Feb. 13, 2004
SURPRISE, Ariz. (www.TheSunDevils.com) -- Junior shortstop Dustin Pedroia was 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles to lead the No. 7 Arizona State Sun Devils to a 13-3 victory over Cal State Northridge on Friday night in the third game of the 2004 Coca-Cola Surprise Spring Training Classic at Surprise Stadium. The Devils broke open a 3-3 game with a three-run seventh and a seven-run eighth.
The Sun Devils improve to 4-0 with the victory and are a perfect 4-0 at Surprise Stadium, the spring training home of the Kansas City Royals and Texas Rangers. CSUN lost its second straight to fall to 4-4 on the year after opening the year with series wins over San Diego and Hawaii.
Sun Devil senior starter Jeff Mousser again gave a sterling performance with six strikeouts in six and a third innings, but took the no-decision. The BYU transfer gave up only one earned run and four hits, but left with the game tied 3-3. Sophomore lefty Erik Averill got the win with 2.2 scoreless and hitless innings of relief.
CSUN starter Peter Eberhardt recorded the no-decision, leaving the game in the fourth inning after giving up two runs (one earned) and five hits in 3.2 IP. Reliever Nathan Hochgesang took the loss to fall to 0-1 on the year after giving up thre runs on four hits in two and a third innings. Hochgesang, the brother of former Stanford Standout Josh Hochgesang, had his streak of 12 scoreless innings snapped with a run-scoring double by Pedroia.
Pedroia's two doubles give him five on the season and 52 in his career to move into ninth place in the ASU record books. He led the NCAA in 2003 when he set an ASU and Pac-10 record with 34. Freshman center fielder also continued his early-season tear, going 3-for-4 with three runs scored. Getting his first start of the year, junior designated hitter Joel Bocchi responded by going 2-for-4 with two runs scored.
The Matadors recorded only four hits in the game and had four fielding miscues to help to ASU's 10-run binge over the last two innings. Left fielder Keith Renno led CSUN going 2-for-4 with two runs scored.
ASU wasted little time taking the early lead, with back-to-back doubles from shortstop Dustin Pedroia and Travis Buck leading off the bottom of the first with a pair of doubles. The Devils threatened to add more, but designated hitter Joel Bocchi lined into a double play to end the threat.
Northridge tied the game with an unearned run in the top of the second. A two-out error by ASU second baseman Josh Asanovich allowed the tying run to cross the plate. The Matadors took the lead in the second behind a pair of hit batters and a sacrifice fly from right fielder John Voita.
ASU tied the game on a run-scoring groundout by Asanovich with one out in the bottom of the fourth inning. The Devils then took the lead on a two-out double by Pedroia in the bottom of the sixth.
After a Matador a unearned Matador run in the seventh tied the game, ASU took the lead for good with a three-run seventh. A double from designated hitter Joel Bocchi led off the rally and Curtis drove in the eventual game-winning run with a sharp single to left field.
ASU also batted around in the eighth with a seven-run frame to put the game out of hand. Junior Chris Cook drilled a two-run double for his first hit as a Sun Devil and Bocchi drove in a run with a two-out single.
The Devils continue action in the six-team tournament on Saturday with a 7 p.m. game against the University of Utah (0-1). Oklahoma (0-1) will face CSUN (0-1) in the 11 a.m. game and Northwest rivals Gonzaga (1-0) and Oregon State (1-0) will play at 3 p.m.
Game Notes: Pedroia hit his fourth and fifth doubles of the year, including his second leadoff double of the year... with 52 career doubles, Pedroia moves into ninth in the ASU career record books, passing former major leaguer Alvin Davis (51, 1979-82)... in four games, ASU now has 20 doubles... the Devils have also scored in double-digits in ASU used its fourth different starting lineup in as many games and used its fourth designated hitter (Walsh, McKenna, Cadena, Bocchi)... the Devils extended their NCAA record consecutive games scoring streak to 505 games with the first-inning run... CSUN head coach Steve Rousey was ejected in the top of the seventh inning for arguing a close call at first base... Chris Cook registered his first hit as a Sun Devil with a two-run double in the eighth... Cook's double was also ASU's first hit for a pinch-hitter, ending an 0-for-6 streak...Colin Curtis leads ASU's regulars hitting .438 (7-for-16) and has a pair of three-hit games to his credit... Pedroia is not far behind hitting .421 (8-for-19) with five doubles. Arizona State 13, CS Northridge 3 (Feb 13, 2004 at Surprise, Ariz.) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- CS Northridge....... 011 000 100 - 3 4 4 (4-4) Arizona State....... 100 101 37X - 13 13 3 (4-0) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Pitchers: CS Northridge - Eberhardt; Hochgesang(4); Brettl(7); Sistilli(8); Rieck(8). Arizona State - Mousser; Averill(7). Win-Averill(1-0) Loss-Hochgesang(0-1) T-3:20 A-892 --Sun Devil Baseball--