March 5, 2009

Rankings are from CBI Composite Poll

Around the Bases
Strasburg strikes out 18 as SDSU wins at San Diego

Saint Mary's nips Stanford; Pepperdine edges Evansville

In San Diego, All-American Stephen Strasburg (left) struck out 18 in eight innings as San Diego State defeated No. 18 San Diego 5-3 Thursday at USD’s Cunningham Stadium in the first of a four-game weekend series. Strasburg (3-0) allowed two runs on five hits with one walk. He now has 45 strikeouts in 20.1 innings, which equates to 19.9 strikeouts per nine innings. After Erik Castro singled and scored in the second for the Aztecs (5-5), the Toreros (7-4) answered in the bottom of the frame with a double by Sean Nicol and a run-scoring single by Victory Sanchez. USD took the lead in the third on Nick McCoy’s home run. It marked the first time Strasburg (3-0) trailed this season and was only the second homer surrendered by Strasburg in his three-year career. After getting out of the third, Strasburg retired 11 straight, including nine by strikeout. SDSU tied it in the fourth on an RBI single by Ryan O’Sullivan. Pat Colwell’s sacrifice fly broke the tie in the fifth, and Brandon Decker added a run-scoring single later in the frame. Both teams added a run in the ninth. Addison Reed pitched the final inning for SDSU for his third save. Decker finished with three hits and two RBI. Nicol and James Meador both had two hits and a run for USD.

Saint Mary’s 6, No. 24 Stanford 5

In Stanford, Calif., Michael Gastelum had two hits and three RBI as Saint Mary’s nipped Stanford at Sunken Diamond. The Gaels (7-2) scored in four of the first five innings, including three in the fourth, as they built a 6-1 lead. Kyle Jensen homered in the first and Gastelum had a two-run single in the fourth for SMC. Joey August had a two-run double and scored in the eighth as the Cardinal (2-6) pulled to within one. Brandon Berl retired Stanford in order in the ninth for his second save. Kyle Barraclough (2-0) earned the win, going six innings with four hits, two runs, three walks and eight strikeouts. Justin Fazio and Anthony Aliotti both had two hits for the Gaels. August, Zach Jones and Kellen Killsgaard all had two hits for the Cardinal.

No. 17 Pepperdine 4, Evansville 3

In Malibu, Calif., Nate Johnson drove in three with a home run and a game-winning sacrifice fly as Pepperdine edged Evansville at Eddy D. Field Stadium. Denny Duron had a leadoff single in the ninth for the Waves (7-2), moved to second on a sac bunt and stole third before Johnson’s game-ending fly ball. Tyler Hess (1-0) earned the win, going 3.2 scoreless innings with two hits and six strikeouts. Jim Viscomi scored in the first and homered in the third as the Purple Aces (2-6) took a 2-0 lead. Johnson’s two-run shot and a solo blast by Brian Humphries in the bottom of the frame put the home team on top 3-2. Evansville tied it in the sixth as Andy Pascoe doubled and scored on a two-base hit by Nate Smith. Pascoe finished 4 for 4 for the Aces.

No. 5 Arizona State 15, Holy Cross 0

In Tempe, Ariz., Mike Leake struck out 10 as ASU blanked Holy Cross in front of 2,573 fans at Winkles Field-Packard Stadium at Brock Ballpark. Leake (3-0) allowed one hit and one walk in seven innings. Jordan Swagerty had a three-run homer and drove in four. Jason Kipnis and Carlos Ramirez both had three RBI. Ramirez had a three-run triple in the sixth that gave the Sun Devils (9-1) an 8-0 lead. Swagerty’s blast capped the scoring in the eighth. Brendan McCrea had two hits for the Crusaders (0-6).

No. 14 Oklahoma State 14, Gonzaga 5

In Palm Springs, Calif., Tom Belza had four hits and drove in two as OSU outscored Gonzaga at the Palm Springs Invitational. Eric Walker drove in three and Doug Kroll had two hits and two RBI for the Cowboys (7-1). Belza’s had an RBI triple in the third for OSU. Kroll singled and scored in the fourth. Drew Heid had a run-scoring single for the Bulldogs (6-3) in the bottom of the frame. The Cowboys added two in the fifth and six in the sixth to take control. Davis Duren had three hits for OSU. Heid finished with two hits and three RBI for Gonzaga.

No. 16 Coastal Carolina 14, IPFW 2

In Conway, S.C., Scott Woodward was 3 for 3 with five runs and two RBI to lead Coastal Carolina past IPFW. The Chanticleers (8-1) scored in six of their eight at-bats. The Mastadons (1-3) got an RBI single from Shaun VanDreissche in the top of the first, but Woodward scored in the bottom of the frame to even it at 1-1. The Chanticleers took control with four in the second as Woodward had an RBI double and scored. Rich Witten finished with two hits and two RBI for the home team. VanDreissche and Garrett Seagraves both had two hits for IPFW.

High Point 10, Duke 2

In High Point, N.C., Kyle Mahoney and Bill Manion both homered and drove in four as High Point powered past Duke at Coy O. Williard Stadium. Mahoney’s solo shot capped a two-run first as the Panthers (4-3) took the lead for good at 2-1. Mahoney added a sac fly in the third and a two-run single in the seventh. Manion hit a three-run homer in the eighth to give High Point a 10-1 advantage. Alex Hassan and Jeremy Gould both had tow hits for the Blue Devils (6-2).