April 29, 2011
TEMPE, Ariz.-- No. 9-ranked Arizona State (30-9, 12-4) scored nine runs in its final two at-bats and then held on to win the series opener 12-10 over No. 21-ranked Stanford (20-15, 5-8 Pac-10) on a warm Friday evening.
ASU scored nine runs over its final two innings, erasing 3-0, 3-2 and 4-3 leads by the Cardinal and making a loser out of Mark Appel (3-5). Five runs in the ninth nearly brought the Cardinal back.
A two-run home run by Austin Wilson followed by a three-run home run by Zach Jones made it 12-10, all off of ASU closer Mitchell Lambson.
In the turning point, in the seventh, a two-run triple by Riccio Torrez, followed by a sacrifice fly from Joey DeMichele erased the Cardinal lead and made a loser out of Mark Appel (3-5). Those three runs gave ASU a 6-4 lead.
DeMichele drove in three runs, while Torrez drove in four.
After Stanford closed to within 6-5, the Sun Devils poured it on with six runs in the eighth, all with two outs to make it 12-5.
With two outs and runners on second and third, Scott Snodgress, the third of five pitchers for Stanford in the eighth, came on and pitched eight-straight balls to make it 7-5 with a bases loaded walk. Torrez followed with a two-run single off, before DeMichele's third RBI made it 10-5.
Stanford closed to 6-5 with Lonnie Kauppila's third hit of the game.
Brady Rodgers (6-2) went the first seven innings, giving up four runs on eight hits, before giving it over to the bullpen after ASU took the lead. Rodgers retired the final five batters he faced, including four of his eight strikeouts.
Stanford struck first with three runs in the third to lead 3-0, as an infield single by Jake Stewart and error, followed by a two-run single by Stephen Piscotty gave the Cardinal an early lead.
Appel gave up seven runs over seven-plus innings, the first of five pitchers in the eighth for Stanford.
NOTES The series continues on Saturday at 6:30 p.m and Sunday at 12:30 p.m... game time temperatures were in the high 80s to start the game... ASU shortstop Deven Marrero and third baseman Riccio Torrez made back-to-back plays in the fifth to rob Brian Guymon and Stephen Piscotty of hits... ASU right fielder Matt Newman dove and robbed Dave Giuliani of the potential tying RBI to close out the eighth with ASU up 6-5... Austin Wilson's two-run homer in the ninth was his third homer of the year.