ASU Softball: Sun Devils go 4-1 in Fullerton

(Photo: Joey Plishka/WCSN)

No. 24 Arizona State (13-5, 0-0 Pac-12) headed to Fullerton, California, this weekend for the Judi Garman Classic. ASU had a full weekend ahead of them with five games in three days.

Game 1, at Kansas, W, 9-1 (5 Inn)

The Sun Devils took the field Friday for their first game against the Kansas Jayhawks from the Big 12. Kansas was 7-8 at the time and had just lost their first two games of the series on Thursday.

Freshman righty Mac Morgan toed the rubber against fellow freshman righty Oliva Bruno. Morgan pitched all five-inning, only giving up one run on five hits, two strikeouts, and a walk. Bruno pitched four innings giving up six runs on seven hits and one walk before being relieved.

In the first, the Sun Devils got the bats going early with a three-run home run from redshirt freshman designated hitter Kristiana Watson.

Arizona State would tack on two more in the top half of the fourth inning when graduate student third baseman Bella Loomis hit an RBI single. Junior center fielder Jazmine Hill scored senior left fielder Makenna Harper with a sacrifice fly to left field.

The fifth rolled around, and the Sun Devil weren’t done, adding four more runs to the score sheet to put the nail in the coffin for the Jayhawks. Freshman first baseman Cydney Sanders led, scoring off with a solo home run to left-center field. Senior infielder Hallie Harger reached on a fielder’s choice, scoring Torres. Senior utility Mailey McLemore had an RBI double.

The Jayhawks scored one in the bottom of the fifth off an RBI single to right field, but it wouldn’t be enough as the Sun Devils got the win, 9-1.

Game 2, vs. Cal Poly, W, 9-4

Game two of the Friday slate featured the Cal Poly Mustangs of the Big West Conference. The Mustangs were 0-13 heading into the match against the Sun Devils and lost Thursday to No. 5 UCLA and Loyola Marymount.

ASU head coach Trisha Ford sent sophomore righty Alison Royalty to the circle to start the second game for ASU. Royalty went for three innings, giving up three runs on three hits, two walks, and two strikeouts. Senior righty Marissa Schuld stepped in for Royalty to finish the game and pick up the win.

Arizona State kept the bats hot as they entered game number two with two solo home runs from senior right fielder Yanni Acuña and Sanders.

Cal Poly returned fire in the top half of the second, taking the lead with a three-run RBI home run off the bat of freshman infielder Julia Barnett.

The Sun Devils took the lead back in the bottom of the second with an RBI double from Harger and an RBI single from Acuña.

Scoring would pick back up in the top half of the fifth inning when Cal Poly scored one run off a fielding error by Harger.

In the sixth inning, the Devils would put the hammer down with a solo home run from sophomore outfielder Emily Cazares and a grand slam by Sanders to end the game.

Game 3, vs. Loyola Marymount, L, 0-4

Junior Lindsay Lopez got the nod to start the first and only game for the Sun Devils Saturday. She went four and a third innings giving up three runs on five hits and five strikeouts. Sophomore righty Jenna Perez started for the Lions, pitching all seven innings and only allowing two hits, three walks, and 14 strikeouts to receive the win.

The Sun Devils bats went silent, allowing the Lions to score four runs to win the game. A single to right scored one unearned run (error by left field), an RBI single to center field that scored another one run and another unearned run (error by third base), and a solo shot to left field.

Game 4, at Texas A&M, W, 7-0

After a disappointing game the day before, the Sun Devils headed into the final doubleheader of the tournament against Texas A&M and Seattle University. The Aggies from the SEC were 14-4 coming into the game, coming off a 14-2 loss to No. 5 UCLA the day before.

Schuld started the game for Arizona State but would only pitch two innings, with two hits and one strikeout. Morgan came to relieve Schuld, finished the game and picked up the win. Morgan went five innings, gave up two hits, one walk, and logged six strikeouts. Receiving the loss for Texas A&M was freshman Emiley Kennedy, pitching four and a third innings, giving up three on four hits, two walks, and three strikeouts before being relieved for sophomore lefty Grace Uribe, who pitched two and two thirds innings, allowing four runs on four hits, and two walks.

Senior infielder Jazmine Rollin went deep to center field to open the scoring for ASU in the top of the fourth. Hill had an RBI single to center in the fifth, and then the hammer fell in the seventh.

Acuña, with a two-run home run, an RBI single by Cazares. Hill scored in the seventh when Cazares was thrown out at second base.

Game 5, at Seattle University, W, 5-1

The final game of the day pinned Arizona State against Seattle University. The Redhawks from the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) were 11-7, riding an 8-3 win over Cal State Fullerton.

Lopez started her second game of the weekend, pitching a complete game, giving up four hits, one unearned run, and six strikeouts to give her the win. The Seattle bullpen struggled, giving up a combined 12 hits between three pitchers, with the most coming from junior starter Izzy Dino. Dino gave up 10 hits and two earned runs.

Sanders continued her hot streak with an RBI groundout in the first.

The fifth brought more runs. Sanders hit an RBI single to left, allowing Torres to score by an error by third base. It was followed up by an RBI single by Hill.

Taking on two more in the sixth, Price stole second, and Puk scored on an RBI single by Acuña to end it.

The Sun Devils will be back home for the Sun Devils Classic March 10-13. The first game against BYU is set for Thursday, March 10, at 6:00 P.M. MST.