April 26, 2013
SATURDAY RADIO | SATURDAY STATS
Pac-12 Baseball Standings as of 9 p.m. PT, April 26, 2013 (rankings according to Baseball America):
No. 13 Oregon: 14-5, 31-10
No. 7 Oregon State: 12-4, 32-8 (0.5 GB)
No. 9 UCLA: 9-6, 25-12 (2.5 GB) in progress
No. 8 Arizona State: 9-7, 26-12-1 (3.5 GB)
No. 21 Stanford: 9-7, 24-13 (3.5 GB)
Arizona: 9-9, 25-14 (4 GB)
SALT LAKE CITY - The eighth-ranked Arizona State University baseball team scored two runs in the ninth and one in the 10th to rally for a 5-4 win in extra innings against Utah on Friday night at Spring Mobile Ballpark in Salt Lake City.
The Sun Devils (26-12-1, 9-7) trailed 4-2 heading into the top of the ninth before center fielder Kasey Coffman and third baseman Michael Benjamin each drove in runs to tie the game, 4-4.
Shortstop Drew Stankiewicz hit the eventual game-winning RBI single to center field with two outs in the 10th inning after right fielder Trever Allen and pinch hitter Johnny Sewald reached base on a single and a walk, respectively.
Freshman right-hander Ryan Burr (2-1) earned the win after striking out four in two scoreless innings. He loaded the bases on two hits and a walk in the bottom of the 10th, but struck out the final batter of the game to secure ASU's comeback win.
ASU improved to 7-4 in one-run games this season and have played five extra-innings game. They have now won five games in the ninth inning or later, with three different players recording a game-winning hit.
Benjamin and Coffman hit leadoff home runs in the fourth and eighth innings, respectively, and each paced the team with a pair of RBI as ASU has registered double-digit hits in six straight games.
Starting right-hander Trevor Williams did not factor in the decision but struck out seven in eight innings and gave up four runs on six hits.
Utes (16-21, 5-14) right-hander Luke West took the loss after allowing one run on two hits in the 10th, while starting right-hander Mitch Watrous scattered eight hits across 7 2/3 innings.
Utah led off the bottom of the second with a triple and scored the first run of the game on a wild pitch two batters later to take a 1-0 advantage.
Benjamin responded with a leadoff home run in the top of the fourth inning to tie the game at one run apiece. His fifth home run of the season extended his hitting streak to 10 games and he has recorded at least one RBI in six straight games.
The Utes took the lead on a pair of singles in the sixth before designated hitter Connor Eppard capped the three-run inning with a two-run homer to put Utah ahead, 4-1.
Coffman cut the Devils' deficit to two, 4-2, with a leadoff home run in the top of the eighth, and second baseman James McDonald, catcher Max Rossiter and Coffman each made great defensive plays in the bottom of the frame to keep ASU within striking distance.
Allen hit a leadoff single, pinch hitter David Graybill took an eight-pitch walk and Stankiewicz laid down a sacrifice bunt that was thrown away by the third baseman to load the bases with no outs in the top of the ninth. Coffman brought the Devils within one, 4-3, with a sacrifice fly to left field and Benjamin drove in the tying run with a two-out single that scored Graybill from second.
Up Next:
The Sun Devils take on Utah at 3 p.m. (PT) on Saturday at Spring Mobile Ballpark. The game will be broadcast by Tim Healey (@TimHealeyASU) and former Sun Devil Seth Dhanenens (@sethdhaenens) on NBC Sports Radio AM 1060 and on 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:
ASU has scored 80 of its 225 runs this season with two outs, including the game tying and game-winning runs tonight.
Saturday's Pitching Matchup
ASU: LHP Ryan Kellogg (9-0, 2.34)
UTAH: RHP Dalton Carroll (3-4, 4.75)
Twitter: @ASU_Baseball | Facebook: Sun Devil Baseball | Instagram: ASU_Baseball