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No. 23 Arizona State softball (13-5) closed out a stellar road trip over the weekend, going 4-1 in the Judi Garman Classic in Fullerton, California.
Arizona State vs. Kansas
The Sun Devils started off the weekend hot with a 9-1 run-rule win against Kansas (7-11) in 5 innings. Freshman Mac Morgan needed only 70 pitches to get Arizona State its 10th win of the season.
With a dominant performance coming from the circle, the bats didn’t stay quiet either. Freshman Kristina Watson started the scoring by knocking a 3-run home run in the top of the first for her fourth of the season. Bella Loomis kept the scoring going with an RBI single to bring in Halle Harger. A sac fly from Jazmine Hill scored Makenna Harper to give ASU a five-run lead through four innings.
Working to close out the victory in the bottom of the sixth, Cydney Sanders blasted a solo home run. The inning continued with Harger dropping down a bunt to advance Sun Devil runners. Mailey McLemore put the bow on a fantastic inning with a bases-clearing double to score two.
Arizona State vs. Cal Poly
ASU finished off Friday evening with a 9-4 win over Cal Poly (2-13). The bats stayed awake from their earlier win with back-to-back home runs by Yanni Acuña and Cydney Sanders.
Cal Poly responded with a three-run home run off Allison Royalty to give the Mustangs a 3-2 advantage heading into the second.
Harger hit an RBI double to tie the game and Acuña helped send her home with an RBI to give the Sun Devils a 4-3 lead after two complete innings.
Then the game went quiet. Two scoreless innings passed until the Mustangs scored on a fielding error to tie the game.
Emily Cazares smacked a leadoff home run in the sixth, and after the Sun Devils loaded the bases, Sanders catapulted the Sun Devils into a 9-4 lead after a grand slam.
Marissa Schuld closed out the game after relieving Royalty in the fourth and earned her third win of the season.
Arizona State vs. LMU
Saturday did not go as hoped for the Sun Devils falling 4-0 to LMU (11-10) as the team only recorded two hits through seven innings.
Schuld again came in for relief, striking out seven in 2.2 innings.
The redshirt sophomore transfer now leads the team with 41 strikeouts in 27.1 innings pitched.
Arizona State vs. Texas A&M
After a quiet Saturday for the Sun Devil bats, things got noisy on Sunday morning as they took a 7-0 win against Texas A&M (14-5).
However, the first three innings of the match-up remained scoreless as the game opened with a pitcher's duel.
Jazmyn Rollin broke the game open with a solo drive over the center-field wall to give the Sun Devils a 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth. Hill then hit a bases-clearing single to extend Arizona State’s lead 3-0.
The rally continued into the seventh with a leadoff triple by Savannah Price. Acuña hit her third home run of the season, giving the Sun Devils a 5-0 advantage. To finish up the scoring, Cazares singled to right field to bring in the final two runs of the game giving ASU the 7-0 win.
Mac Morgan earned the win after striking out six batters while allowing no runs and two hits.
Arizona State vs. Seattle
To cap off the weekend and Sunday doubleheader the Sun Devils fought hard to earn a 5-1 win over Seattle University (11-9).
The Sun Devils started the scoring off after taking advantage of an error on a groundout that left Torres on third with one out. Sanders then grounded out to score Torres, earning her 21st RBI of the season.
The Redhawks answered to tie the game with an unearned run in the bottom of the first off an RBI single.
Price woke the bats up after 3 scoreless innings with a leadoff double in the fifth. Torres, Acuña, Sanders, and Hill then hit four straight singles to give the Sun Devils a 3-1 lead.
In the top of the 6th working to extend their lead, ASU became even more disciplined in the box as pinch hitter Mailey McLemore and Price drew walks.
After McLemore moved to third on a wild pitch and throwing error, catcher Jessica Puk returned back to the game as a pinch-runner
Price then stole second which allowed Puk to easily score at home. Price then scored on a single through the right side by Acuña.
Lindsay Lopez kept the Sun Devils on track, throwing a complete game and striking out six in Arizona State’s final win of the weekend.
The Sun Devils now return home to Farrington Stadium on Thursday, March 10 for the Sun Devil Classic. The first pitch is scheduled for 6 pm MST., as the team takes on the BYU Cougars.