April 13, 2012
TEMPE, Ariz. - The 21st-ranked Arizona State baseball team, donning their new black and copper hats and jerseys, defeated USC 5-1 on Friday night in front of 3,040 fans at Packard Stadium in Tempe, Ariz.
The Sun Devils (21-13, 7-6) have won four straight Pac-12 games and five of their past six contests.
Right-hander Brady Rodgers (6-1) once again controlled the game from the mound in the win, giving up just one earned run while walking none and striking out seven in eight innings pitched.
Right-hander Robert Ravago walked the leadoff batter to start the ninth, but induced a groundout and struck out the final Trojan batter to close out the frame.
Deven Marrero hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the seventh inning and James McDonald added an RBI single after Joey DeMichele tripled, to push the Devils' advantage to four, 5-1.
Andrew Aplin led off the first inning with a single and DeMichele followed up with a base hit two batters later to put runners on first and third for Abe Ruiz, who came through with a two-run double to put the Devils on top early, 2-0.
The Trojans (19-12, 5-7) got their only run of the game off an RBI single in the top of the fifth inning to cut the Devils' lead to one, 2-1.
Right-hander Andrew Triggs (3-4) took the loss after allowing five earned runs on nine hits in 6 2/3 innings pitched.
The Sun Devils continue their three-game Pac-12 series against USC with a 6:30 p.m. tilt on Saturday at Packard Stadium. Tim Healey and Seth Dhaenens will have the call on The Fan AM 1060 and FoxSportsArizona.com will stream it live online.
Game notes: Aplin has now reached base successfully in 16 consecutive games.