(Photo: Marlee Smith/WCSN)
The Arizona State bats have been explosive all year long. After a dormant first and second innings on Sunday, the fireworks came in the home half of the third when the Sun Devils batted around en route to a six run inning to take the lead. On an emotional senior day afternoon, it was a team effort from the Sun Devils that secured a series win with a 9-6 victory over No. 8 Oregon.
“We have a really talented group,” head coach Trisha Ford said. “I’m not going to be able to assess all that this season has been until it’s all over, but I can tell you that I love our effort and how hard we’re working right now.”
Although Maddi Hackbarth didn’t break the single season home run record Sunday, her sister Kindra left the yard along with sophomore shortstop Alynah Torres. With ASU trailing 4-0 in the third, Hackbarth followed a Bella Loomis leadoff single with her eighth blast of the year, a towering shot to deep center field. Two batters later Maddi Hackbarth singled home the speedy Jazmine Hill, and later in the frame, Makenna Harper belted a two run shot to tie the game at four. ASU brought ten batters to the plate in the third, and their six runs flipped the Oregon four run advantage to a two run deficit.
The Sun Devils expanded their lead in the fifth, when Torres smacked her 12th homer of the year into left center. The line drive shot left Farrington in a hurry, giving ASU a 7-4 lead.
Coming into the day with 20 home runs, Hackbarth is just one shy of owning sole possession of the Arizona State single season home run record. The fifth-year senior has preached the importance of having a consistent approach at the plate all year long, but conceded that the record breaking bomb was on her mind.
“The record was in the back of my head during my at bats today for sure,” Hackbarth said. “I always try to get a good pitch and go with it, and I thought I did a good job with that today even if the ball stayed in the yard.”
Allison Royalty took over in the circle for starter Lindsay Lopez in the second inning, and went the distance for the Sun Devils. The freshman tossed 5.2 innings, striking out five and walking just one. Royalty pitched in all four games this weekend, earning the win in two of the team’s three victories.
“When you come in from the bullpen it’s a different mentality,” Royalty said. “Today I needed to settle down and trust my stuff.”
Quick to praise her teammates, Royalty took time to shout out Maddi Hackbarth’s job behind the plate, which often goes unnoticed given her offensive prowess,
“It’s been amazing to have Maddi behind the plate for me this year,” Royalty said. “I can’t explain how great it is to have a catcher who knows almost every hitter, and how to attack them with what pitches.”
The win made sure the postgame senior day celebration could be enjoyed to the fullest. For a senior class finishing up take two of their senior seasons, the day was packed with emotion and gratitude.
“It was emotional for sure being honored today,” Kindra Hackbarth said. “But I just know we’re going to be hosting a regional so I’m confident we’ll be playing on this field again.”
ASU will finish the regular season next weekend in Corvallis against Oregon State. Maddi Hackbarth will have three games to hit that record breaking blast, before the Sun Devils are idle the following weekend in the final weekend of the conference regular season.
