ASU Softball: No. 14 Sun Devils run-rule Utah in series opener

It was the Halle Harger, Kindra and Maddi Hackbarth show in Salt Lake City on Thursday. No. 14 Arizona State (20-8, 3-4 Pac-12) run-ruled Utah (11-14, 0-7) 9-1 behind the trio’s efforts offensively.

Harger belted a pair of doubles to get the bats rolling. She drove in the first run of the game in the second inning with her first double.

Another ball flew over the head of Utah’s Haley Denning off Harger’s bat in the third to plate two more runs. She finished 2-for-3 with three RBIs.

Bella Loomis and Harger did well to flip the lineup over for Kindra Hackbarth. Loomis didn’t collect a hit on Friday, but reached base twice and scored both times. Hackbarth proceeded to hit a double and a triple to drive in three runs against the Utes, too.

Being a Utah matchup, it was only right that Maddi Hackbarth had to hit a home run as well. Her 13th home run of the season — her first in 10 games — was the final nail in the coffin as the Sun Devils went up by eight runs in the sixth inning.

Maddi Hackbarth now has nine career home runs against the Utes.

Lindsay Lopez threw the entire game, something the Sun Devils needed as it appeared that Cielo Meza didn’t make the trip to Utah, leaving them with only two usable pitchers. The lone Utah run came from Ellessa Bonstrom’s solo home run in the fourth inning.

Lopez avoided trouble most of the day besides the fifth, when the Utes loaded the bases with two outs. Lopez got a flyout to end the frame and keep the lead intact. She allowed five hits and the one run in six innings.

The two teams meet again on Friday at 3:00 p.m. local time. Allison Royalty will most likely get the start in the circle.