Feb. 28, 2008
TEMPE, Ariz. - Jason Kipnis homered twice, including a grand slam over the Green Monster, to pace the top ranked Sun Devils to a 15-4 victory over #8 Michigan in the opener of the Coca-Cola Classic. Mike Leake improved to 2-0 on the young season in front of 2,831 at Winkles Field-Packard Stadium at Brock Ballpark.
Kipnis finished the night 2-5 with five RBI, while Marcel Champagnie was 3-4 with three RBI. Arizona State took advantage of 15 free bases issued by Wolverine pitchers, 11 walks and four hit batsmen.
The Devils drew first blood in the bottom of the second, when Marcel Champagnie doubled to right center with Petey Paramore at first. The Wolverine right fielder bobbled the ball before throwing it in to allow Paramore, who had reached on an error, to score.
ASU scored six more in the top of the third off Michigan starter Mike Wilson. After walking the bases loaded, Ike Davis drew a walk to score Leake. Champagnie followed that with a base hit up the middle to bring home Jake Elmore and Paramore to make it 4-0. Matt Newman came on to pinch hit with the bases loaded and he blooped one to center to score two more. Mike Leake followed that up with an RBI single to center to make it 7-0. Wilson lasted 2.2 innings, allowing seven runs, six earned, and walking six.
Jason Kipnis made it 8-0 in the fourth, launching a solo blast onto Rural Road for his third homer of the year. Kipnis did it again in the fifth with the sacks full, launching a ball over the Green Monster in centerfield for a grand slam and a 13-0 lead. Kipnis becomes the 21st person to homer over the Monster and the 15th Sun Devil. Brett Wallace was the last Devil to clear the centerfield batter's eye, doing it last season.
Wallace doubled home two more in the sixth to make it 15-0 ASU. Michigan would touch ASU starter Mike Leake for four in the seventh.
Leake lasted 6.2 innings, fanning seven and allowing six hits to pick up his second win of the year.
Earlier in the day, Portland outlasted Northern Illinois 9-6 in 16 innings in the first game of a doubleheader for the Huskies. The Huskies fell 7-3 to Hawai'i in their second game. Every member of the Arizona State baseball team wore black armbands with the NIU logo on them in honor of Northern Illinois.
Arizona State continues the Coca-Cola Classic tomorrow afternoon, when they take on the Hawai'i Rainbows. First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m. from Surprise Stadium in Surprise, Arizona.