PHOENIX, Ariz.—CSU Bakersfield scored three times in the top of the ninth to defeat No. 9 Arizona State 7-4 as the Roadrunners won a pair of games on day two of the Phoenix Muni Classic Friday.

“Obviously this was a signature win,” said CSUB head coach Bill Kernen. “We are very proud to beat a team in the top 10 and we are very proud of how these players performed in the tournament to this point.”

Taking advantage of two James Barragan (Sr., Bakersfield, Calif., Stockdale HS) wild pitches that put a runner in scoring position, Jake Peevyhouse scored on a Joey Sanchez (So., Pico Rivera, Calif., El Rancho HS) error at third in the bottom of the first. Dalton DiNatale hit a home run for the second consecutive day against CSUB in the second to make it 2-0.

The Sun Devils scored a run in the fourth during a CSUB double play. ASU seemed to be in control as Sun Devils' starting pitcher Darin Gilles retired 10 in a row entering the sixth. Sanchez singled to begin the inning to bring up Jordie Hein (Sr., Scottsdale, Ariz., Chapparal HS), the CSUB leadoff hitter who tallied his first career home run to get the Roadrunners on the board. David Metzgar (So., Lancaster, Calif., Paraclete HS) doubled to left center to chase Gilles.

Jordan Aboites came on in relief to face Mylz Jones (Jr., Palmdale, Calif., Paraclete HS). Up 0-2 in the count, an Aboites wild pitch advanced Metzgar to third. Jones worked the count to 2-2 and hit a ball deep enough to center for a sac fly which allowed Metzgar to score.  

Sanchez reached on an error with two outs in the seventh to bring up Hein again. Hein, a left-handed batter, was intentionally walked to bring up the right-handed hitting Metzgar to face the right-handed Aboites. Metzgar went down 0-2 in the count, but would end up walking to load the bases. Jones, CSUB's No. 3 batter, hit a dribbler in between short and second and was able to reach first as Sanchez scored for a 4-3 CSUB lead.

Trevor Allen doubled to left center with one out in the bottom of the eighth.  Ryan Lillard's double down the left field line plated Allen to tie the game. The game winning ninth inning rally began with one out in the ninth when Sanchez reached first on an infield single. Hein singled to left which advance Sanchez to second. Hever Bueno, the fourth ASU pitcher of the game, entered the game to face Metzgar.

Metzgar grounded into a 6-4 fielder's choice, but Sanchez advanced to third to give Jones a chance with runners on the corners. At 1-1, Bueno's breaking ball in the dirt bounced in front of the plate. The ball got away from Sun Devils' catcher Zach Cerbo, allowing Sanchez to score. Jones was intentionally walked to get to Chance Gusbeth (Jr., Lancaster, Calif., Desert Christian HS).  Gusbeth reached on an error by ASU first baseman Christopher Beall as Sanchez scored. Grotjohn singled up the middle to drive in Jones to make it the final 7-4.

Max Carter (So., Bakersfield, Calif., Stockdale HS), on for his fourth inning of Barragan, walked Peevyhouse to open the ninth. Colby Woodmansee's bloop single to center brought the tying run to the plate in ASU's leading hitter RJ Ybarra.

Sophomore Alec Daily (Temecula, Calif., Great Oak HS) entered the game to face Ybarra. Ybarra flew out to right as Peevyhouse advanced to third.  Joey Bielek grounded into a 6-4-3 double play to end the game.

Sanchez was the Roadrunner offensive leader as he went 3-for-4 with three runs scored. Hein and Jones both ended the game with two hits and two RBI's. Metzgar and Grotjohn both had two hits. Metzgar would also score on two occasions. DiNatale, Allen, and Cerbo each charted two hits for ASU.

“We have known that we are capable of things like this and hopefully this is bringing us together to make those kinds of statements for the rest of the year.”

The CSUB victory over Arizona State broke a 15-game losing streak against nationally ranked opponents that dated back to May 22, 2011 when the Roadrunners defeated then No. 19 Fresno State 7-4 in Bakersfield.

CSU Bakersfield defeated Gonzaga 6-4 in Friday's opener. Gusbeth put the Roadrunners up 1-0 with an RBI single in the bottom of the first. CSUB added a run in the third on a Zags' error.

Metzgar's RBI single in the fourth plated Garrett Pierce (Sr., Bakersfield, Calif., Centennial HS) for a 3-0 CSUB lead. Logan Trowbridge (Sr., Santa Cruz, Calif., College of San Mateo) hit the first home run of the season for CSUB, a two-run blast, in the bottom of the fifth. Metzgar tallied his second RBI when he singled in Sanchez in the bottom of the sixth.

Steven Gee (So., Taft, Calif., Taft Union HS) retired the first 10 Gonzaga batters he faced as he shutout the 'Zags over the first eight innings. Gee gave up four hits over the first eight but a Cody White (So., Temecula, Calif., Great Oak HS) error and a Dustin Breshears single opened the ninth. Gee struck out Beau Bozett before getting Branson Trube to fly out to left. Nick Minteer tripled to left center to score two runs.  Tyler Frost drove in Minteer to cut the CSUB lead to three.

Jarrett Veiga (Fr., Hemet, Calif., Tahquitz HS) relieved Gee and got up 1-2 in the count on Calvin LeBrun. LeBrun overcame the deficit to single in Frost.  Nick Nyquist singled up the middle to advance LeBrun to third. Lucas Gately popped out to first to end the game.

Metzgar went 3-for-3 to pace CSUB. Sanchez and Trowbridge each posted two hits. Nyquist went 2-for-4 for Gonzaga.

'We played a quality game in all phase against Gonzaga," Kernen said. "Gee was dominant and controlled the game until the ninth inning. I give Gonzaga credit for never giving in and fighting back at the end."

CSUB concludes play at the Phoenix Muni Classic on Saturday when the 'Runners face Purdue at 10 a.m. (MST). The Roadrunners return home next Friday when CSUB begins a three-game series against Wagner College. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. Tickets are available at Vallitix.com.

~www.GoRunners.com~