Feb. 17, 2007
SURPRISE, Ariz. - For a second straight game in Surprise the Sun Devils offense struggled, as they could muster only five hits in a 12-4 loss to Oregon State in a non-conference tilt in the Coca-Cola Classic. Beavers starter Joe Paterson lasted 6.2 innings, allowing four runs (three earned) on four hits to pick up his second win of the year. The loss drops ASU to 6-3 and is their sixth straight loss at Surprise Stadium. 5,582 fans packed Surprise Stadium, the largest crowd to ever watch a game in the five year history of the Coca-Cola Classic.
The Beavers got to ASU starter Joey Parigi early, touching him for a run in the top of the first. Arizona State was able to even things up in the bottom half of the inning when Brett Wallace scored on a ground out by Ike Davis to make it 1-1.
The Devils would take a 2-1 lead in the third when Andrew Romine scored on a ground ball from Eric Sogard that was misplayed at shortstop. They pushed it to 3-1 when Wallace scored on a Kiel Roling RBI groundout.
The Beavers jumped ahead in the fourth, scoring four times to make it 4-3, then added another run in the sixth to push the margin to 5-3. That would end Parigi's afternoon after six innings. He allowed five runs, four earned, on six hits with five strikeouts and took the loss to drop him to 1-1 on the year.
Oregon State would put some insurance runs on the board in the seventh off Dustin Brader. After the Beavers loaded the bases with one out, Brader hit Mitch Canham to force in a run and make it 6-3. Matt Trink came in for Brader and promptly gave up an RBI single and then hit a batter to force in another run. The Beavers would make it 11-3 after a sac fly and a two-run single up the middle before the inning would come to an end.
That seventh inning proved to doom the Devils as they fell 12-4. It is the second straight loss for ASU and drops them to 7-7 all-time in the Coca-Cola Classic. Prior to 2006, ASU had been 7-2 in the tournament.
Earlier in the afternoon, Missouri defeated Gonzaga 10-3.
The Sun Devils close out the Coca-Cola Classic tomorrow afternoon when they face the Gonzaga Bulldogs at 2 p.m. at Surprise Stadium. Oregon State and Missouri will play at 10 a.m.