hits. He struck out one and did not allow a walk.
Wallace tied the game in the seventh, sending an RBI single to left to score Joe Persichina from third to make it 5-5. That chased Merry, who gave way to Elliott Cribby. Merry went 6.1 innings, allowing seven runs on ten hits, striking out four. Cribby gave up an RBI single to Eric Sogard, then an RBI double to Petey Paramore that made it 7-5. Cribby then intentionally walked Ike Davis to load the bases with one out and Spencer at the plate. Spencer mashed the first pitch he saw from Cribby down the line in right to score two, making it 9-5 Arizona State. Paramore made it 11-5 in the eighth, singling to left field to score two.
Jason Jarvis pitched the final 1.2 innings to close out the game and end Arizona State's three-game skid. Tim Smith went 4-5 with three runs scored, one of five Devils with two or more hits. Brett Wallace was 3-4 with three RBI, Eric Sogard was 2-5 with an RBI and Petey Paramore went 2-5 with three RBI.
Matt Spencer was 2-5 at the plate with three runs batted in, and did not allow a hit while striking out two to pick up the pitching win.
The Devils and Huskies face off in the rubber game of the three-game series tomorrow afternoon from Seattle. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. from Husky Ballpark.