Feb. 26, 2002
TEMPE, Ariz. - The eighth-ranked Arizona State softball team (14-4) out scored Eastern Michigan (2-5) 20-3 enroute to a 9-1 and 11-2 victory at Farrington Stadium tonight. Both games ended in the fifth inning under the eight run mercy rule.
In the first game, the Sun Devils unloaded nine runs off of 12 hits, including two home runs from Phelan Wright. In the second inning, ASU tallied two runs one off an Erica Beach single and another off and error by EMU's catcher. The Eagles would get one run back in the third as Lauren Allen homered to center field. However, Wright would answer back with a solo shot of her own to lead off the third inning. ASU would put two more on the board to up the lead to 5-1.
In the bottom of the fifth, ASU ended the game with four more runs as Wright hit her second home run of the game, this time a two run shot to extend the lead to 9-1. Five Sun Devils each had two hits. Kristin Farber went 2-for-4 with a run and two RBIs, while Wright recorded a 2-for-2 game with two runs scored and three RBIs.
Kristen Swetel earned her first victory of the year as she went four and a third innings, allowing four hits and one run. Beach pitched the final two thirds of the game.
In the second game, Brun, the current Pac-10 Player of the Week, kept the offensive attack on as she recorded a career-high six RBIs. The Eagles took an early 2-0 lead, but the Sun Devils quickly took the lead back with three runs in the third inning, two courtesy of a Brun two run single to left.
ASU put the game out of reach in the fourth inning by way of two more home runs. Brun smacked a grand slam, giving her five home runs and 22 RBIs on the season. Senior Bonnie Brannen ended the game with her first career home run, a three run blast over the 230-foot fence in left field. Beach (9-2) recorded the win as she allowed only three hits and one earned run with four strikeouts.
Up next, Arizona State will take on the University of Hawaii in another doubleheader on Wednesday, February 27, beginning at 4:00 p.m.