Three Run Second Inning Propels #9 Arizona State Past Blue Hens, 13-4, in Series Finale
February 27, 2011
File Photos Courtesy of Mark Campbell
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• Boxscore
TEMPE, Ariz. -- Joey DeMichele hit a two-run blast to right field in the bottom half of the second, putting #9 Arizona State ahead for good as they cruised past the University of Delaware baseball team, 13-4, in the series finale at Packard Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
The Blue Hens (2-5) grabbed a brief lead in the top of the second inning with two runs, but the Sun Devils came right back in the home half, scoring three runs and never looked back.
After taking the first contest of the four game series, Delaware found out why the team from Tempe, Arizona (6-1) is a perennial Pac-10 and College World Series favorite. The Sun Devil attack smacked 11 more hits in today’s contest, totaling 51 hits over the three-day series.
Phoenix, Arizona native Hank Yates (above right) led off the second inning with a double just inside the third base bag. Yates came around to score following a pair of Sun Devils errors, allowing Chris Branigan to reach second with no outs. Now with two on and one out and Branigan on third base, Dave Anderson hit a sharp ground ball to third base. Running on contact, Branigan was caught at home for the second out of the inning. But sophomore DJ Long made up for the out at home with a double into right center, easily scoring Logan Gallagher from second base. That’s all the Blue Hens would get in the inning however, as Pat Dameron struck out with two runners in scoring position to end the inning.
Needing a zero in the bottom half of the inning, Delaware starter Chad Kuhl, making his first start of his collegiate career, couldn’t keep the daunting Sun Devils lineup off the board. Kuhl walked the leadoff man and watching as DeMichele circled the bases with his first homerun of the season, belting the pitch onto Scottsdale Road beyond the right field wall.
Now with a clean slate, Kuhl struck out Xorge Carillo for the first out but gave up a triple to Andrew Aplin with one out. After a walk to Johnny Ruettiger, Zack MacPhee singled over the third base bag and into left field, scoring Aplin for the final run of the inning.
The Sun Devils went on and scored at least one run in seven of their eight at-bats, only being shutout in the sixth. Leading 4-2 after the second inning, the went on to score two more in the third, one in the fourth and put another three spot on the board in the fifth. They added two more insurance runs in the seventh and tallied their final run in the home half of the eighth.
The Blue Hens tried to mount a rally in the fifth inning as they found themselves with the bases loaded and no outs. Anderson singled to start the inning and Long followed with a walk. Dameron (below right) singled through the left side, forcing Anderson to stop at third. But Delaware could only muster one run out of the inning as Anderson was forced out at home on a ground ball to short. Jimmy Yezzo chopped one to first and the only play was to first base, allowing Long to score from third. Yates struck out swinging with runners on second and third to end the threat.
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The Blue Hens tacked on a run in eighth and left two more runners on base. Yates singled with one to get things started. Branigan followed with a single to left and Gallagher added another single into right. Yates came around from second to score as the throw from Matt Newman got away on the play. With two runners on, Mascoe went down swinging and Anderson grounded out to end the inning. In all, Delaware left nine runners on base for the afternoon.
After a disappointing 1-for-8 to start the trip to his home state, Yates finished the trip going 4-for-7 in the final two games, scoring two runs. He finished 2-for-4 on Sunday with his first double of the season. Gallagher was the only other Blue Hen to register two hits on the afternoon, ending 2-for-4 as well.
Kuhl was charged with the loss, his first of the season, after throwing three innings while giving up seven runs (six earned). He got himself in trouble early in the game by allowing five walks, and only striking out one Sun Devil. Dan Gatto made his Blue Hen debut pitching 0.2 innings of scoreless baseball, giving up one hit and a walk.
Alex Blackford got his first win of the season for the Sun Devils, pitching five innings of five hit ball. He ended with three runs, (two earned), while striking out five Blue Hens on the afternoon.
Delaware returns east for a meeting with UMBC on Tuesday. It is their final road game to start the season, as they return home to play St. Joseph’s on Wednesday for their home opener. First pitch on Tuesday is schedule for 3 p.m.
AGATE
Delaware…………..0 2 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 – 4 9 2
#9 Arizona State….. 1 3 2 1 3 0 2 1 X – 13 11 3
E – Yates (1), Mascoe (1), MacPhee (1), Workman (1), Carillo (1). DP - Arizona State 1. LOB – Delaware 9, Arizona State 9. 2B – Long (3), Yates (1), Ruettiger (3), DeMichele (2). 3B – Torrez, Ri. (1), Workman (1), Aplin (1). HR – DeMichele (1). HBP – Mascoe, Wilson, Aplin. SF - Newman (1). SB – MacPhee (4), Wilson (3), Marrero (4).
Win – Blackford (1-0). Loss – Kuhl (0-1). Save – None.
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