Sun Devils offense delivers in 4-2 win over Baylor

(Photo: Madison Sorenson/WCSN)

As senior right-handed pitcher Kenzie Brown closed out the Baylor Bears for the second time in two days, the Sun Devils clinched a series win over their new Big 12 foe.

Unlike Thursday, the ASU (33-15, 13-7 Big 12) offense needed every run it produced during Friday’s 4-2 win over Baylor (21-23, 7-10 Big 12). Timely hitting and a surprising power surge were the biggest factors in the Sun Devils’ victory.

“Timely hitting wins a lot of ball games,” head coach Megan Bartlett said. “They are finding a way to play for each other and lead one another well.”

It started with freshman outfielder Ashleigh Mejia going deep to lead off the second inning. That was in response to the Bears two run first inning.

“Ashleigh setting the tone, doing what she does best, all kudos to her,” graduate outfielder Kelsey Hall said.

After that, junior infielder Ayden Allen walked before Hall crushed a ball over the right center field fence.

“It just so happened to be there and ball met barrel,” Hall said. “It was so awesome to feel my team so happy for me, they have been absolutely outstanding.”

After that, both offenses were quiet. Baylor only mustered five hits the entire night, four of those coming over the final six innings.

ASU, meanwhile, had six hits on the evening and outside of the third inning only had life in the sixth inning where they tacked on an important insurance run.

Hall again came through in crunch time, driving in another run for her third RBI of the evening.

“Trying not to do to much and just pass the bat,” she said. “It worked out in my favor.”

Hall has been struggling as of late, but broke through tonight and was arguably the Sun Devils’ most important piece in the win.

“It is nice for Kelsey to come back to us,” Bartlett said. “We are certainly welcoming her bat back into the lineup. The fact that she got through a couple of balls it’s great for the ball club, great for Kelsey’s confidence. We are pretty excited.”

That was the final run scored by either side as Brown closed things out in the seventh inning to clinch a series win for the Sun Devils.

Now, ASU will look to help its position in the Big 12 standings. Heading into the final game of the series the Sun Devils are looking to give themselves the best chance to have a bye heading into the Big 12 tournament.

“We have to keep taking care of business,” Bartlett said. “Hopefully, we start the game a bit stronger than we did tonight, but very proud of the girls.”

A sweep of Baylor on Saturday is crucial for that to be a possibility and ASU will also be looking for help from a couple of teams below them in the standings in order to secure that bye.

“(The game) is huge,” Brown said. “This team is continuously trying to step up and be the one to do it… try to win inning by inning, then whatever happens happens.”

The Sun Devils’ offense will look to come up big once more in game three to close out the Baylor series on a high note before their final series against the Texas Tech Red Raiders.

“Our kids are certainly trained to have a high level of hit ability,” Bartlett said. “They can hit inside, outside, high low. They can hit off speed, they just need to go back and watch their film and make clean adjustments.”