(Photo: Marlee Smith/WCSN)
Four games this weekend equals four run-rule endings as No. 11 ASU (15-1) obliterated the competition during their road trip to Helen of Troy field in El Paso this past weekend. They had an average margin of victory of 13.5 runs as they finished the weekend with a combined 60 runs. The Sun Devils traveled to play against Montana, a doubleheader against Incarnate Word, and finished the road trip against UTEP.
The 60 runs ASU scored in the four games sweep might not truly show how dominant they were. To put in perspective how much they overpowered their opponents, the Sun Devils had 16 home runs during the two-day trip, their four opponents combined for only 11 hits. The Sun Devils controlled every level of the game.
The trip started with their closest game of the weekend against Montana, where ASU won 17-5. The game saw five different Sun Devils homer, including four straight in the sixth frame to cap off a nine-run inning.
Montana would give ASU the most trouble this weekend as they only trailed 8-5, entering the sixth inning. However, like how all the fellow games played out, the Sun Devils would go yard. The nine-run inning was not even the most runs scored in a single inning this weekend, but still an impressive scoring performance.
The pitching for ASU would face the most adversity as the fifth-year pitcher Cielo Meza and freshman pitcher Allison Royalty would combine to allow five runs, seven hits, and six strikeouts. ASU would only allow one run in the next three games of the trip, clearly showing that the pitching rotation made adjustments.
The following two games were a doubleheader against Incarnate Word, where ASU only allowed four hits in total.
The first game started slowly as the Sun Devils failed to score in its first two frames. This would be the only time this weekend as ASU failed to score in a two-inning span. However, it would not last long as four different players would homer to put this one away.
The highlight of the homer barrage was sophomore outfielder Jordyn Vanhook who hit her first of the season.
The Sun Devils offense would have another electric sixth inning as they scored seven runs this time to take a 14-0 lead, which would be the final score.
Royalty would bounce back in this game after the first lackluster performance in El Paso with a shutout. The freshman would strikeout 11 and allow only two hits in six innings of work and completely dominated the Cardinals.
The next game would see deja vu as the Sun Devils would run-rule the Cardinals 8-0. It started early with a six-run second inning, highlighted with a grand slam by fifth-year catcher Maddi Hackbarth. This would be the fourth straight game with a homer for Hackbarth as she leads the Pac-12 in home runs and RBIs.
She would homer in the next game to make it five straight games with a dinger, continuing her campaign as one of the dangerous hitters in the nation. The single-season home run record for ASU is 20. Hackbarth, already with ten in 16 games, has a serious chance to not only beat the record, but destroy it.
Sophomore Lisdney Lopez would make her first appearance of the weekend with a shutout. Like her teammate Royalty, Lopez would only allow two hits in her five innings pitched against Incarnate Word. Head coach Trisha Ford has stated how crucial it is for Lopez to grow and improve for ASUs rotation. Now, with a 5-0 record on the season, Lopez has answered coach Ford’s challenge and proven to be a vital part of the Sun Devils bullpen.
The weekend’s final game saw the biggest blowout for ASU in the last two years with a 21-1 victory over UTEP. This is the highest-scoring game for the Sun Devils since February 9th, 2019, where they also scored 21 runs against Weber State.
The finale saw six Sun Devils go yard as ASU scored ten runs in the fourth inning alone. Some highlights are the Hackbarth sisters homered, and freshman catcher Harleigh Braswell recorded her first career home run with a three-run dinger in the sixth.
While the hitting was something to marvel at, the pitching proved to be just as deadly. The duo of Meza and Royalty made an appearance together again and this time provided a much more complete game. Both pitchers had four strikeouts in their combined five innings. Meza would only allow three hits and one run, while Royalty would retire six straight batters to end this one 21-1.
The Sun Devils were not at home, but they sure did make it home a lot with 60 combined runs. The first road trip of the Sun Devils season proves to be a massive success as ASU extends their winning streak to eight. The 15-1 Sun Devils head back home to Tempe on Tuesday to play Northern Illinois, hoping to match the offensive output they saw in El Paso.
