Sun Devils start off ASU Invitational with two impressive victories

(Photo via Sam Polgreen/WCSN)

TEMPE — Arizona State’s first game of the 2024 ASU Invitational was about the most dominant win seen at Farrington Stadium this season. A shutout pitching performance and supercharged offense made game one an easy win for the Sun Devils. The success carried over into the night’s second game, albeit in a harder-fought victory.

Arizona State (12-6) was a clear mismatch for UC San Diego (4-11). The Sun Devils came into the matchup on fire offensively and had won six of their last eight games. The Tritons didn’t come in with the same fire but were riding a three-game winning streak. Their momentum stopped dead though, as Arizona State demolished the Southern California school in a 15-0 run-rule victory in five innings.

It was an explosive nine-run third inning that made it clear what kind of game it was going to be for Arizona State.

Sophomore left fielder Yannixa Acuña led off the Sun Devils half of the third with a single and stole second base, before advancing to third on a groundout. Her hustle wouldn’t end up mattering as she got to score on graduate center fielder Kelsey Hall’s first home run in maroon and gold.

The home run resulted in two quick runs for the Sun Devils, adding to their 1-0 lead.

It looked like UC San Deigo and its pitcher, senior southpaw Gabby Williams, put the home run in the past when graduate shortstop Alesia Denby struck out swinging a batter later.

However, that would be the start of the calamity.

Denby actually managed to reach base due to the dropped third-strike rule.

From there, the Sun Devils got a walk, an RBI single, a hit by pitch, a two-RBI double, a two-RBI single and another RBI double before UC San Diego could actually record the second out of the inning via an RBI groundout.

When it was all said and done it was 10-0 after the third inning.

Graduate player Jordyn VanHook, who has been playing designated player while working her way back from injury, was the Sun Devil who hit the two-RBI double.

VanHook, who led the Pac-12 Conference in home runs last season, has struggled as she’s worked her way back, but Friday was a great day on her road to returning her old self again.

“Overall I feel like today was a good day and a good way to [go into] tomorrow and next week,” VanHook said. “We’re almost there. It’s slowly but surely getting there every single day.”

The offense did its job, but the pitching was spectacular as well.

Senior right-hander Mac Osborne started the game in the circle and went three innings without allowing a hit and struck out four before she was relieved by freshman righty Meika Lauppe.

Lauppe made things hard for herself in the fifth inning, loading the bases with one out before striking out the next two batters swinging to secure the run-rule victory for Arizona State.

ASU’s second game of the night against James Madison (11-5) wasn’t the same dominant performance, but the 5-2 victory still showcased the all-around good play from the Sun Devils.

In the seventh inning, the Sun Devils found themselves in a precarious position. Osborne, who started the first game of the night, was working in relief when she got the first two runners she faced in the inning on base.

The tying run was coming up to the plate and head coach Megan Bartlett made the decision to go to the sophomore right-hander Kylee Magee.

Magee hadn’t pitched since Feb. 16, due to injury, and there she was in one of the highest-leverage situations possible. At first, the move didn’t look great, as Magee walked her first batter to load the bases.

But with her back against the wall, Magee shined.

Magee struck out the next three batters in order, clinching the 5-2 victory for her squad.

“(Magee has) been throwing well in practice,” assistant coach Hailey Decker said, “We’re taking baby steps. We have other girls who are throwing well right now, so really just trying to give everybody opportunities to be the best pitching staff we can be going into conference (play).”

Magee closed out the game successfully, but senior right-hander Deborah Jones was the real star in the circle for the Sun Devils in their second game of the night.

Jones threw four innings, allowing only four hits and a walk, while recording five strikeouts. Unfortunately, she was also the pitcher who gave up the two-run homer that broke the nothing-nothing tie in the second inning.

Jones’ opposing starter, redshirt freshman right-hander Payton List, stood in the right-handed batter’s box with a runner on first. List got a pitch she liked and drove it over the right-center-field wall for her first hit and first collegiate home run.

The Dukes took the lead off that swing, but Jones didn’t let them add on, keeping the game close for her offense.

“Deb threw great tonight,” Decker said. “She attacked the zone early, missed one pitch that got cranked, and what pitcher doesn’t go through that. We thought it was very mature of her to come back and get some big outs later, (getting) through four innings was a great showing from her today.”

The offense managed to pick Jones up, with senior third baseman Kayla Lissy leading the charge, hitting a game-tying home run in the fourth inning that also scored VanHook.

“Not going to lie, I thought she caught (the ball), so I was mad at first,” Lissy said. “But once I’d seen the umpire (signal a home run) I was like, ‘Thank goodness.’”

Home runs can sometimes be rally killers, but the Sun Devils poured it on. The team used its speed and hustle to cause damage, hitting triples and scoring on wild pitches to score three more, giving the team the 5-2 lead it held onto.

“We’re firing on all cylinders lately, trying to be our best self before we go into conference (play),” Decker said. “I thought all aspects of the game complemented each other very well today.”