May 11, 2012
SPOKANE, Wash. - The 19th-ranked Arizona State baseball team secured its 50th straight 30-win season with a 4-2 victory over Gonzaga on Friday night at Patterson Baseball Complex in Spokane, Wash.
Trever Allen and Deven Marrero each hit home runs and right-hander Brady Rodgers struck out four in eight innings to lead the Sun Devils (30-17).
Rodgers (9-2) collected his ninth win of the season after scattering seven hits over eight innings. He did not allow a run after the first inning and ended his outing with consecutive swinging strikeouts in the eighth frame. He has now pitched at least eight innings in nine of his starts this season.
Right-hander Jake Barrett (10) pitched a perfect ninth inning to earn his 10th save of the year.
Marco Gonzalez, the probable starter for the Bulldogs (29-18) in Saturday's game, hit a leadoff double in the first inning and scored on an RBI triple two batters later. The Zags added a run later in the frame on an RBI groundout to take the early lead, 2-0.
Abe Ruiz collected the first base hit of the game for the Sun Devils with a single to right-center field and reached home on an error to put ASU on the board, 1-0. Ruiz advanced to second after James McDonald walked before Max Rossiter hit a grounder to the Zags' shortstop, who misplayed the ball to allow Ruiz to score.
Allen hit a two-run homer over the left-field wall in the fifth inning to give the Devils their first lead of the game, 3-2. Nathaniel Causey led off the frame with a single through the left side.
Marrero added a solo home run to left-center field with two outs in the seventh inning to extend ASU's advantage, 4-2.
Starting left-hander Jeff Olson (4-3) took the loss after giving up four runs, including three earned, on five hits in 7 1/3 innings.
The Sun Devils face Gonzaga at 6 p.m. Saturday night for game two of its weekend series in Spokane. Be sure to join the ASU media relations live chat for updates, commentary and more. The link can be found on a href= "http://www.thesundevils.com/sports/m-basebl/asu-m-basebl-body.html"> thesundevils.com
Saturday's projected pitching matchup:
ASU - RHP Trevor Williams (9-2, 1.87 ERA)
Gonzaga - LHP Marco Gonzalez (6-1, 1.60 ERA)
Game notes: Allen and Marrero hit their third and fourth home runs of the year, respectively.