May 28, 2010
PALO ALTO, Calif. - The Sun Devil offense was absent on Friday night in Palo Alto, as Arizona State dropped a 5-2 decision to Stanford on Friday night at Sunken Diamond. The Cardinal kept the Devils off the board for 8.2 innings, allowing the only two runs in the top of the ninth. The loss drops the Sun Devils to 46-8, 19-7 in Pac-10 play.
Stanford starter Jordan Pries was dominating, allowing only six hits while striking out six in his eight innings of work. He out-dueled Sun Devil starter Merrill Kelly, who went seven innings and allowed five runs, three earned. Kelly drops to 9-2 on the year with the loss.
Stanford scored two unearned runs in the second inning off Kelly and never looked back. They added single runs in the fourth, fifth and seventh, building a 5-0 lead that they would never relinquish.
Arizona State waited until the ninth before mounting an offensive attack, loading the bases in the ninth on three walks, then averting the shut out on a Raoul Torrez single that scored two. But Matt Newman popped out to end the game, giving the Cardinal the victory.
Riccio and Raoul Torrez each had two hits for the Sun Devils in the loss.
The Devils will wrap-up the regular season on Saturday afternoon in the rubber match with the Cardinal. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. from Sunken Diamond.