ASU baseball holds off New Mexico in NCAA opener

By foxsports
Published

FULLERTON, Calif. -- Starting right-hander Trevor Williams went 7 2/3 innings and James McDonald drove in three runs to lead the Arizona State baseball team to a 4-3 win in the opening game of the Fullerton Regional on Friday.

Williams (6-6) allowed just three runs and struck out four as he earned his first win since April 19.

Right-hander Ryan Burr walked the leadoff batter in the ninth to put the winning run at the plate, but recorded three consecutive outs, including a game-ending groundout to one of the nation's elite hitters, DJ Peterson.

Burr recorded his 12th save of the season and now holds the freshman single-season record for saves.

McDonald led the team with three RBI, including a two-run homer in the bottom of the fifth that proved to be the difference, and center fielder Kasey Coffman scored the first two runs of the game to pace the Sun Devils.

The Lobos took a one-run lead in the opening frame on a RBI single by catcher Mitch Garver, but ASU countered with one run in the bottom of the first and added another in the third inning to take a 2-1 advantage.

Coffman, who took a leadoff walk to begin the bottom of the first, moved to third on a throwing error by Lobos starting pitcher Josh Walker on a failed pickoff attempt before he scored on a sacrifice fly to left field by McDonald to tie the game at one run apiece.

ASU took its first lead of the game after Coffman knocked a two-out double to right field and scored on the next at-bat as third baseman Michael Benjamin's line drive was misplayed by shortstop Jared Holley.

Peterson tied the game at 2-2 with a sacrifice fly to right field in the fifth after he came to the plate with runners on first and third and one out. Catcher Max Rossiter then caught Sam Haggerty stealing second to end the frame.

McDonald hit a two-run homer over the right-field fence as ASU retook the lead in the bottom of the fifth, 4-2. The Devils again capitalized on a Lobos error, as an errant throw by Holley on a groundber allowed Benjamin to reach first, and McDonald followed with his sixth home run of the season.

Williams struck out Peterson for the first out of the eighth inning, but Garver hit a solo home run with one out in the top of the eighth to cut the Devils' lead to one, 4-3.

Williams then induced a groundout before hitting a batter and walking one to put the winning run on base. Burr replaced Williams and struck the next batter out looking to end the frame and strand two on.

ASU handed New Mexico starting right-hander Walker (11-1) his first loss of the season. Walker went 7 1/3 innings and gave up four runs on four hits and four walks.