March 4, 2012
Surprise, Ariz. - The 11th-ranked Arizona State baseball team lost to St. Mary's 4-3 in 11 innings on Sunday in the final game of the Coca-Cola Classic in Surprise, Ariz.
With the game knotted at three runs apiece in the bottom of the ninth, second baseman Joey DeMichele hit a triple to right-center field and the Gaels (8-4) intentionally walked first baseman Abe Ruiz and outfielder James McDonald to bring freshman Rouric Bridgewater to the plate with one out and the bases loaded. However, Bridgewater grounded into a 1-2-3 double play to send the Devils into their first extra-innings game of the season.
A sacrifice fly by SMC catcher Toby DeMello in the top of the 11th inning brought home second baseman Chris Murphy for the game-winning run. Murphy led off the inning with a triple to right-center field.
The Devils had a scoring opportunity in the bottom of the 11th after Ruiz was hit by a pitch and McDonald singled through the right side, but consecutive flyouts by Bridgewater and third baseman Michael Benjamin ended the game.
Sun Devils (8-2) right-hander Jake Barrett (0-1) took the loss after giving up the final run of the game in the 11th inning. He allowed two hits and one earned run with a pair of strikeouts in two innings pitched.
Bridgewater, in his first career start, led the way offensively for the Devils with a pair of RBI singles. DeMichele, who fell a home run short of the cycle, finished the four games in Surprise with 12 hits, six runs and 10 RBI.
Right-hander Patrick Keane (1-0) earned the win for St. Mary's after giving up two hits and no runs in 5.2 innings pitched.
ASU freshman right-hander Darin Gillies went four innings and took a no-decision after striking our five while giving up three hits and one earned run in his second start of the season.
The Gaels gained the early 1-0 advantage in the top of the second on an RBI groundout by Murphy.
ASU countered in the bottom of the third with a pair of runs to take a 2-1 lead. Ruiz started the scoring with an RBI double to bring home DeMichele, who reached on a base hit. Bridgewater added a one-run single two batters later.
Bridgewater extended the Devils' lead to two runs in the fifth inning with his second RBI single of the game.
Left-hander Adrian Gomez entered the game in the fifth inning and faced just three batters, but conceded three consecutive hits to start the sixth inning and was relieved by left-hander Brandon Bonilla. With a trio of runners on base, St. Mary's evened the score at three with an RBI single by designated hitter Troy Channing and a sacrifice fly by right fielder Brenden Kalfus.
Gomez allowed two run on four hits, while Bonilla surrendered one hit and no runs with a strikeout in two innings pitched.
ASU loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the sixth, but back-to-back strikeouts kept the game tied, 3-3.
Right-hander Robert Ravago took over in the eighth and faced two batters, striking out one, before being replaced by left-hander Matt Dunbar. Dunbar pitched 1.2 scoreless innings and did not give up a hit while striking out two.
Gaels starter Kyle Barraclough went 5.1 innings but earned a no-decision after allowing three runs on seven hits. He also struck out five.
The Sun Devils head back to Tempe, Ariz., to take on Texas Tech on Tuesday at Packard Stadium. First pitch is set for 6:30 p.m. with Fox Sports Arizona webcasting the game and Tim Healey and Seth Dhaenens on the call for Sun Devil Sports Network. Listen to it live and for free at thesundevils.com/allaccess/ or watch it at foxsportsaz.com.