FORT WORTH, Texas – Starting left-hander Zach Dixon settled down and shined in his first career postseason start, and was complemented by a balanced offensive attack as No. 2 seed Sun Devil Baseball defeated No. 3 seed Gonzaga, 6-3, in an elimination game in the Fort Worth Regional on Sunday at Lupton Stadium in Fort Worth, Texas.
The Sun Devils (36-22) erased an early 1-0 deficit with four runs in the middle innings and added a pair in the ninth for their second victory in as many elimination games. Arizona State advances to the Fort Worth Regional Final to face No. 1 seed TCU at 4:30 p.m. PT on Sunday at Lupton Stadium.
Dixon (2-1) tallied a career-high nine strikeouts and limited the Zags (36-21) to three runs on six hits, including a stretch of six scoreless innings, to pick up his second win of the season. He gave up two hits, including a run-scoring double, and two walks to 10 batters across the first two innings before he settled in and retired 13 of the next 15 Zags he faced, including 10 straight.
Catcher Brian Serven drove in two runs, and had a double and a run scored to boost his weekend total to five RBI, five hits and three runs scored in three games. First baseman David Greer scored a run and reached base five times on a single and four walks, center fielder Andrew Shaps singled and scored the go-ahead run in the fourth, and Jeremy McCuin, a defensive replacement at third base in the sixth inning, recorded his first career home run in his first at-bat of the game.
Gonzaga used a single, wild pitch, fly ball and a two-out RBI double in the bottom of the first for an early 1-0 advantage before Dixon issued the first of his nine strikeouts to end the inning.
ASU plated three runs in the top of the fourth inning to turn its one-run deficit into a two-run lead. Serven and Shaps reached base via a walk and a single, respectively, before consecutive wild pitches brought Serven across for the tying run and moved Shaps to third. Shaps and left fielder Tyler Williams, who walked on the second wild pitch, both came around to score two pitches later on a double from shortstop Colby Woodmansee and a throwing error.
Greer beat the throw to first on a two-out infield single to extend the fifth inning and Serven dropped a RBI double into left-center field in the following at-bat to push ASU ahead by three, 4-1.
The Zags scored twice in the eighth and put the tying run at second with one out, but Shaps made a diving play in center field to end the frame and keep ASU's lead intact.
McCuin led off the ninth with a home run to push the Devils' advantage back to two, 5-3, and consecutive singles from designated hitter Ryan Lillard and second baseman Jordan Aboites and an intentional walk to Greer loaded the bases for Serven, who plated a run with a sacrifice fly to left field.
Notes: Serven caught his Pac-12 leading 26th runner stealing base to end the third inning…designated hitter Sebastian Zawada went 2-for-3 with a double…right-hander Ryan Hingst closed out the ninth with three straight outs, including a pair of strikeouts.
FORT WORTH REGIONAL SCHEDULE
Friday, June 3, 2016
Game 1: No. 3 Gonzaga 5, No. 2 Arizona State 1
Game 2: No. 1 TCU 7, No. 4 Oral Roberts 0
Saturday, June 4, 2016
Game 3: No. 2 Arizona State 4, No. 4 Oral Roberts 1
Game 4: No. 1 TCU 4, No. 3 Gonzaga 3
Sunday, June 5, 2016
Game 5: 12 p.m. PT – No. 2 Arizona State 6, No. 3 Gonzaga 3
Game 6: 4:30 p.m. PT – No. 1 TCU vs. No. 2 Arizona State
Monday, June 6, 2016
Game 7: 1 p.m. PT - If necessary (repeat of Game 6 teams)
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