NCAA Baseball : Arizona State Advances to World Series by Routing UCLA

Tim Esmay had three of Arizona State’s 18 hits and drove in four runs to lead the Sun Devils to a 14-4 victory over Pacific 10 Southern Division rival UCLA Monday at Tempe, Ariz., to win the West Regional title and a berth in the College World Series.

A standing-room only crowd of 7,108 at Arizona State’s Packard Stadium watched the Sun Devils win a regional for the eighth time in nine tries. In winning four straight games in the tournament, including two against UCLA, Arizona State improved its record in regionals to 41-5.

Esmay, a senior second baseman who had only 32 runs batted in during the regular season, had a two-run single in the second inning that gave the Sun Devils a 4-0 lead. He added a run-scoring double during a six-run sixth inning that put the game out of reach.

Left-hander David Cassidy, appearing in his 23rd game but starting for the first time, pitched Arizona State’s fourth straight complete game of the tournament. Cassidy, who had allowed 71 hits in 56 innings, allowed only seven hits against the Bruins as he evened his record at 5-5.

UCLA starter Alex Sanchez (6-7) faced only 12 batters and retired four. He allowed 5 hits, walked 3 and gave up 4 runs, all earned, in taking the loss.

Two of UCLA’s hits were home runs, and both were by senior left fielder Steve Hisey, giving him 18 this season. He also drove in three runs, giving him 79 RBIs and a school record. Jim Auten had 78 RBIs in 1979.

Arizona State (40-25) meets Mideast Regional champion Oklahoma State in the first round of the College World Series Friday at Rosenblatt Stadium in Omaha, Neb.

UCLA, which won four of six Pac-10 Southern Division games from the Sun Devils, including two of three at Packard Stadium, finished with a 40-25-1 record. The Bruins, making only their fourth postseason appearance, are 4-6 in regional play.

The Bruins, who had to defeat Arizona State twice Monday to win the regional, kept their title hopes alive with a 21-5 victory over Pepperdine that started Sunday night and ended Monday morning.

Sophomore first baseman Eric Karros led UCLA’s 14-hit attack by going 3 for 6, including a grand slam, and driving in 6 runs.

The grand slam was UCLA’s 10th of the season, tying the NCAA record set by Oklahoma State in 1986.

Stanford 9, Oral Roberts 4--The Cardinal won the West Regional I title with its fourth straight victory at home. Stanford advances to the College World Series and will face Georgia, the Northeast Regional champion, on Saturday.

Stanford (48-16), the Pacific 10 Southern Division champion, has qualified for the Series four times in the last six years.

Paul Carey, the tournament’s most valuable player, drove in three runs, including the first two of the game, and Jack McDowell pitched eight strong innings to lead the Cardinal.

McDowell (11-4) shut out Oral Roberts through six innings, and a three-run rally in the bottom of the sixth gave him a 7-0 lead. The junior right-hander, who allowed 11 hits, struck out 8 and walked 2, left after giving up three runs in the eighth.

Oral Roberts (48-19) reached the championship game by beating Washington State, 14-13, in a 12-inning game.