(Photo credit: Vanessa Cantu/WCSN)
Coming off an 8-3 victory over UTEP in game one of a doubleheader against UTEP, ASU Softball looked to continue its winning ways against Phoenix College.
The Sun Devils routed Phoenix College 14-0 in a run-rule victory. Led by an electric offense and lockdown pitching, ASU faced little adversity in Sunday’s second game of the doubleheader.
The Sun Devils were hot right out of the gates in the first with sophomore right-handed pitcher Meika Lauppe punching out the side to start the game. Her offense quickly matched her production. The Sun Devils batted around the order in just the first inning while putting up five runs.
The good vibes did not stop in the first inning for the Sun Devils. After two more dominant innings in the circle by Lauppe, the Sun Devils had stretched the lead all the way out to 12-0 by the third inning.
That’s when junior infielder Ayden Allen launched a home run to deep center field to make it 14-0 in the bottom of the third, capping off the Sun Devils scoring for the day.
Overall, on the offensive side, the Sun Devils finished with 14 runs on 15 hits and four walks. All but one player who recorded an at-bat in Saturday’s second game reached base.
Allen went 2-for-3 with a single and the two-run home run. Freshman infielder Tiare Ho-Ching also put up a multi-hit performance, going 2-for-2 with a single, a double, and four RBIs.
This offensive performance was rivaled by ASU’s shutdown pitching all game. Lauppe led the way and finished with four innings pitched, zero earned runs and seven strikeouts. Freshman right-hander Julianne Tipton relieved Lauppe in the circle. Tipton threw one shutout inning of her own with one strikeout.
The highlight for the pitching staff for Saturday’s game was the return of senior righty Kenzie Brown. She pitched in the top of the sixth inning after the Sun Devils opted not to hit in the bottom of the fifth. The coaches agreed to play one more half-inning before the mercy rule was enforced so Brown could step back onto the field at Farrington Stadium.
Brown missed all of last season with a lower leg injury. When it was evident that she was going to make her return, the team and the dugout erupted and began chanting her name. The whole stadium seemed to feel uplifted by her appearance.
The Sun Devils are now 3-1 in the fall season. They will return to play on Oct. 12 with another doubleheader against Benedictine Mesa and Central Arizona.
