No. 6 Sun Devils Stave Off ECU Rally
March 07, 2004 | Baseball
Jamie Paige and Ryan Norwood each had two hits for the Pirates. Joe Persichina and Tuffy Gosewisch each were a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate for the Sun Devils. Cassa, who originally was scheduled to start the game on the mound, came on in relief and threw 3.1 innings allowing two runs on four hits.
Arizona State benefitted from a season-high 10 walks from four different ECU pitchers, but the Pirate staff managed to pitch out of two bases loaded jams and left ASU to strand 15 baserunners.
ECU brought the game-winning run to the plate in the ninth in Trevor Lawhorn. Cassa got Lawhorn to fly out deep to center field to end the game.
ECU started its rally in the ninth with a single by MarK Minicozzi with no outs. After Mike Harrington reached on a fielder's choice, Jeff Larish robbed Jake Smith of a base-hit with a diving catch in left field. Paige followed with a base hit. Ryan Jones singled in Harrington to make it, 7-5, before Trevor Lawhorn flied out to end the game.
Mike Grace's pinch-hit three-run home run, his first career homer, pulled ECU within, 5-4, in the top of the sixth. Ryan Norwood and John Poppert hit back-to-back singles with one out in the sixth. Grace then homered to the deepest part of the field, off the green monster in center field drawing ECU within one run.
ASU added a run in the bottom of the sixth. Tuffy Gosewisch singled in Colin Curtis putting ASU ahead, 6-4. Arizona State extended the lead to 7-4 in the bottom of the eighth on Nick Walsh's sacrifice fly.
Travis Buck's third home of the series gave the Sun Devils a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Tuffy Gosewich's RBI single extended the Sun Devil lead to 3-0.
Nick Walsh's RBI single in the bottom of the third pushed the Sun Devils ahead, 4-0. Ryan Norwood's fifth home run of the season pulled ECU within, 4-1, in the top of the fourth.
ECU threatened in the top of the fifth. Brian Cavanaugh led off the inning with a single. After Billy Richardson and Jamie Paige both struck out, Ryan Jones walked putting a runner in scoring position, but Trevor Lawhorn line out to third base to end the Pirate threat.
ECU returns home to start an eight-game home-stand. The Pirates will host Appalachian State at 3 p.m. Wednesday before welcoming in Charleston Southern for a three-game series next weekend.
