Tempe, AZ – To end the bottom of the first inning, the Arizona State softball team gathered in celebration as a three-run home run was hit by senior outfielder Tanya Windle. This subsequently followed the two runs already put up on the board, bringing them to a 5-0 lead.
ASU would go on to dominate the next six innings, where it would put 13 total runs on the board, making the final score 13-5 against Embry-Riddle at the start of the bottom of the seventh.
“We hit the ball pretty well. That was nice to see. I think we hit the ball with pretty nice direction,” ASU head coach Megan Bartlett said. “It’s nice to see them take some stuff from practice into games.”
Embry-Riddle, with hopes to put themselves on the board at the top of the 2nd inning after an explosive bottom of the first by ASU, was hit with offensive struggles of their own. With one out left, what was thought to be a sacrifice fly resulted in a player leaving base early, solidifying a short top of the inning giving ASU a quick turnaround to begin the bottom of the second.
ASU’s domination on offense would highlight some young talent, such as freshman infielder Avery Motrini. Motrini would go on to hit a bomb down left field, resulting in a home run in the bottom of the 4th inning. This explosiveness from young offensive players could be a foreshadowing of what’s to come in ASU’s regular season.
“So kids that are trying to get some innings under their belt and work their way into the lineup got a lot of action tonight, which was nice to see,” Bartlett said. “Up and down the lineup, I thought they swung it pretty well.”
With two players loaded on bases, ERAU would see some light after a rough start when senior infielder Leah Salas hit the ball, resulting in two runs batted in, giving ERAU its first points on the board in the top of the fifth. Embry-Riddle would end the game with three more runs batted in, resulting in their loss of 13-5 at an inning and a half short.
Coming off a (35-21, 14-10 Big 12) overall record and an appearance in the Big 12 championship last year, ASU can look at the highlights of tonight and use that to propel them forward. With ASU seeming to find promise in its new and upcoming players, it can hope to find itself back at the Big 12 championship and a solid foundation once its veterans leave.
