TEMPE ? The No. 22 Arizona State University softball team opened up 2016 with a pair of dominating victories, outscoring its opposition by a combined score of 19-1 to kick off the Kajikawa Classic at Farrington Stadium in Tempe.
ASU took down Utah State in the opener, 11-1, before handling San Jose State, 8-0, in the second game. Neither contest went the distance as the Sun Devils took care of business in five innings in both games.
Entering the season, it was evident that it wasn’t necessarily going to be a Sun Devil offense fans had become accustomed to in recent years without the usual plethora of home run hitters. ASU knew it would have to excel at small ball and not rely on the big hit and the shift in strategy was evident on opening day.
ASU stole bases, scored two runs on sacrifice flies, reached base on numerous bunt singles and slap hits, outran fielder’s choices, took extra bases when the opposition became complacent on routine singles and generally outworked its two opponents on Thursday. The Sun Devils advanced runners on 26-of-41 chances (.634) on the day and got hits when it mattered in going 15-of-27 (.556) with runners in scoring position.
The result? Two run-rule victories in two games ? a feat it took ASU eight games to achieve last season.
The defense handled itself as well and clamped down in the clutch, holding the opposition to just 1-for-9 hitting (.111) with runners in scoring position.
Jennifer Soria had six RBI and a three-run homer in the two games to lead the overall effort, adding a highlight reel throw from center field as she gunned down a runner taking home on a flyout.
ICYMI, Farrington Stadium is not the place to try to take home on a fly ball. @JennSoria5 ain't having that. https://t.co/cpZ01HDB1R
? Sun Devil Softball (@ASUSoftball) February 12, 2016
True freshman Taylor Becerra didn’t shy away from get the nod at third base to start the season, going 3-for-5 on the day with a team-leading four runs scored.
The remainder of the weekend won’t get easier for the Sun Devils as they will welcome WCWS competitor and eighth-ranked Tennessee tomorrow evening at 7:30 p.m. MT.
Full recaps of the day’s action can be found below.
ASU 11, Utah State 1 (5)
The No. 22 Arizona State softball team began their season with a bang, defeating the Utah State Aggies, 11-1, in their first game of the Kajikawa Classic at Farrington Stadium.
Second baseman Nikki Girard kicked off her senior campaign going 2-for-3, scoring and driving in two runs. Fellow senior Abby Spiel also started off hot going 3-for-3 with an RBI.
In their first game of the doubleheader, the Sun Devils took advantage of two big innings after trailing the Aggies 1-0.
ASU’s star pitching duo of Breanna Macha and Dale Ryndak kept the Aggies to a lone run which came off of Alleyah Aremndariz’s bat on a second inning homer off of Macha
The Sun Devils responded with four runs in their bottom half and never looked back. Sashel Palacios got things started with a double down the right field line. Breona Peralta would come in to pinch run and later score the first run of the inning on a Girard double. Girard and Spiel would eventually score on a single from Jenn Soria. Taylor Becerra would be the fourth and final run of the inning on a Katee Aguirre sac fly.
ASU would tag on six more runs in the bottom of the third to extend their lead to 10-1, paced by Nichole Chilson's pinch hit, three-run shot.
Pinch hitting in your first at-bat of the season? Nicole Chilson will take Yard for 200, Alex. https://t.co/RmU4dUxrG4
? Sun Devil Softball (@ASUSoftball) February 12, 2016
ASU 8, San Jose State 0 (5)
Kelsey Kessler threw a six-hit shutout and the No. 22 Arizona State softball team used a late game surge to defeat the visiting San Jose State Spartans, 8-0, in five innings in their second game of the Kajikawa Classic at Farrington Stadium.
Jenn Soria broke a scoreless tie with an RBI single in the bottom of the fourth inning and belted her first home run of the season in her next at-bat in the fifth. Soria finished 2-for-3 with four RBIs and a walk for the Sun Devils.
ASU stranded six runners in the first three innings before ripping off four runs in both the fourth and fifth inning.
Soria drove in Breona Peralta, Allie Butterfield singled in Taylor Becerra, Katee Aguirre drove in Soria and Chelsea Gonzales singled home Butterfield to give ASU its first lead of the game in an effective fourth inning that saw the Sun Devils tab four runs on five singles, two of which came by way of bunt as the small ball was in full effect.
Soria blasted a moon shot over the left field fence with two outs in the fifth and Butterfield would score her second run of the game on an error to end the game with the mercy rule.
The Sun Devils had a shaky start after allowing the Spartans to load the bases in the first inning, but would manage to get out unscathed after Erin Rodriguez flied out into a double play to Soria in center field, who then threw a bullet to catcher Katee Aguirre who took a charge from Casey Lester but held on for the tag to end the inning.
Kessler settled down after giving up five hits in the first two innings to pick up her first victory as a Sun Devil, allowing just a single hit the rest of the way.