April 18, 2003
TEMPE, Ariz. (www.TheSunDevils.com) -- UCLA right fielder Billy Susdorf hit a two-run, two-out, two-strike double in the top of the 13th inning to give the Bruins a 8-7 victory over the No. 4 Arizona State Sun Devils Friday night at Packard Stadium in the second game of a three-game Pac-10 Baseball series. UCLA took a 2-0 lead in the series with both games being decided by one run after the Bruins won 9-8 in Thursday's series opener.
The heart-breaking loss drops the Sun Devils to 38-9 on the year and 6-5 in Pac-10 play. Five of ASU's six conference wins have come on the road, with the Devils going 1-4 at Packard Stadium in league play. Losing its second straight game for only the second time this season, ASU has lost four of its five conference games by one run. On the year ASU has lost seven of its nine games by three or less runs. UCLA improved to 19-23 overall and 5-6 in league play.
Susdorf also gave UCLA the lead in the 11th with a solo home run off ASU closer Ryan Schroyer. ASU came right back though when Andre Ethier hit a solo home run in the bottom half of the inning to tie the game at 6-6. After Susdorf's double in the 13th, ASU rallied in the bottom half of the 13th scoring a run on a double play groundout by Mike Guerrero to pull to within one run at 8-7. Singles by Dennis Wyrick and Frank Mesa put the tying run 90 feet away, but UCLA closer David Johnson struck out sophomore catcher Joel Bocchi to seal the win and earn his second save of the year.
UCLA reliever Doug Silva picked up the win scattering six hits and giving up two runs in six innings out of the bullpen. Silva improved to 5-0 on the year while walking thee and striking out two. Johnson gave up two hits and a walk in the 13th, but recorded two strikeouts in his only inning of work.
ASU freshman reliever Brett Bordes was saddled with the loss falling to 1-1 on the year giving up one run while not giving up a hit. Bordes hit Warren Trott to lead off the 13th inning and senior reliever Carlos Arguello gave up the double to Susdorf that proved to be the game winner.
ASU out-hit UCLA 15-13 in its longest game since a 12-11 win over California in 13 innings in 1996, but left a season-high 17 runners on base and hit into four double plays. Nick Walsh (2-for-4, 2B, 3B), Andre Ethier (2-for-6, HR), Mike Guerrero (3-for-7, 2B), Dennis Wyrick (2-for-7) and Frank Mesa (3-for-4) all recorded multi-hit games for the Sun Devils. Sophomore shortstop Dustin Pedroia went 1-for-7 and had three different opportunities to end the game, but each time recorded the third out of the ninth, 10th and 12th innings. Pedroia played spectacular defense in the contest and tabbed his league-leading 28th double of the year.
UCLA was led by three hits each from Brett McMillan and (3-for-6, 2 R) and Susdorf (3-for-6, 2B, HR, 3 RBI).
ASU and UCLA complete the three-game series Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m. Senior right-hander Ben Thurmond (3-0, 2.91 ERA) will look to keep ASU out of its first three-game Pac-10 sweep at home since March 27-29, 1997 vs. USC. UCLA 8, Arizona State 7 (Apr 18, 2003 at Tempe, Ariz.) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- UCLA................ 002 200 100 010 2 - 8 13 1 (19-23, 5-6 PAC-10) Arizona State....... 003 010 010 010 1 - 7 15 1 (38-9, 6-5 PAC-10) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Pitchers: UCLA - Whisler; Silva(7); Johnson(13). Arizona State - McClellan; Liebeck(4); Schroyer(7); Bordes(12); Arguello(13). Win-Silva(5-0) Save-Johnson(2) Loss-Bordes(1-1) T-4:25 A-2678 HR UCLA - Griffin (7); Susdorf (7). HR ASU - Ethier (3). --Sun Devil Baseball--