March 5, 2010
SURPRISE, Ariz. - The No. 2 Arizona State University baseball team rallied from an early deficit Friday night to defeat No. 10 Oregon State 6-4 in their second game of the Coca-Cola Classic at Surprise Stadium. The Sun Devils improved to 9-0 on the season with the win.
Oregon State led 3-0 after three innings, but ASU rallied to tie the game in the bottom of the fourth. Riccio Torrez doubled and scored on a wild pitch, and Xorge Carrillo then drove in a run with a double of his own. Three batters later, Drew Maggi singled to score Carrillo and tie the game.
Johnny Ruettiger then provided the go-ahead hit in the fifth, with a two-out single through the right side of the infield that brought in Kole Calhoun and put the Sun Devils in front.
ASU would add a run each in the next two innings, as MacPhee scored on a wild pitch in the sixth and Maggi had a sacrifice fly in the seventh.
The Beavers threatened in the eighth, loading the bases with one out against Sun Devil reliever Brady Rodgers. However, they would score only one run in the inning, as Jake Barrett came on from the bullpen and got a groundout and a strikeout to end the threat.
Jordan Swagerty then pitched a scoreless ninth inning, getting Brandon Hayes to pop out to short with two runners on base to end the game. It was Swagerty's second save of the year.
Merrill Kelly started and got the win, allowing four hits and three runs (one earned) over five innings, to improve to 3-0 in his first three starts this season.
Maggi, MacPhee, Ruettiger and Carrillo all had two hits apiece for ASU, with Maggi collecting two RBI on the night.
The Sun Devils continue play in the Coca-Cola Classic on Saturday when they host UC Riverside. First pitch will be 45 minutes after the conclusion of the MLB Spring Training game at Surprise Stadium.