March 14, 2010
TEMPE, Ariz. - The No. 2 Arizona State University baseball team completed a sweep of Auburn on Sunday with an 8-3 victory at Winkles Field-Packard Stadium at Brock Ballpark. A crowd of 3,469 saw the Sun Devils improve to 15-0 on the season with the victory.
Auburn got off to a fast start, scoring two off ASU starter Jake Borup in the first on a two-run homer by Hunter Morris. The Devils would use some thunder of their own to get even in the bottom of the first in the form of a Riccio Torrez two-run homer to center. It was his third home run of the season.
The Tigers would jump back on top in the second with a Ryan Jenkins RBI double down the left field line that made it 3-2. Arizona State would tie things up again in the third on a Kole Calhoun ground out that scored Raoul Torrez.
Matt Newman would put ASU up 4-3 in the fourth with a solo blast to right, his second of the year. The Devils would add to that lead in the fifth, scoring three times to push the lead to 7-3. Newman started the scoring with a fielder's choice that scored Zack MacPhee. Zach Wilson then singled to center to score Calhoun and Johnny Ruettiger followed that with an RBI single of his own to score Newman.
ASU would push it to 8-3 in the sixth. Riccio Torrez sent a two-out smash to third base that glanced off the third baseman's glove, allowing Zack MacPhee to score from second.
Borup earned the win, improving to 4-0 in four starts this season. He went five innings, allowing three runs on five hits while striking out six. Relievers Jimmy Patterson, Jake Barrett and Jordan Swagerty combined to pitch four scoreless innings out of the bullpen, with Patterson retiring the side in order in both the sixth and seventh innings.
Riccio Torrez went 2-for-5 with a home run and three RBI to lead the Sun Devil offense. Wilson and Drew Maggi also had two hits each in the win, while Newman added two RBI, and for the second consecutive game, all nine players in the ASU lineup reached base at least once.
Next up, the Sun Devils hit the road for the first time this season, traveling to Cal State Fullerton for a two-game series with the Titans. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. Tuesday night from Goodwin Field.