June 17, 2007

Arizona State eases past UC Irvine

BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

OMAHA, Neb. - Arizona State's Ike Davis was expecting a fastball. He got a change-up instead - and sent it 10 rows up in the right-field bleachers.

Davis hit a tie-breaking home run leading off the bottom of the eighth inning Saturday to give the Sun Devils a 5-4 victory over UC Irvine in the College World Series.

"That last one by Davis, I threw probably one of the best change-ups I had thrown all day, and he was sitting on it," Anteaters pitcher Scott Gorgen said. "I have no doubt in my mind that he knew that pitch was coming."

Well, Ike?

"No. I was sitting on a fastball. He left the change-up over the middle," Davis said.

The Sun Devils (49-13) advanced to a Monday game against defending champion Oregon State, which won the late game 3-2 over Cal State Fullerton. UC Irvine (45-16-1), a first-time CWS participant, will play Fullerton in an elimination contest Monday.

The Sun Devils got solid pitching from Mike Leake and Jason Jarvis. Leake settled down after giving up four runs in the fourth inning. He and Jarvis (2-2) held the Anteaters scoreless over the last five innings. Jarvis, who took over in the eighth, allowed one walk and struck out three.

"Our pitching staff is pretty underrated," ASU coach Pat Murphy said.

Oregon St. 3, Cal State Fullerton 2: Shoulder surgery in the offseason and an inconsistent regular season left Scott Santschi hopeful that he could play a small part in Oregon State's bid to repeat as national champion.

Santschi played a starring role Saturday night, hitting his first homer of the season and driving in two runs in the Beavers' 3-2 victory over Cal State Fullerton in the College World Series.

Jorge Reyes, Joe Paterson and Eddie Kunz combined to allow six hits for the Beavers, trying to become the first repeat champion since LSU in 1996-97.

Fullerton's Wes Roemer struck out seven to become the school's career leader. Otherwise, it was another disappointing CWS start for the Arizona Diamondbacks' first-round draft pick.

"To beat a pitcher like Wes Roemer in the opener is a good way to start it," Beavers coach Pat Casey said. "It's always good to win the first game of this tournament. It takes a little pressure off you."