The next classic we are looking at comes from just a couple months ago when ASU rallied in the seventh inning to take down No. 14 Northwestern on the second day of the softball season in the Kajikawa Classic.
Highlights:
2️⃣ nights 2️⃣ magical comebacks at #ClubFarrington pic.twitter.com/ugHbX54Gza
— Sun Devil Softball (@ASUSoftball) February 9, 2020
#ICYMI: Another dominant performance from @PrestonMadi
— Sun Devil Softball (@ASUSoftball) February 9, 2020
All 5️⃣ of her strikeouts pic.twitter.com/glt1Zn1JIG
The Rundown
Arizona State was down to its final two outs, and never had a lead until its final at-bat, when senior outfielder Kindra Hackbarth sent a high fly ball over the center field wall to upend Northwestern 6-5 at Farrington Stadium courtesy of a two-run homer.
After fouling off pitch after pitch in a two-strike situation, Hackbarth got a ball that she could handle and did not miss. Northwestern had led at three different points, but each time, the Sun Devils responded.
Freshman shortstop Alynah Torres and junior third baseman Kiara Kennedy also had back-to-back solo home runs earlier in the contest, and junior infielder Bella Loomis had a clutch RBI triple.
Another key contributor was ASU junior pitcher Madison Preston, who came in out of the bullpen and only allowed one run and one hit while striking out five in three innings of work.
She set the stage for her offense, and in the ASU game-winning rally in the seventh, sophomore outfielder Yannira Acuna, who was hitting ninth in the batting order, turned over the lineup card after she punched a single into center field.
That led to Hackbarth’s walk-off heroics, and the rest was history. And speaking of Hackbarth’s, both Maddi and Kindra, will be back for next season after the NCAA granted spring athletes an extra year of eligibility.
You can expect to see a lot more homers like the one supplied by Kindra in early February.
She’s coming back pic.twitter.com/1ZwYPIQxqj
— Sun Devil Softball (@ASUSoftball) April 3, 2020
Our phones are buzzing with some more good news pic.twitter.com/PpdVQMm15e
— Sun Devil Softball (@ASUSoftball) April 4, 2020