Kenzie Brown shines in dominant 8-0 run-rule victory

TEMPE — As the sun set over Albert B. Farrington Stadium Saturday night, fans had become accustomed to close games through Arizona State’s first three games. Four innings of play between the Sun Devils and Northwestern resulted in a 1-0 lead, as the crowd began to settle in for what they thought would be another nail-biter.

What transpired over the next two innings would be anything but that.

ASU (3-1) won an 8–0 run rule victory over Northwestern (2-2) in six innings Saturday night, as a five-run sixth inning combined with an extraordinary outing from senior pitcher Kenzie Brown, as the Sun Devils posted their first shutout of the season..

The crowd was active early, creating an electric atmosphere that helped fuel the Sun Devils. Junior catcher Samantha Swan said the fan support plays a major role in building momentum during games.

The crowd was roaring early in the game, creating a static atmosphere the Sun Devils needed to fuel their momentum.

“I think once the crowd gets involved, it hypes us up even more, because we know they’re expecting us to have a big moment,” Swan said. “And it makes us feel like, ‘Oh, we’re going to do this, we’re going to have a big moment here’.”

That energy showed right away behind Brown, who was dominating the mound in the first inning. Brown struck out the first three batters swinging in the first, setting the tone by retiring the top of the lineup for Northwestern University. She continued to take control in the second inning, striking out all three batters for a 1-2-3 inning.

ASU struck first in the bottom of the second inning. Senior center fielder Kaylee Pond started the Sun Devils off with a hard-hit single to center field, immediately putting the pressure on Northwestern freshman pitcher Marina Mason. Junior designated hitter Emily Schepp followed with a single of her own, and freshman third baseman JazMarie Roberts doubled to move Schepp into scoring position. After a flyout to center, Samantha Swan delivered a clutch single that helped bring in the game’s first run, giving ASU a 1–0 lead.

Brown continued to overpower Northwestern’s lineup in the third and fourth innings, allowing little contact. The Wildcats struggled to get runners on base, while ASU’s defense stayed clean behind her.

The Sun Devils had a chance to add more runs in the fourth inning when they loaded the bases, but Northwestern managed to protect. Despite leaving three runners stranded on base, ASU remained loud and confident.

The game took a serious turn in the fifth inning when Tiare Ho-Ching was hit in the head by a pitch and had to leave the game with an eye injury. The stadium was filled with concern and fear after the pitch rode in on Ho-Ching, as Farrington Stadium began to rain boos down from the bleachers.

After play resumed, ASU didn’t back down after losing a key player in their lineup and used the crowd’s energy to its advantage, as junior first baseman Katie Chester delivered a two-run RBI to extend the lead after the delay. Northwestern’s pitching struggled following the injury, producing several walks and committing defensive mistakes. Mason was soon replaced by junior pitcher Ranae Cunningham, but the Wildcats continued to have lapses on defense. By the end of the inning, the Sun Devils had built a 3–0 lead.

The Sun Devils put the game out of reach in the sixth inning when sophomore right fielder Ashley Mejia led off with a single, followed by another hit from Chester to move her into scoring position. Schepp then delivered a key two-run double, bringing both runners home. Senior infielder Brooklyn Ulrich and junior utility Ryan Brown added singles to keep the inning alive and push the lead to 8-0.

Northwestern came back briefly in the top of the sixth with a triple by 2nd baseman Grace Nieto, but Brown stayed calm and finished strong, striking out the final batter to end the game.

Head coach Megan Bartlett praised Brown’s consistency and focus following the win.

“She is just a very consistent, locked-in, driven pitcher,” Bartlett said. “She threw a beautiful game against Oklahoma, but I’ve seen that kid do that a ton of times in her career here. So honestly, at this point, I think OU’s kind of in the rear view. It’s staying present and thinking about the next opponent and the next game.”

ASU’s mix of strong pitching and steady defense was too much for Northwestern to handle as the Sun Devils closed out an impressive 8–0 win in six innings.

Looking ahead at the upcoming schedule, Bartlett emphasized the importance of staying focused as the Sun Devils prepare for their next matchup tomorrow Feb 8, against Memphis.

“We’re certainly not overlooking Memphis tomorrow,” Bartlett said. “It’s a totally different style of ball than I think everybody we’ve seen all weekend. A lot of short game. The right-handers are fun, the left-handers are fun. And we will certainly see a different look going forward.”