(Photo: Michael Baron/WCSN)
The Sun Devils came into the game on a two game win streak and a 15-5 record on the season. The Maine Black Bears on the other hand, came to Tempe on a three game losing skid and a 1-4 overall record.
ASU started off the game against Maine with a lackluster top half of the first inning.
However, freshman pitcher Alyssa Loza kept the Black Bears scoreless until ASU could surmount some runs of their own in the bottom of the first.
Sun Devil sophomore Taylor Becerra got the offense started with a walk to first base off of Maine’s starting pitcher Molly Flowers.
Fellow sophomore Skylar McCarty kept it going with a single that soon turned into a score as senior Chelsea Gonzales got a home run that brought Becerra, McCarty and herself home.
The 3-0 score remained constant throughout the second inning as well as the top half of the third. Before the onset of ASU’s chance to tally more points, Maine switched its pitcher from Flowers to Erin Bogdanovich.
Once again, ASU began things with a walk this time by freshman Randi Farricker. She advanced to third base off of balls put in play from Gonzales and senior Sashel Palacios, respectively. Both of the hits resulted in outs, but a single drive from Ulufa Leilua enabled her to score, making the score 4-0.
Loza made quick of the top of the fourth by earning three outs of the first three Maine hitters.
ASU marked the bottom of the fourth with four successive singles. The final hit from McCarty came with bases loaded and allowed for junior Margaret Stahm and freshman Brainna Wise to reach home, as well as Becerra to get to second base.
Then, to make this offensive sequence even more interesting, Farricker managed a double out to right field. Becerra scored for the second time in the game and sent McCarty to third, still with no outs.
Once again in this game of patterns, Gonzales got up to the plate and sent McCarty and Farricker home with a double.
The Sun Devils, with a commanding 9-0 lead, then had three outs to bring them into the fifth inning.
Nonetheless, this was of little consequence as pitcher Loza got three outs with the first three Maine hitters for the second time to end the game in the fifth with a mercy rule.
ASU will continue the home stand with a series against Nebraska, beginning Friday.
