Using a familiar formula, the 2010 ASU baseball team made its way into the history books Friday night, topping Cal to move the 21-0 the season, tying the mark for best start in school history.
Timely hitting, which included five infield singles, and steady relief pitching allowed the Sun Devils to open the Pac-10 season with a win in front of 4,371 fans at Packard Stadium, the first sellout of the season.
ASU got on the board in the first inning when sophomore Matt Newman knocked in sophomore Zack MacPhee and senior Kole Calhoun with a single. Sophomore Zach Wilson followed with an RBI single to plate sophomore Riccio Torrez to give ASU an early 3-0 lead.
The Sun Devils added to more in the third on a two-run infield single by sophomore Drew Maggi.
After ASU added two more in the fifth — including a run off MacPhee's ninth triple of the season — to take a 7-1 lead, the Bears came roaring back off junior stater Seth Blair.
Paced by a two-run home run by Jimmy Bosco, Cal scored four runs in the frame to draw within two at 7-5.
But as has often been the case this season, ASU responded quickly, adding five runs in the bottom of the sixth to give it its winning margin.
The inning was highlighted by a two-run single by Newman, who tied his career high with five RBI.
“When we get punched in the face, we know we're not done,” Newman said. “That's just the character and personality of this team.”
The Sun Devil relief pitchers turned in a stellar performance. After sophomore Mitchell Lambson relieved Blair with one gone in the fifth, Cal produced only one baserunner the rest of the way.
Lambson and freshmen Jake Barrett and Brady Rodgers combined to toss the 4.2 innings of one-hit ball.
Blair got the win after giving up five runs on eight hits in 5.1 innings of work, moving his record to 4-0.
The 21-0 start for ASU matched a mark set by the 1961 Sun Devil team, a squad coached by legendary former coach Bobby Winkles.
“To even be mentioned with a Bobby Winkles team is amazing,” Esmay said. “That was the ground floor of this program. So trust me, it's not something I take lightly.”
Added Newman: “For anyone to win 21 games in a row in baseball is almost unheard of. We're just taking it one game at a time and we'll see how long we can go.”
Junior Merrill Kelly will get the start for the Sun Devils in the second game of the series on Saturday.
