TEMPE – The No. 19 Arizona State softball team wrapped up the Diamond Devil Invitational with an 11-3 victory over St. Francis in five innings - its seventh run-rule decision of the year - to improve to 15-2 on the season.
For the third straight day, true freshman Fa Leilua hit a home run to highlight the Sun Devil offense. Second baseman Nikki Girard continued her hot streak, going 2-for-2 with two doubles and two RBI.
Girard went 10-of-12 (.833) over the course of the weekend and was the only Sun Devil to get a hit in every game. She knocked four doubles with nine RBI and slugged an incredible 1.417 on the weekend while posting three more hits than any other Sun Devil. She was 6-for-7 on the weekend with runners in scoring position (.857) and is now 14-of-21 (.667) this season with runners on second or third base.
All told, five Sun Devils bat .500 or more on the weekend with Nichole Chilson leading the charge behind Girard, going 7-of-12 (.583) with seven RBI and two home runs. Leilua, Katee Aguirre and Jenn Soria all bat .500 as well with Leilua leading the team with thee home runs on the weekend – the first three of her career.
Breanna Macha earned the victory in the circle Sunday, improving to 5-1 on the year as she allowed just two hits and two earned runs in three innings pitched. Kelsey Kessler entered the game in relief, allowing two hits and one run while striking out three in two innings of work.
The Sun Devils got to work early, scoring three runs in the first inning. Abby Spiel started the game with a walk and scored on a throw that ended at the wall in center field after bouncing off her helmet when she stole second base.
Following a Nichole Chilson walk and stolen base, Girard smacked a double to left center field for her first RBI of the day before scoring on a single off the bat of Sashel Palacios for a 3-0 lead.
The Red Flash added one run in the second and third innings to cut ASU’s lead to 3-2.
The Sun Devils plated four more runs in the bottom of the third as Girard hit her second double of the day to score one run and Leilua hit a deep three-run home run to center field to extend the lead to 7-2.
Because who doesn't want to rewatch @leilua18 hit her 3rd Lei-BOOM-a of the weekend?? She owes that ball an apology. https://t.co/9RvydAylwD
— Sun Devil Softball (@ASUSoftball) February 29, 2016
SFU responded with a run of their own on a solo shot from Hayley Norton in the top of the fourth.
But ASU would score four more runs to put the game into run-rule territory in the fifth. Katee Aguirre started the rally with a pinch hit single and scored on a throwing error following two singles from Taylor Becerra and Spiel. Chelsea Gonzales scored both runners, finishing the day on 3-of-4 hitting with two RBI.
The Sun Devils ran away with the victory after Chilson’s second double of the season scored Gonzales for the game-ending run.
Arizona State will travel to Fullerton, Ca. for the Judi Garman Classic before returning home to face Nebraska on Mar. 11, at 6 p.m. MT at Farrington Stadium.