March 15, 2012
Official Tournament Website
FULLERTON, Calif. – Fifth-ranked Arizona State softball opened its first road swing of the year at the Judi Garman Classic splitting 1-1 on opening day. The Sun Devils (26-3) led the day off with a 3-0 win against BYU then followed with a 9-2 loss to No. 10 Louisiana-Lafayette.
Katelyn Boyd finished the day moving up in the career record books after notching a homer in game two against ULL. It was her 58th career home run and moves her just two shy of second all-time in the category and three hits shy of third in hits with 266.
Hillary Bach notched the early win, giving her 78 career victories. She needs just one more to tie for third all time at ASU at 79.
GAME ONE: ARIZONA STATE 3, BYU 0
The third inning proved all ASU would need to tally the 3-0 win against the Cougars, who drop to 13-8 on the year. The Sun Devils put up three runs on two hits in the frame. Alix Johnson went on to finish the game 2-for-3 at the plate with one run scored, one RBI and two stolen bases.
Both squads held each other off of the board through two complete innings as ASU recorded its first hit of the game in the bottom of the third. Bailey Wigness reached via walk setting up Boyd for an RBI triple in the next at-bat. Johnson plated Boyd on a single up the middle, then two batters later Elizabeth Caporuscio brought home Johnson on a sacrifice fly to center to put ASU up 3-0 after three.
Hillary Bach held the defense strong the remainder of the way, going the distance and striking out six to improve to 12-0 on the year. Caroline Umphlett drops to 5-2 after taking the loss for BYU in 3.2 innings pitched.
GAME TWO: LOUISIANA-LAFAYETTE 8, ARIZONA STATE 2
No. 10 ULL led off with a two-run homer in the third by Nerissa Myers, bringing home Natalie Fernandez who reached on an infield single two batters earlier. The Ragin’ Cajuns made it a 5-0 lead over the Devils after scoring three runs off two hits in the top of the fourth. Sarah Draheim hit the second homer for ULL, yet another two-run longball.
ASU brought in Mackenzie Popescue in the fifth for Dallas Escobedo who left after 4.0 innings pitched and three strikeouts. Escobedo takes the loss for ASU, moving to 9-2 while Jordan Wallace picks up the win for a 12-0 record this year.
ULL tallied another run in the sixth on an RBI-double from Myers to plate Erikka Murphy. A single through the left side by Mattelaine Haack gave ULL the 8-0 lead after Murphy came home on the play.
Boyd knocked in her 58th career homer in the bottom of the six on a long shot to left. Johnson followed with a triple to left and then scored on an Amber Freeman single to make it 8-2.
The Ragin’ Cajins put up one more run before all was said and done, with Brianna Cherry scoring in the seventh for an eventual final score of 9-2.
UP NEXT:
ASU plays Fresno State at 11 a.m., and No. 19 Michigan at 5:30. All times PT and dependent on prior tournament games staying on schedule. For the offical tournament page click here.