No. 6 ASU Holds Off Pirate Baseball
March 06, 2004 | Baseball
Ryan Norwood led the Pirates going 2-for-4 with one run scored and two RBI. His two-run homer in the fourth gave the Pirates their only lead of the game. Five ECU pitchers combined to hold Arizona State to seven hits in eight innings. Greg Bunn started the game on the mound and allowed three earned runs on three hits while recording three strikeouts. Carter Harrell suffered his first loss of the season. Harrell threw 1 2/3 innings but gave up the solo homer to Buck and a single.
Buck's solo blast to right field broke a 4-4 tie in the bottom of the seventh. The Sun Devils made it, 6-4, in the bottom of the eighth on Frank Mesa's run scoring single.
Arizona State put up the first run of the game in the bottom of the second. Nick Walsh's RBI double scored Joe Persichina giving ASU a 1-0 lead. The Pirates tied the game, 1-1, in the top of the third. Mark Minicozzi walked, moved to second on Billy Richardson's bunt single and advanced to third on an error. Jamie Paige grounded out to bring in Minicozzi for ECU's first run.
Dustin Pedroia led off the bottom of the third inning with a solo home run to left field putting the Sun Devils back on top, 2-1.
ECU took its first lead in the top of the fourth. Norwood's two-run home run in the top of the fourth gave ECU a 3-2 advantage. Arizona State drew back to, 3-3, in the bottom of the fourth. Colin Curtis walked and reached third on a two-base throwing error by Bunn. Joe Persichina's RBI single to right field brought in Curtis.
Jeff Larish's sacrifice fly put the Sun Devils back on top, 4-3, in the bottom of the fifth. Trevor Lawhorn's sixth home run of the season for the Pirates tied the game once again, 4-4, in the top of the sixth.
Jason Urquidez stayed perfect on the season for the Sun Devils earning his fifth win on the mound. He threw seven innings and held ECU to three earned runs on five hits while striking out four Pirates. Pat Bresnehan earned his third save of the season. Bresnehan threw two scoreless innings allowing one hit.
Persichina led the Sun Devils going 2-for-2 with two runs scored and one RBI.
ECU and Arizona State will wrap up the series Sunday at 3 p.m. (EST). Freshman right-hander Ricky Brooks will start for ECU while ASU will counter with left-hander Pat Cassa.
