BERKELEY, Calif. -Saturday's game was postponed due to rain, but the Sun Devils poured on the runs Friday and Sunday as they swept a road series from the Golden Bears in chilly Northern California.
ASU and California played a doubleheader on Sunday after heavy rain Saturday canceled the series' second game.
The Sun Devils (38-7, 6-3 Pac-10) wasted no time grabbing the lead in either game Sunday, producing two five-run second innings en route to victories of 10-1 and 6-0.
In the nightcap, the Sun Devils capitalized on two walks and an error to plate the first run of the game, then used three-consecutive base hits to extend the lead to 5-0.
After going hitless for only the third time all season in the first game, sophomore shortstop Dustin Pedroia doubled deep to left field, scoring two runs as part of a three-RBI game, his career best.
ASU tacked on two more in the fourth, one in the sixth and two in the seventh to extend the lead to 10-0 before California (20-18, 6-6) plated its only run of the day in the seventh on a double-play groundout with the bases loaded by freshman pinch hitter Jeremy Burchett.
Senior right-hander Jered Liebeck picked up his seventh win of the season with six innings of scoreless baseball. He allowed just four hits while striking out four, despite battling a stomach virus all weekend.
"I'm glad I got the extra day of rest," Liebeck said. "I had good fastball location and my slider was working well. The wind helped me a bit today because they hit some balls hard, and they didn't go anywhere. You have to like that."
In the first game of the twin bill, ASU got an uncharacteristic five-run second inning and rode it out to a 6-0 victory over California amid showers.
The Sun Devils batted around in the second but mustered just one base hit. After a leadoff walk to Jeff Larish, senior third baseman Dennis Wyrick squared around for a sacrifice bunt, but a miscommunication by the California defense allowed him to reach safely with the only hit of the inning. ASU sent nine more men to the plate, scoring on three walks, two errors, a hit batsman and a sacrifice fly.
"It's nice to come out here and play good baseball," said junior designated hitter Nick Walsh, who went 6-for-8 with three RBI in two rare starts, his sixth and seventh of the season. "We knew we were better than [California], and we came out and proved it today."
Senior Beau Vaughan (6-2) picked up the victory in relief with six innings of three-hit baseball.
"Our defense was good all weekend," ASU head coach Pat Murphy said. "That was the big difference - you have to play defense."
The shutout was ASU's first in conference play since April 7, 2000, when the team took down the Oregon State Beavers 1-0.
Friday the Sun Devils cruised 11-3 as freshman center fielder Ryan Bosch clubbed a two-run shot as part of a 2-for-4 day for the native of nearby Livermore, Calif.
"It was a high outside fastball, and I was already planning on going the other way," said Bosch, who broke out of a 3-for-25 slump that spanned 12 games. "It makes me feel better about everything, especially being comfortable at the plate."
California's Aaron Swick surrendered a pinch-hit grand slam to junior designated hitter Rod Allen that propelled ASU to a 10-0 advantage.
ASU starter Erik Averill (7-0) did not throw his finest game of the year, but was effective enough to get the job done.
"Today wasn't my greatest day, but what they teach you is keep battling," Averill said. "Thank goodness we play this game with nine players and we have an awesome defense behind me."
Reach the reporter at casey.pritchard@asu.edu.
