May 31, 2013
TOURNAMENT CENTRAL | 2013 Fullerton Regional Guide Fullerton Regional Bracket- Day 2
FULLERTON, Calif. - Starting right-hander Trevor Williams went 7 2/3 innings and James McDonald drove in three runs to lead the Arizona State University baseball team to a 4-3 win in the opening game of the Fullerton Regional on Friday in Fullerton, Calif.
Williams (6-6) allowed just three runs and struck out four as he earned his first win since April 19.
Right-hander Ryan Burr walked the leadoff batter in the ninth to put the winning run at the plate, but recorded three consecutive outs, including a game-ending groundout to one of the nation's elite hitters, DJ Peterson.
Burr (12) recorded his 12th save of the season and now holds the freshmen single-season record for saves.
McDonald led the team with three RBI, including a two-run homer in the bottom of the fifth that proved to be the difference, and center fielder Kasey Coffman scored the first two runs of the game to pace the Sun Devils.
The Lobos took a one-run lead in the opening frame on a RBI single by catcher Mitch Garver, but ASU countered with one run in the bottom of the first and added another in the third inning to take a 2-1 advantage.
Coffman, who took a leadoff walk to begin the bottom of the first, moved to third on a throwing error by Lobos starting pitcher Josh Walker on a failed pickoff attempt before he scored on a sacrifice fly to left field by McDonald to tie the game at one run apiece.
ASU took its first lead of the game after Coffman knocked a two-out double to right field and scored on the next at-bat as third baseman Michael Benjamin's line drive was misplayed by shortstop Jared Holley.
Peterson tied the game, 2-2, with a sacrifice fly to right field in the fifth after he came to the plate with runners on first and third and one out. Catcher Max Rossiter then caught Sam Haggerty stealing second to end the frame.
McDonald hit a two-run homer over the right-field fence as ASU retook the lead in the bottom of the fifth, 4-2. The Devils again capitalized on a Lobos error as an errant throw by Holley on a groundball allowed Benjamin to reach first and McDonald followed with his sixth home run of the season.
Williams struck out Peterson for the first out of the eighth inning, but Garver hit a solo home run with one out in the top of the eighth to cut the Devils' lead to one, 4-3.
Williams then induced a groundout before hitting a batter and walking one to put the winning run on base. Burr replaced Williams and struck the next batter out looking to end the frame and strand two on.
ASU handed NM starting right-hander Walker (11-1) his first loss of the season. Walked went 7 1/3 innings and gave up four runs on four hits and four walks.
Game Notes:
Williams came into the game with four career postseason innings pitched...it was the first postseason appearance for Burr...the Devils did not commit an error in the game and are now 14-2 this season when they are flawless in the field...ASU improved to 9-7 in one-run games this season.
Postseason Notes:
Head coach Tim Esmay: 10-4 all-time in the postseason, including 7-0 in regional play
All-time: 165-70*
Williams: 1-0
ASU is 7-0 in Regionals since 2003 when winning the first game of the Regional
* Postseason appearance and victories in 2007 later vacated due to NCAA sanctions. Numbers do not reflect vacations.
Up Next:
ASU will face No. 5 national seed Cal State Fullerton Saturday night. First pitch will be at 8:05 p.m. (PT) and will be televised on ESPNU. The contest will be also broadcast by the MidFirst Bank Sun Devil IMG Network on NBC Sports Radio AM 1060 and on the All-Access Player on thesundevils.com. ASU will start freshman left-hander Ryan Kellogg in Saturday's game.
FULLERTON REGIONAL SCHEDULE | Fullerton Regional Bracket- Day 2
Friday, May 31, 2013
Game 1: 4 p.m. PT - Arizona State 4, New Mexico 3
Game 2: 8 p.m. PT - No. 5 Cal State Fullerton 4, Columbia 1
Saturday, June 1, 2013
Game 3: 4 p.m. PT - New Mexico and Columbia
Game 4: 8 p.m. PT - Arizona State and Cal State Fullerton - ESPNU
Sunday, June 2, 2013
Game 5: 4 p.m. PT - Winner of Game 3 and Loser of Game 4
Game 6: 8 p.m. PT - Winners of Game 5 and Game 4
Monday, June 3, 2013
*Game 7: 8 p.m. PT - *If necessary
All games on ESPNU/ESPN3
Road to Omaha | NCAA.com
Regionals: May 31-June 3 in Fullerton, Calif. Four-teams, double elimination (ESPN family of networks)
Super Regionals (best-of-three series): June 7-10 on eight campus sites. Two teams, best-of-three format (ESPN family of networks)
CWS: Omaha, Neb., June 15-26 (ESPN family of networks)