Saturday, February 25
Tempe, AZ
12:00 PM
UC Riverside
3
at
1
Arizona State
Photo by: UCR Athletics Media Relations
Orozco, Doucette, Dunyon Pitch UCR To 3-1 Win Over #12 Arizona State
2/25/2012 2:56:00 PM | Baseball
Tempe, AZ—The UC Riverside Baseball Team bounced back from an 11-3 defeat Friday night to beat twelfth-ranked Arizona State, 3-1, Saturday afternoon to even their three-game series with the Sun Devils at one game apiece.
ASU had the winning run at the plate with runners at second and third and just one out in the bottom of the ninth, but Joie Dunyon struck out Trever Allen, and center fielder Devyn Bolasky tracked down Andrew Aplin's fly ball to center to secure the victory.
The UC Riverside pitching staff did a 180 following Friday's eight-run loss which saw the Sun Devils pound out 14 hits including four for extra bases as the Highlanders trailed 4-0 after the first inning and never recovered.
Things didn't look good early as Andrew Aplin led off the ASU first with a double to right center, but UCR starter Eddie Orozco settled down retiring the next three batters in order stranding Aplin at second.
The Sun Devils put runners on again in the second courtesy of a pair of one-out walks, but Orozco once again worked his way out of the jam.
The Highlanders got on the board in the top half of the third inning as Nick Vilter led off the inning getting hit by a pitch, and Bart Steponovich followed with a sec bunt. Bolasky drew a walk to put runners on first and second, ending ASU starter Darin Gillies' (1-1) day, bringing Alex Blackfoot in from the bullpen.
Eddie Young greeted Blackfoot with a single down the right field line scoring Vilter and sending Bolasky to third. The next batter, Clayton Prestridge, singled to right bringing home Bolasky to put UC Riverside up 2-0.
Orozco retired ASU in order in the bottom of the third, but the Sun Devils finally broke through in their half of the fourth when Joey DeMichele led off the inning with a solo shot to right slicing the Highlanders advantage in half.
UC Riverside tacked on an insurance run in the top of the sixth as Phil Holinsworth and Cody Hough each singled to open the inning, Vilter sacrificed them up 90 feet apiece, and Steponovich brought Holinsworth plateward on an RBI groundout.
ASU put a pair of baserunners on in the bottom of the sixth, but Orozco once again emerged from the inning unscathed.
Ben Doucette took over for Orozco in the bottom of the seventh and retired the Sun Devils in order. In the eighth, Arizona State threatened yet again putting runners at first and second with one out, but Doucette got a fly ball off the bat of Kasey Coffman and induced Abe Ruiz to ground out to second sending the game into the ninth.
Doucette came out for his third inning of work, and picked up the first out on a grounder to second, but the next batter, Beau Maggi, singled through the right side causing UCR Head Coach Doug Smith to pick up the bullpen phone and bring in Joie Dunyon.
Max Rossiter greeted Dunyon with a single to right center to put runners at first and second with one out, and the Sun Devils brought in pinch runners Tucker Esmay and Michael Benjamin. With Allen at the plate, the pair pulled off a double steal, but Dunyon was able to finish off Allen with a strikeout, and force Aplin to fly out to center to give the Highlanders the win.
It is just the sixth win in 40 tries for UC Riverside against the Sun Devils, who had won seven straight prior to Saturday.
ASU and UCR square off once again on Sunday, February 26, with first pitch slated for 11 am PT.
ASU had the winning run at the plate with runners at second and third and just one out in the bottom of the ninth, but Joie Dunyon struck out Trever Allen, and center fielder Devyn Bolasky tracked down Andrew Aplin's fly ball to center to secure the victory.
The UC Riverside pitching staff did a 180 following Friday's eight-run loss which saw the Sun Devils pound out 14 hits including four for extra bases as the Highlanders trailed 4-0 after the first inning and never recovered.
Things didn't look good early as Andrew Aplin led off the ASU first with a double to right center, but UCR starter Eddie Orozco settled down retiring the next three batters in order stranding Aplin at second.
The Sun Devils put runners on again in the second courtesy of a pair of one-out walks, but Orozco once again worked his way out of the jam.
The Highlanders got on the board in the top half of the third inning as Nick Vilter led off the inning getting hit by a pitch, and Bart Steponovich followed with a sec bunt. Bolasky drew a walk to put runners on first and second, ending ASU starter Darin Gillies' (1-1) day, bringing Alex Blackfoot in from the bullpen.
Eddie Young greeted Blackfoot with a single down the right field line scoring Vilter and sending Bolasky to third. The next batter, Clayton Prestridge, singled to right bringing home Bolasky to put UC Riverside up 2-0.
Orozco retired ASU in order in the bottom of the third, but the Sun Devils finally broke through in their half of the fourth when Joey DeMichele led off the inning with a solo shot to right slicing the Highlanders advantage in half.
UC Riverside tacked on an insurance run in the top of the sixth as Phil Holinsworth and Cody Hough each singled to open the inning, Vilter sacrificed them up 90 feet apiece, and Steponovich brought Holinsworth plateward on an RBI groundout.
ASU put a pair of baserunners on in the bottom of the sixth, but Orozco once again emerged from the inning unscathed.
Ben Doucette took over for Orozco in the bottom of the seventh and retired the Sun Devils in order. In the eighth, Arizona State threatened yet again putting runners at first and second with one out, but Doucette got a fly ball off the bat of Kasey Coffman and induced Abe Ruiz to ground out to second sending the game into the ninth.
Doucette came out for his third inning of work, and picked up the first out on a grounder to second, but the next batter, Beau Maggi, singled through the right side causing UCR Head Coach Doug Smith to pick up the bullpen phone and bring in Joie Dunyon.
Max Rossiter greeted Dunyon with a single to right center to put runners at first and second with one out, and the Sun Devils brought in pinch runners Tucker Esmay and Michael Benjamin. With Allen at the plate, the pair pulled off a double steal, but Dunyon was able to finish off Allen with a strikeout, and force Aplin to fly out to center to give the Highlanders the win.
It is just the sixth win in 40 tries for UC Riverside against the Sun Devils, who had won seven straight prior to Saturday.
ASU and UCR square off once again on Sunday, February 26, with first pitch slated for 11 am PT.
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