Friday, February 24
Tempe, AZ
5:30 PM
UC Riverside
3
at
11
Arizona State
Photo by: UCR Athletics Media Relations
UC Riverside Baseball Falls 11-3 Friday To No. 12 Arizona State
2/24/2012 5:59:00 PM | Baseball
Tempe, AZ—Twelfth-ranked Arizona State outscored Western Michigan 40-2 in its season-opening sweep of the Broncos last weekend, and they showed no signs of slowing down Friday evening as they upended visiting UC Riverside, 11-3.
The Sun Devils (4-0) jumped on Highlanders starter Dylan Stuart (1-1) early as the first five batters singled, doubled, singled, tripled and singled to stake ASU to a 4-0 lead.
Arizona State added single runs in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings, and put three runs on the board in the bottom of the seventh courtesy of an Abe Ruiz home run to go up 10-0.
Meanwhile, Sun Devils starter Brady Rodgers went seven innings, scattered five hits and struck out nine while walking none in picking up his second win of the season against no defeats.
UC Riverside's (2-3) best scoring opportunity off the junior right-hander came in the top of the third as Drake Zarate laced a one-out double down the left field line, and moved to third on Devyn Bolasky's bunt single. Unfortunately, the ASU defense turned Eddie Young's grounder into an inning-ending double play to end the threat.
Stuart's evening came to a close with two outs in the bottom of the sixth as he gave way to Donovan Gonzales with a runner on third. Gonzales got Trever Allen to fly out to center to end the inning, but in the bottom of the sixth he allowed a lead-off single to Deven Marrero, and a walk to Joey DeMichele before giving up the long ball to Ruiz.
The Sun Devils went to the bullpen to start the eighth inning calling on freshman Brandon Bonilla, son of former major league Bobby Bonilla, but the left-hander struggled with his command. Pinch hitter Jake Gallaway drew a lead-off walk and Cody Hough worked a free pass of his own to put runners at first and second.
Bonilla got the next two hitters, but Young singled to center scoring Gallaway and moving Hough up 90 feet. Clayton Prestridge's base knock made it 10-2 ASU, and Vince Gonzalez drew the third walk of the inning to load the bases. But Bonilla caught Chase Puentes looking at a called third strike to end the inning.
Mark Garcia took to the mound for UC Riverside in the bottom of the eighth and loaded the bases with nobody out on a single, a fielder's choice and a walk. Drew Stankiewicz's fielder's choice scored Michael Benjamin for Arizona State's 11th run of the game, but Garcia picked up a pair of fly ball outs to retire the Sun Devils
The Highlanders dented the scoreboard again in the top of the ninth, this time off of reliever Josh Dahl. The junior transfer gave up a lead-off single to Phil Holinsworth, and plunked Nick Vilter and Hough to load the bases. Bart Steponovich grounded out to short scoring Holinsworth, but Bolasky lined out to short and Young grounded out to the same spot to end the ballgame.
Game two of the three-game series betwen the Highlanders and Sun Devils is Saturday, March 25 with first pitch slated for noon PT.
The Sun Devils (4-0) jumped on Highlanders starter Dylan Stuart (1-1) early as the first five batters singled, doubled, singled, tripled and singled to stake ASU to a 4-0 lead.
Arizona State added single runs in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings, and put three runs on the board in the bottom of the seventh courtesy of an Abe Ruiz home run to go up 10-0.
Meanwhile, Sun Devils starter Brady Rodgers went seven innings, scattered five hits and struck out nine while walking none in picking up his second win of the season against no defeats.
UC Riverside's (2-3) best scoring opportunity off the junior right-hander came in the top of the third as Drake Zarate laced a one-out double down the left field line, and moved to third on Devyn Bolasky's bunt single. Unfortunately, the ASU defense turned Eddie Young's grounder into an inning-ending double play to end the threat.
Stuart's evening came to a close with two outs in the bottom of the sixth as he gave way to Donovan Gonzales with a runner on third. Gonzales got Trever Allen to fly out to center to end the inning, but in the bottom of the sixth he allowed a lead-off single to Deven Marrero, and a walk to Joey DeMichele before giving up the long ball to Ruiz.
The Sun Devils went to the bullpen to start the eighth inning calling on freshman Brandon Bonilla, son of former major league Bobby Bonilla, but the left-hander struggled with his command. Pinch hitter Jake Gallaway drew a lead-off walk and Cody Hough worked a free pass of his own to put runners at first and second.
Bonilla got the next two hitters, but Young singled to center scoring Gallaway and moving Hough up 90 feet. Clayton Prestridge's base knock made it 10-2 ASU, and Vince Gonzalez drew the third walk of the inning to load the bases. But Bonilla caught Chase Puentes looking at a called third strike to end the inning.
Mark Garcia took to the mound for UC Riverside in the bottom of the eighth and loaded the bases with nobody out on a single, a fielder's choice and a walk. Drew Stankiewicz's fielder's choice scored Michael Benjamin for Arizona State's 11th run of the game, but Garcia picked up a pair of fly ball outs to retire the Sun Devils
The Highlanders dented the scoreboard again in the top of the ninth, this time off of reliever Josh Dahl. The junior transfer gave up a lead-off single to Phil Holinsworth, and plunked Nick Vilter and Hough to load the bases. Bart Steponovich grounded out to short scoring Holinsworth, but Bolasky lined out to short and Young grounded out to the same spot to end the ballgame.
Game two of the three-game series betwen the Highlanders and Sun Devils is Saturday, March 25 with first pitch slated for noon PT.
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