June 12, 2010
TEMPE, Ariz. - Deven Marrero's walkoff single in the 12th inning gave the No. 1 Arizona State University baseball team a dramatic 7-6 victory over Arkansas in Game One of the Tempe Super Regional. A sellout crowd of 4,371 at Winkles Field-Packard Stadium at Brock Ballpark saw the Sun Devils move ahead 1-0 in the best-of-three series and improve to 51-8 overall on the season.
With runners on first and third and one out, Marrero hit the first pitch he saw from Arkansas reliever Brett Eibner into center field to drive in Kole Calhoun for the winning score.
Mitchell Lambson earned the win, going five innings out of the bullpen and allowing just one hit and one walk with seven strikeouts to improve to 8-2. The Razorbacks did not have a runner in scoring position at any point against Lambson.
The game was a back-and-forth affair, as ASU jumped ahead 3-0 with an RBI single by Raoul Torrez in the second and a two-run single by Marrero in the third. However, Arkansas answered back with three runs against ASU starter Seth Blair in the top of the fourth.
The Sun Devils re-took the lead briefly when MacPhee scored on a dropped fly ball in the bottom of the fourth, but again the Razorbacks rallied and scored two in the top of the fifth to take a 5-4 lead.
Arkansas right fielder Matt Vinson led off the sixth inning with a solo home run against reliever Brady Rodgers, but that would be the final time the Razorbacks had a runner get past first base.
Calhoun then got ASU back within a run in the bottom of the sixth, hitting a solo home run down the line in right field. It was his team-leading 17th of the season and his fourth in the four postseason games so far.
The score remained 6-5 until the bottom of the ninth. Andrew Aplin led off the inning with a single, and he then went to second on a sacrifice bunt by Austin Barnes. Aplin reached third after a groundout by Drew Maggi, and then MacPhee chopped a two-strike pitch for an infield single that scored Aplin to tie the game.
The game remained tied until the bottom of the 12th, when Calhoun led off with a walk and Riccio Torrez was hit by a pitch. Calhoun then went to third when Johnny Ruettiger grounded into a fielder's choice, and Marrero then ended the game with his RBI single.
Calhoun tied the school record with five walks, reaching base in six of his seven plate appearances. MacPhee had three hits and Marrero had three RBI in the win.
The Sun Devils and Razorbacks will play Game Two of the Tempe Super Regional on Sunday at 7 p.m. at Winkles Field-Packard Stadium at Brock Ballpark.