(Photo:Josh Frons/WCSN)
An offensive explosion got the Arizona State Sun Devils back on track as they defeated the Detroit Titans 16-2 on Monday night in five innings.
The game was a last-minute addition to the schedule as a make-up after Saturday’s rain out against FIU, but ASU head coach Craig Nicholson did not mind the extra game.
“After yesterday, the sooner you get back on the field the better. I think it was good to get back out today,” Nicholson said after the game, referring to the two games on Sunday in which the Sun Devil offense struggled mightily.
Nicholson had to shuffle the lineup again because of an ankle injury to starting catcher Amber Freeman and the Sun Devils responded as nine different batters drove in runs and the Sun Devils scored in all four innings they batted in.
Shortstop Cheyenne Coyle was moved in the order again to clean-up hitter and admitted she understood why she was moved back out of the lead-off spot.
“I just really wasn’t seeing the ball that well the past few weekends,” Coyle said. “I was really working on being more relaxed and getting in a better rhythm and seeing the ball better.” The move paid off as Coyle set the tone for the offense with a three-run home run in the bottom of the first.
Bethany Kemp and Haley Steele highlighted a seven-run third inning with a pair of two-run homers. Steele got another RBI in the bottom of the fourth as the Sun Devils, mostly back-ups with victory secured, added five more runs.
After the game, Steele talked about building on the past three games and moving forward.
“Sometimes the best teams need to get knocked down a little to realize that they’re not untouchable,” Steele said. “And we need to re-evaluate our preparation and our mental game and come back out here and realize that we need to play ASU softball.”
Starting pitcher Mackenzie Popescue picked up her 11th win of the season, giving up two runs in only three innings of work.
The Sun Devils now turn their attention to a Tuesday night game against Longwood before hitting the road for the first time this year. Nicholson says that the Sun Devils will need to play well against Longwood, a team he described as scrappy, but hopes the Sun Devils can continue to build on the events of the past weekend.
First pitch against Longwood is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Tuesday night at Farrington Stadium.
