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LOS ANGELES - Sophomore RJ Ybarra delivered a pinch-hit RBI single with two outs in the top of the 10th inning to give the Arizona State University baseball team a 6-5 win over No. 15 UCLA on Sunday at Jackie Robinson Stadium in Los Angeles.
The Sun Devils (15-11, 5-4) won their second consecutive Pac-12 road series over a top-15 team and have won five of their past six games, including three victories over the past two defending national champions.
ASU rallied from a 3-1 deficit in the seventh inning to take its first lead of the game, but the Bruins countered with a pair in the bottom half of the frame to move back ahead, 5-4. The Devils then scored the tying run with two outs in the top of the ninth before Ybarra, who came into the game 0-for-13 in the past three contests, gave the Devils their second extra-innings victory of the season and their sixth win over a ranked team.
Sophomore right-hander Ryan Burr (2-2) allowed just two baserunners over the final 2 2/3 innings and struck out the final batter of the game to earn the win. He tied his season high with five strikeouts after he took over with one runner on base and one out in the eighth.
Junior left fielder Peevyhouse doubled with one out in the 10th and scored the game-winning run three batters later after he advanced to third on a groundout by junior third baseman Dalton DiNatale.
Freshman shortstop Colby Woodmansee scored the tying run in the ninth after he reached base on a fielder’s choice, moved to third on a double by sophomore center fielder Johnny Sewald and crossed the plate on a grounder down the right line from redshirt junior right fielder Trever Allen that was mishandled by Bruins third baseman Chris Keck.
Consecutive singles by DiNatale and junior second baseman Drew Stankiewicz started the Devils three-run seventh inning. A fielding error on a sacrifice bunt by sophomore designated hitter Chris Beall brought the Devils within one, a short chopper up the middle by Sewald tied the game and a grounder to second base by Allen gave ASU its first lead of the game, 4-3. The Bruins retook the lead, 5-4, in the bottom of the frame after a pair of walks led to eventual runs for UCLA behind second baseman Kevin Williams’ two-run triple to left field.
Freshman catcher Brian Serven hit his first career home run with two outs in the top of the sixth inning to put the Devils on the board and cut their deficit to a pair, 3-1.
Starting junior right-hander Darin Gillies scattered three runs and four hits across six innings in a no-decision. He struck out four and walked three in his third six-inning outing this season.
The Bruins (16-10, 6-3) tallied a run in each of the first two innings to take an early 2-0 lead. Center fielder Brian Carroll led off the first with a single, moved to third on a sacrifice bunt and scored on a wild pitch. Gillies walked in the second run of the game in the second inning after he loaded the bases on a walk and two hit batters, but he struck out right fielder Christoph Bono to end the frame and strand a trio of Bruins.
Gillies retired six of the next eight batters he faced before conceding a leadoff single in the fifth to Carroll, who was plated three batters later on a two-out RBI single by left fielder Ty Moore that extended UCLA’s lead to three.
Sophomore right-hander Jordan Aboites conceded two runs on one hit and two walks in 2/3 innings and freshman right-hander Hever Bueno faced three batters in a scoreless 2/3 innings.
UCLA right-hander David Berg (3-1) took his first loss of the season after giving up two runs, including one earned, on four hits in four relief innings. Starting right-hander Cody Poteet surrendered two runs on six hits and was replaced with a runner on first and no outs in the top of the seventh.
Notes
The Devils moved to 116-68 all-time against UCLA…coach Esmay moved to 49-39 against ranked teams…coach Esmay now has 396 career wins, including 183 at ASU…Allen recorded his 16th career outfield assist in the fourth inning.
Up Next
Arizona State hosts USC for a three-game Pac-12 series April 4-6 at Packard Stadium. First pitch on Friday and Saturday is at 6:30 pm PT and Sunday’s game is set for a 12:30 pm PT start. All three games will be streamed online via the Sun Devils’ Pac-12.com channel and will be broadcast on NBC Sports AM 1060 by Tim Healey (PxP, @TimHealeyASU) and Seth Dhaenens (color, @sethdhaenens). Live stats will also be available on thesundevils.com.
All-Packard Team
Visit azcentral.com to vote for the All-Packard Team or fill out a ballot on gameday at Packard Stadium to make your choice for the best to wear the Maroon and Gold in the past 40 years
Season tickets starting at $99, single-game tickets, Mini Packs and Flex Plans are on sale now. Admission for ASU students is free with a valid Sun Card. Purchasing season tickets will also give fans first opportunity and priority at selecting seats at Phoenix Municipal Stadium in 2015. Ariz.
Join the conversation all season using the hashtag #OccupyPackard
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