Midway through the proceedings at Packard Stadium on Wednesday night, a season-high crowd was jolted by the booming sound of fireworks going off from across the parking lot.

The light show was part of commencement ceremonies at Wells Fargo Arena, but it could have been considered a prelude to the celebration that would be enjoyed by Arizona State’s baseball team:

An 8-5 victory against Arizona for the first outright Pac-10 title of the Pat Murphy coaching era, and NCAA tournament regional and super regional hosting privileges all but sealed.

“This was important for everything that we have going this year,” Murphy said. “One of the goals we had — and the team made it together — was to win the Pac-10 title. Now, we’ve done that.”

For Murphy, whose team shared the Pac-10 crown in 2000, the win was the 522nd of his 13-year ASU career, two shy of tying Bobby Winkles for second on the school’s all-time list.

A spirited gathering of 4,088 fans watched the seventh-ranked Sun Devils (42-12 overall, 18-4 Pac-10) build a 6-1 lead thanks to aggression at the plate and on the bases, including a fourth-inning power display from an unlikely source.

Third baseman Matt Hall, the No. 9 hitter, was close to being pinch-hit for early in the game, but Murphy kept him in to sacrifice. Hall appeared to be set to lay down another bunt in the fourth, with a man on first and no outs.

However, the Scottsdale Horizon High graduate could not get the ball down against UA reliever Brad Mills, and with two strikes, the ball sailed over the left-field fence. It was the fourth round-tripper of the season for Hall, a sophomore.

“I was just trying to put the ball in play,” Hall said. “I was trying to get the ball over if I could. But the ball came in, I squared up on it pretty good and hit a home run.

“It wasn’t supposed to be that way. I was supposed to sacrifice. I got the job done, but in another way.”

Starting pitcher Mike Leake, throwing on two days’ fewer rest than normal, managed to get through the first five innings in good shape, but wore out in the sixth. The No. 13 Wildcats (39-14, 14-8) scored three times as outfielder Bill Rhinehart and third baseman Brad Glenn hit back-to-back home runs.

“I knew that was going to happen. I was missing up and was getting tired,” said Leake, who threw 90 pitches. “It was tough coming back, but I wanted to do it for the team, just go inning by inning. I was good enough.”

Leake, who allowed six hits and four earned runs with two walks and six strikeouts, improved to 12-1 as the bullpen protected the lead. Ike Davis got into and out of trouble in the seventh, and closer Jason Jarvis worked the last two innings, though it was not a save situation because he entered the game with a four-run lead.

Afterward, the Sun Devils enjoyed a brief team hug on the field, then returned to their clubhouse, where the team goals are written on a dry erase board. Shortstop Andrew Romine walked to the board and picked up a marker.

“Win the Pac-10 championship,” was first on the list.

Romine drew a line though it.

“At the first of the year, we wanted to win the league and move on to other goals,” first baseman Brett Wallace said. “Next up is to go to Omaha and be the national champions. But this is an unbelievable feeling, when you can be the champion of a conference like this. It’s very special.”