Feb. 24, 2009
TEMPE, Ariz. - With seven shutout innings from pitcher Josh Spence, the No. 4 Arizona State University baseball team defeated No. 15 Missouri 3-1 on Tuesday in front of a crowd of 2,566 at Winkles Field-Packard Stadium at Brock Ballpark. The Sun Devils improve to 5-0 on the season with the victory.
Spence had 13 strikeouts while allowing just six hits to earn his second straight win in his first two starts as a Sun Devil. He has not allowed a run in 13 innings on the mound so far this season. Freshmen Mitchell Lambson and Jordan Swagerty combined to pitch the last two innings, with Swagerty recording his first career save by retiring the final two batters.
Jason Kipnis and Jared McDonald each had solo home runs in the game, which gave ASU all the offense it needed. It was the first career home run for McDonald.
Spence set the tone early, striking out the side in the first and recording eight strikeouts over the first four innings. Kipnis then led off the bottom of the fourth with a deep shot to right center, and three batters later, McDonald hit a solo homer down the right field line to give the Sun Devils a 2-0 lead. Spence then struck out the side again in the fifth, and Zack MacPhee hit a sacrifice fly to score Drew Maggi from third in the bottom half of the inning to extend the lead to three runs.
Spence then worked out of a two-on, one-out jam in the seventh, getting Ryan Ampleman to pop out to second and then striking out Greg Folgia to end the inning.
"I'm starting to get into my routine here at ASU," Spence said. "I really enjoy pitching for the Sun Devils."
The Tigers scored their only run in the eighth, as Ryan Lollis tripled to lead off the inning and then scored on a groundout by Aaron Senne. In the ninth, Lambson struck out Steve Gray, and then Swagerty came on and got both Kyle Mach and Michael Liberto to fly out to end the game.
The Sun Devils return to action on Thursday, as they host Missouri again in the DeMarini Invitational. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m., with a game between Oregon State and Northern Illinois at 1 p.m. at Winkles Field-Packard Stadium at Brock Ballpark.