May 15, 2009
TEMPE, Ariz. - Mike Leake threw the first complete game shutout of his decorated career to lead the No. 2 Arizona State University baseball team to a 9-0 win over Oregon on Friday in front of a crowd of 3,104 at Winkles Field-Packard Stadium at Brock Ballpark. The Sun Devils improve to 39-11 overall, 17-5 in the Pac-10, with the victory.
Leake allowed just three hits with 12 strikeouts and no walks to earn the win and move to 13-1 on the season. It was his fifth complete game of the season, ninth of his career. He also set a new career high with 116 strikeouts on the season, surpassing the 104 he had last year, and he lowered his season ERA to 1.35. Leake is now 37-6 in his ASU career.
It was also the second straight game that ASU's starting pitcher threw a complete game shutout, after Jason Franzblau did the same against Winthrop on Sunday.
The Sun Devils got on the board quickly against Oregon's top starter Erik Stavert. Carlos Ramirez singled in a run in the first, and ASU scored three more in the second when Raoul Torrez was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded and Drew Maggi followed with a two-run double.
The Devils would score two more in the third on an RBI single by Newman and a groundout by Zack MacPhee. Stavert went just 2.2 innings, allowing seven hits and six earned runs with four walks to take the loss.
ASU would add another run in the fifth, as Raoul Torrez grounded into a fielder's choice with the bases loaded. They capped off the scoring with two runs in the eighth on a triple by Jason Kipnis and a single from Kole Calhoun.
Ramirez, Calhoun and Abe Ruiz all had two hits in the game, while Maggi and Raoul Torrez drove in two runs each.
The Sun Devils and Ducks will continue their three-game series on Saturday, with first pitch scheduled for 6:30 p.m. at Winkles Field-Packard Stadium at Brock Ballpark.