Senior Joey Bielek hits an RBI single to score sophomore Brian Serven in the bottom of the second inning against University of New Mexico at Phoenix Municipal Stadium on Wednesday March 18, 2015. The Sun Devils defeated the Lobos 4-3. (Jacob Stanek/ The State Press)In a game of surges, No. 7 ASU (14-6, 3-1 Pac-12) defeated No. 15 Oregon (14-7, 1-3 Pac-12) 7-6 in 10 innings after an RBI triple from junior outfielder Johnny Sewald scored the go-ahead run in the top of the 10th to give the Sun Devils a win in their first road game of the year.
Sewald's hit to right appeared to be fairly routine until Oregon right fielder Scott Heineman slipped on the wet turf, allowing the ball to roll to the wall, Sewald to get to third, and sophomore David Greer to score.
Sewald, who has been slumping as of late, finally saw one fall for a good result.
"It was great to see one fall out there," Sewald said. "I just keep trying to go out there with a good mindset and try to put together good at-bats and get on base."
On a rainy night in Eugene, Oregon, each team exploded for multi-run innings, but it was the Sun Devils who answered last to extend their winning streak to four games.
ASU's sophomore right-hander Seth Martinez gave up three earned runs on six hits with three strikeouts in 2.1 innings of work.
Oregon jumped out to a sizable lead with a four-run third inning.
Sewald said ASU handled the situation with poise.
"We just have that mindset that we're always going to come back and never going to lose," he said. "We just stayed focused on putting together good at-bats to get back into the game."
After escaping a bases-loaded jam in the second inning, Martinez walked two batters to start the third, which led to an RBI single from Ducks senior catcher Shaun Chase to make it 1-0 Oregon.
An error by ASU second baseman Andrew Snow allowed another run to score before an RBI bunt single. The next batter, outfielder Austin Grebeck, doubled down the left field line to make it 4-0 Oregon.
In the middle of the disastrous bottom of the third, senior Darin Gillies relieved Martinez on the mound and recorded the final two outs to end the inning.
ASU got a run back in the fourth when senior Joey Bielek's RBI ground-rule double scored junior designated hitter RJ Ybarra.
After Gillies swept up the mess in the third, sophomore right-handed pitcher Eder Erives took over on the mound in the fourth inning.
However, ASU turned the tables with a multi-run inning of its own. The Sun Devils put together a five-run fifth inning.
Sewald singled and then advanced to second base after a failed pickoff attempt. With a runner in scoring position, Jake Peevyhouse hit an RBI single to left field.
Oregon starting pitcher Conor Harber gave up four runs on five hits with three strikeouts in 4.2 innings pitched.
ASU was not done in the fifth, though, as senior outfielder Trever Allen's RBI single brought ASU within a run. Then, a balk brought Ybarra home and finally tied the game at four apiece.
Finally, Greer's single brought home two more and made it six unanswered runs from ASU for a 6-4 lead.
Erives pitched 2.2 innings of 2-hit ball, but was replaced by Jordan Aboites in the bottom of the sixth inning.
The Ducks struck again when junior Brandon Cuddy hit a solo shot off Aboites to bring Oregon within a run.
Junior Ryan Burr replaced Aboites and recorded two outs in a bases-loaded jam before walking a batter to tie the game.
Oregon has now outscored opponents 22-7 in the seventh inning and 26-10 in the eighth after Friday night.
Junior Eric Melbostad picked up his first career save to seal a win for ASU in its first road game of the season.
Sewald said the rain during Wednesday night's game prepared the team for what it faced Friday night.
"It really helped us get used to the conditions and it was nice to get our feet wet out there, no pun intended," he said.
ASU will look to extend its winning streak when it plays the Ducks in the final two series games on Saturday and Sunday.
"We have to just go out there and almost pretend that we didn't win tonight," Sewald said. "That's a great baseball team that we're playing and we can't take anything for granted."
Reach the reporter at Justin.Toscano@asu.edu or follow @justintoscano3 on Twitter.
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