ASU Shuts Out Oregon To Complete Sweep

Sunday, May 17

Tempe, Ariz.

1:00 PM

University of Oregon

14-37, 4-20

Arizona State

41-11, 19-5

Oregon Ducks

Arizona State

Photo by: Eric Evans/GoDucks.com

05/17/09 | Baseball

Box Score

By: GoDucks.com

TEMPE, Ariz. ? The third-ranked Arizona State Sun Devils clinched their third consecutive Pac-10 title, and completed the series sweep of Oregon with an 8-0 victory on Sunday afternoon at Packard Stadium.

ASU sophomore right-hander Seth Blair improved to 6-1 on the year, pitching 7 and 2/3 scoreless innings, holding Oregon to two hits while walking none and dealing six strikeouts.

Oregon freshman Madison Boer (1-8) took the loss for the Ducks, allowing five runs on five hits and three base-on-balls in 1 and 2/3 innings on the mound.

Arizona State (41-11, 19-5) took a lead it never relinquished in the bottom of the second. With two runs already across the plate for ASU, Carlos Ramirez came to the plate with two runners on and crushed a two-out, three-run homer to left center.

The Ducks (14-36, 4-20) were held to four hits as Blair and Jason Franzblau combined for the shutout. It marked the fourth time Oregon has been shut out this season and the second time in the ASU series.

Oregon committed four errors in the game, and the Ducks' pitching staff issued a combined nine walks.

Ramirez had a 1-for-3 day for ASU with four RBIs. Jason Kipnis was 2-for-4 with two runs scored and one RBI while Raoul Torrez finished his 1-for-3 with two RBIs.

Zack Thornton, Geoff Nichols, Ryan Fleckenstein and Drew Gagnier each pitched in relief for Boer.

Oregon will play five games next week, traveling to Corvallis for a 5 p.m. non-conference contest at Goss Stadium against Oregon State. The Ducks and Beavers will then meet at 6 p.m., Wednesday in the Civil War I-5 Iris Festival Classic ? held at Volcanoes Stadium in Salem-Keizer.

The Ducks will then return to PK Park to host Arizona in the season finale. Game one is set for 3 p.m., Friday.

Notes: Oregon has been swept in a weekend series for the fourth time this season (fifth series sweep)...the Ducks are now on an eight-game losing streak, their longest of the season...Oregon right-hander Geoff Nichols was ejected from the game in the sixth inning after he struck Riccio Torrez.