TEMPE ? The Arizona State University softball team defeated the Stanford Cardinal, 10-4, on Sunday at Farrington Stadium. With the decision, the Sun Devils completed their first sweep in Pac-12 play since 2014 and improved to 30-22 overall.
The Sun Devil seniors combined for seven of ASU’s 13 hits and accounted for seven of the team’s 10 runs. Katee Aguirre 2-for-3 with a home run and three RBIs. The team’s seniors - competing in their final series in Tempe of their careers ? finished the weekend batting 18-of-40 (.450) with 16 runs scored, three home runs and 15 of the team’s 24 total RBIs
Always a bittersweet day. Thank you to our seniors for everything you have done for this program! pic.twitter.com/IdIVjIWlEW
? Sun Devil Softball (@ASUSoftball) May 9, 2016
Margaret Stahm hit a solo home run in Sunday’s victory and Chelsea Gonzales contributed four RBIs.
Kelsey Kessler (15-10) earned the win, tossing four innings and giving up one earned run on four hits while striking out five batters. Dale Ryndak earned her third save after allowing three earned runs on seven hits in 3.0 innings pitched.
The Sun Devils led from the start, scoring a pair of runs in the opening inning. Jenn Soria and Abby Spiel singled to the left side, Sashel Palacios followed with a single to center field to load the bases with no outs. Nikki Girard walked to bring in one run and keep the bases loaded. Chelsea Gonzales sent a long one to the warning track for a sac fly, allowing Spiel to tag and score for a 2-0 lead.
ASU added another run in the bottom of the third after Palacios led off with a single and took second on an illegal pitch. Girard singled to left field to give ASU runners on the corners. Gonzales hit her second sac fly of the game to score Palacios, extending the lead to 3-0.
The Cardinal responded when Kayla Bonstrom and Kaitlin Schaberg singled. Haley Snyder also singled and drove in one run to cut ASU’s lead to 3-1. Lauren Wegner walked to load the bases with two outs, but Kessler kept the damage to one run and struck out Arden Pettit to end the inning.
The Sun Devils responded with a big bottom half. Soria and Spiel singled and Girard walked to load the bases. Gonzales found the gap to score Soria and Spiel with one out. Aguirre followed with a three-run home run to center field giving ASU a commanding 8-1 lead.
E4 | Devils blow this one open behind @katee_aguirre's Senior Day 🌝 shot to dead center! 8-1 Devils!https://t.co/9TE1YatwED
? Sun Devil Softball (@ASUSoftball) May 8, 2016
Stanford threatened in the top of the fifth as Bonstrom led off with a solo home run off Ryndak. The Cardinal added two more runs after a cycle of singles to make it 8-4, before a slow roller to Stahm ended the frame.
ASU added one run in each of the next two innings. The first coming of the bat of Stahm on a solo home run ? her second of the year ? in the fifth. Gonzales walked in the sixth and was lifted for pinch runner Breona Peralta. Aguiree also walked before Fa Leilua singled through the middle to score Peralta from second to give the Sun Devils the 10-4 lead.?
E5 | Devils respond to the Cardinal rally as @Margaret_Stahm puts her Stahmp on one. 9-4 Devils after five.https://t.co/I7nKWAiPit
? Sun Devil Softball (@ASUSoftball) May 8, 2016
Ryndak and the ASU defense kept Stanford scoreless in the seventh to seal the victory and complete the sweep.
The Sun Devils will travel to Corvallis, Ore., to take on the Oregon State Beavers in the final three-game series of regular season play. All three-games can be seen on the Pac-12 Networks, first pitch is set for Thursday, May 12 at 3 p.m. PT.