On Sunday the eighth-ranked ASU baseball team said Aloha to Hawaii, sweeping a six-game, four-day series from the Vulcans of Hawai'i-Hilo.
The series was highlighted by a barrage of hitting from the Sun Devil offense, scoring 85 runs in the six games. ASU (6-0) scored in double figures in all but one game and needed less than nine innings four times due to the 10-run mercy rule.
Aside from success at the plate, the Sun Devils' pitchers also got the job done, allowing just 15 runs in the six games and shutting out the Vulcans (0-6) twice.
In the first game of the series on Thursday at Wong Stadium ASU received a solid performance from six different hurlers, as they combined for 13 strikeouts and just four hits in a 9-0 win. Senior right-hander Robbie McClellan threw two-innings of hitless ball for one of his two wins in the series.
Sophomore catcher Joel Bocci provided the offense by blasting a three-run homerun in the fourth inning for ASU's first runs of the season. Junior second basemen Steve Garrabrants also had a big game with three hits, including an RBI triple. The opening-game win improved ASU to 25-2 in season openers since 1977 and upped coach Pat Murphy's mark to 8-1 in openers at ASU.
In the first game of a double header on Friday, ASU found itself trailing for the only time in the series when designated hitter Ernie Carvalho led off with a double and then scored on a sacrifice fly to put the Vulcans up 2-1 in the third inning. The lead was short lived however as Bocci tied it in the fourth with a run scoring double and Garrabrants hit a sacrifice fly to put ASU up for good in a 10-5 triumph.
Sophomore shortstop Dustin Pedroia had three hits and two RBI while junior designated hitter Jeremy West went 2-for-5 with a solo homerun. Pedroia tallied 11 total hits to lead the team over the weekend, including at least one in each game to extend his hitting streak to 17 games dating back to last season.
In Friday's second game ASU took care of the Vulcans in seven innings by the final of 14-2. With a two-run double in the first and a two-run single in the second, sophomore first basemen Jeff Larish gave ASU more than enough for the win. Senior Jered Liebeck pitched six strong innings while striking out seven for the win.
On Saturday when the series shifted over to Simmons Stadium in Kailua Kona, Hawaii, ASU freshman left hander Erik Averill flirted with a no-hitter but came up just short when Vulcan freshman shortstop Kevin Drever doubled down the left field line in the eighth. ASU still grabbed its fourth straight win 18-3 in eight innings using their offensive prowess once again. Four different Sun Devils homered including West, Larish, junior right fielder Andre Ethier and freshman outfielder Ryan Bosch.
On Sunday in the first game of a pair, ASU unloaded for 16 runs in a five-inning shortened game to win 16-0. ASU had a nine-run fourth for their biggest scoring output of the season in a single inning. Ethier supplied the offense going 4-for-4 with 2 RBI while Larish added another four including a three-run bomb.
The sweep was completed in the second game Sunday with another 18 run performance, beating the Vulcans 18-5 in seven innings. Junior first baseman Mike Guerrero got his first start as a Sun Devil and capitalized on it with a 4-for-5 game and 3 RBI. He ended the series 8-for-10 with six runs scored and five RBI.
The Sun Devils will continue the season this Friday when they host San Diego State in the first home series of the year.
Notes: The six victories improve ASU's record to 17-0 all time against Hawai'i Hilo...By scoring runs in all six games, the Sun Devils continued its collegiate baseball record streak of games in a row without being shut out to 439...Eleven different players had at least five hits over the weekend...Coach Murphy used 14 different pitchers overall.
Reach the reporter at casey.pritchard@asu.edu.
