March 13, 2013
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TEMPE, Ariz. - Center fielder Kasey Coffman drove in the game-winning run in the bottom of the 11th inning as the 13th-ranked Arizona State University baseball team rallied from a three-run deficit to defeat New Mexico 4-3 in extra frames on Wednesday night in front of 2,859 fans at Packard Stadium in Tempe, Ariz.
Coffman came to the plate in the 11th inning with two outs and runners on first and second, and singled down the right-field line to drive home third baseman Michael Benjamin, who reached base on a passed ball on a swinging strike three.
Benjamin hit a two-out solo home run in the fifth inning and the Sun Devils (11-2-1) knocked in a pair of runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to tie the game at three runs apiece.
The Lobos (6-9) scored three runs on four errors in the opening four frames to take a 3-0 lead, but the Devils did not commit an error or allow a run over the final seven innings of the game.
ASU loaded the bases with no outs in the eighth inning on a lead-off double by left fielder Jake Peevyhouse, a walk by pinch hitter David Graybill and a bunt single by Coffman. Shortstop Drew Stankiewicz followed with an RBI single and designated hitter Max Rossiter added a sacrifice fly to right field to even the score, 3-3.
Right-hander Alex Blackford (2-0) posted his second win of the season after he kept the Lobos off the scoreboard in the top of the 11th inning.
Benjamin extended his team-high hitting streak to 13 games with a single up the middle in the bottom of the third inning.
Starting right-hander Zak Miller went three innings in his first start of the season and gave up two runs, both unearned, on four hits and struck out one.
Right-hander Mark Lambson made his first appearance of the season in the fourth inning and surrendered one unearned run on four hits and struck out one in three frames. Right-hander Darin Gillies threw a perfect seventh and eighth inning, and right-hander Ryan Burr did not allow a hit in the ninth and 10th frames.
The Lobos used 10 different pitchers in the game, including four in the eighth inning. Left-hander Kevin Baumgartner (0-3) suffered the loss after conceding the winning run in the 11th.
Lobos starter Jonathan Cueller went five innings and allowed one run on three hits and struck out two.
Up Next:
The Sun Devils open Pac-12 Conference play with a three-game homestand against Washington State Friday-Sunday. All three conference games over the weekend can be heard on The Fan AM 1060 or through the All-Access player on thesundevils.com. Fans can also follow the team on Twitter at @ASU_Baseball for live scoring and updates from the weekend, and check thesundevils.com for stats, notes and more.
Game Notes:
Coffman also drove in the game-winning run with a single in the 11th inning in ASU's season-opening 5-4 win over Bethune-Cookman...in that game, Stankiewicz also reached base on a dropped strike three and scored the game-winning run...Coach Esmay improved to 64-13 all-time against non-conference foes...Lambson made his first appearance since June 5, 2011...this was the Sun Devils' second win in extra innings this season after beating Bethune-Cookman in the home opener 5-4 in 11 innings.
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