After amassing only one hit Friday night, the No. 15 ASU baseball struck quick on Saturday, scoring two in the first inning en route to a 6-3 win over USC.
The first three for the Sun Devils (21-10-1, 7-7 Pac-12) reached base in the opening inning, which allowed cleanup hitter and freshman catcher R.J. Ybarra a chance to put his team on the board.
Ybarra didn’t falter, lining a single up the middle to stay hot and give the Sun Devils a 2-0 lead.
The Trojans (13-21, 6-8 Pac-12) couldn’t make up the deficit as Sun Devil freshman starter Ryan Kellogg allowed only two runs over six innings to move to 8-0 on the seasons.
The Trojans got their first run in the third from senior second baseman Adam Landecker's RBI single.
Junior outfielder Kasey Coffman capped a two-run fourth for the Sun Devils with an RBI single to extend the lead to 4-1.
The Trojans countered in the sixth with junior catcher Jake Hernandez's RBI single, but it wasn’t enough.
Sophomore reliever Darin Gillies pitched scoreless innings in the seventh and the eighth, then Coffman gave the Sun Devils insurance with a two-run home run in the ninth, finishing off a 4-5 day for the Brophy product.
The Sun Devils turned to freshman closer Ryan Burr in the ninth and finished off the Trojans despite allowing a run.
The clubs will play the rubber match tomorrow afternoon at 2 p.m. at Dedeaux Field.
Reach the reporter at dsshapi1@asu.edu
