March 14, 2009
SURPRISE, Ariz. - Kansas defeated the No. 4 Arizona State University baseball team 3-2 on Saturday in the Coca-Cola Classic in Surprise. The Sun Devils fall to 13-3 on the season with the loss.
Freshman Mitchell Lambson was the hard-luck loser, falling to 3-1 despite striking out 12 and allowing just two hits and one run in 5.2 innings out of the bullpen. Jason Franzblau started and gave up six hits and two earned runs in two innings.
Jayhawk starting pitcher T.J. Walz got the win, going 6.1 innings and allowing just six hits and one earned run.
Kansas third baseman Tony Thompson had an RBI double in the first to give the Jayhawks an early lead, but the Sun Devils tied the game in the second on an RBI single by Riccio Torrez.
Each team scored a run in the third, and the game remained tied until the top of the seventh. Lambson struck out the first two Kansas batters, but then Brian Heere doubled and Robby Price walked before Buck Afenir blooped a single to right to bring in the go-ahead run.
Riccio Torrez led off the bottom of the ninth with a single, but the Sun Devils were unable to bring in the run.
The Sun Devils will wrap up their week in Surprise on Sunday with the finale of their three-game series with Kansas. First pitch is scheduled for one hour after the conclusion of the Spring Training game between the San Diego Padres and Texas Rangers.