May 3, 2013
Pac-12 Baseball Standings as of 11 p.m. PT, May 3, 2013 (rankings according to Baseball America):
No. 11 Oregon: 17-5, 35-11
No. 6 Oregon State: 15-4, 35-8 (0.5 GB)
No. 9 UCLA: 12-7, 29-13 (3.5 GB)
No. 8 Arizona State: 11-8, 29-13-1 (4.5 GB)
Stanford: 10-9, 25-15 (5.5 GB)
Arizona: 9-10, 28-16 (6.5 GB)
TEMPE, Ariz. - The eighth-ranked Arizona State University baseball team brought the tying run to the plate in the final inning, but could not complete the rally as they fell to Stanford, 5-3, on Friday night in front of 3,305 fans at Packard Stadium in Tempe, Ariz.
Starting pitcher Trevor Williams and relievers Matt Dunbar and Darin Gillies held the Cardinal scoreless for the final six innings, but the Sun Devils (29-13-1, 11-8) could not overcome an early five-run deficit.
ASU trailed 5-0 after the top of the fourth frame, but scored two runs in the bottom of the inning and one in the seventh to pull within two, 5-3. They had the tying run on base in both the seventh and eighth innings, and brought the tying run to the plate in the ninth before succumbing.
The pitching staff tied a season-high with 12 strikeouts, including seven by Williams (5-4), who took the loss after conceding five runs on nine hits and three walks in six innings.
There were a combined seven strikeouts through the first two scoreless innings before the Cardinal (25-15, 10-9) scored three runs in the top of the third inning to take a 3-0 lead. Williams loaded the bases with one out on two walks and a single before center fielder Austin Wilson hit a two-run single up the middle and second baseman Danny Diekroeger followed with an RBI single.
The Cardinal stretched its lead to five with a pair of RBI singles in the top of the fourth, but the Devils responded with two runs of their own in the bottom half of the frame to cut its deficit to three, 5-2. Second baseman James McDonald led off the inning with base hit and designated hitter RJ Ybarra doubled to left field two batters later to bring up right fielder Trever Allen, who drove in two runs with a stand-up double.
Center fielder Kasey Coffman brought ASU within two, 5-3, with a sacrifice fly to center field in the seventh inning. First baseman Dalton DiNatale reached first on a throwing error by Cardinal shortstop Lonnie Kauppila, shortstop Drew Stankiewicz followed with a single and left fielder Jake Peevyhouse walked on an eight-pitch at-bat to load the bases for Coffman.
Dunbar gave up three hits and struck out a pair in 1 2/3 scoreless innings, and Gillies allowed just one base runner and struck out three over the final 1 1/3 innings.
Stanford starting right-hander Mark Appel (8-3) struck out 13 in 7/2 innings to earn the win after he allowed three runs, including two earned, on five hits. Left-hander Garrett Hughes (3) secured the save with 1 1/3 scoreless frames.
Up Next:
The Devils take on Stanford for game two of its Pac-12 weekend series on Saturday at 6:30 p.m. It will be broadcast by Tim Healey (@TimHealeyASU) and former Devil Seth Dhaenens (@sethdhaenens) on the MidFirst Bank Sun Devil IMG Sports Network on NBC Sports Radio AM 1060 and on the All-Access player on thesundevils.com, and will also be streamed live over www.pac-12.com/live/thesundevils.
Game Notes:
Allen leads the team with 10 multi-RBI games...Ybarra extended his reached base safely streak to 19 games, which is the longest of any Sun Devil this season...Coffman has now recorded a hit in 12 straight games...Gillies has not allowed a run in 6 2/3 innings.
Saturday's Pitching Matchup
ASU: LHP Ryan Kellogg (10-0, 2.21)
STAN: RHP Daniel Starwalt (2-1, 3.52)
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