TEMPE, Ariz. – The Sun Devil softball squad kicked off day one of the 2019 Kajikawa Classic, splitting their double header. ASU began the day with an 8-4 win over Western Michigan, but dropped their competition against Missouri, 8-0.
The action at Farrington was the first for the Sun Devils since winning the 2018 NCAA Tempe Super Regional and advancing to the Women's College World Series to end last season.
"It is always nice to play here at Farrington," head coach Trisha Ford said. "We just weren't able to get it done in that second game. We can all agree that was not our best. We had a chance all the way through the game. We had some loud outs, but they just kept going right at people. As the game went on I felt our approach kind of changed a little bit. We know we are capable of playing a much better game than that."
Game One: ASU 8, WMU 4
ASU got on the board first in the game thanks to heads up base running by Morgan Howe. The senior stole third off the Broncos and then crossed the plated off a throwing error by WMU's catcher to put the Sun Devils up 1-0.
The Sun Devils' momentum slowed after the run, as WMU put up four of their own runs in the top of the third inning to take a 4-1 lead. Starting pitcher Samantha Mejia limited the Broncos to only that outburst in the fourth en route to a five-inning win with three strikeouts.
The offense backed Mejia in the home half of the inning by cashing in two runs. Kindra Hackbarth set the table with a leadoff double, and Howe added one of her own off the wall in dead centerfield to plate a run for ASU. DeNae Chatman showed disciplined by working a walk, and Jade Gortarez sent a fly ball just deep enough to plate Howe from third and cut the Broncos' lead to 4-3.
ASU scored in every inning from there on out, as K. Hackbarth added her second double of the game to score Bella Loomis from second to tie the game up at four apiece. The Sun Devils put up another run in the fifth, this time off a moonshot by Chatman, her first of the season.
The no-doubter secured the lead for ASU, who sent three more runs across the plate in the home half of the sixth in the same longball fashion.
Howe stepped up to the plate with two in scoring position and two outs to secure an exclamation point win for ASU to the tune of a 8-4 win. The home run was Howe's second hit of the game and the senior also played a role in seven of the eight ASU runs in the game, knocking in four RBI and scoring three runs.
K. Hackbarth and Chatman joined her in recording multi-hit efforts, with all three putting up two hits in the win including two doubles from Hackbarth.
MIZZOU 8, ASU 0
In their second game of the on the day, Sun Devil softball dropped their game with Missouri by a final of 8-0.
The Tigers jumped on the board in the first to the tune of a four-run inning. Starting pitcher Cielo Meza was able to keep Missouri to four runs off two hits in the first frame.
Meza blanked the Tigers in the second inning, working around a leadoff walk to set Missouri down scoreless. The junior struck out the second batter she faced that inning and then notched a fielder's choice and fly out to come out of the second inning clean.
Missouri put up three more runs in the third and a single run in the fourth to bring the score to its final of 8-0.
Three Sun Devils got hits in the night game including singles by Maddi Hackbarth, Jade Gortarez and Taylor Becerra. Meza's night in the circle ended after four innings and two strikeouts in her first start as a Sun Devil.
UP NEXT
ASU is back in action tomorrow for day two of the Kajikawa Classic. They again play two games, the first against Kansas at 2:30 p.m. MST and the second against Weber State at 7:30 p.m. Both games will be broadcasted live on Pac-12 Arizona, and fans can keep up with the action all season-long by following @ASUSoftball on Twitter.
The action at Farrington was the first for the Sun Devils since winning the 2018 NCAA Tempe Super Regional and advancing to the Women's College World Series to end last season.
"It is always nice to play here at Farrington," head coach Trisha Ford said. "We just weren't able to get it done in that second game. We can all agree that was not our best. We had a chance all the way through the game. We had some loud outs, but they just kept going right at people. As the game went on I felt our approach kind of changed a little bit. We know we are capable of playing a much better game than that."
Game One: ASU 8, WMU 4
ASU got on the board first in the game thanks to heads up base running by Morgan Howe. The senior stole third off the Broncos and then crossed the plated off a throwing error by WMU's catcher to put the Sun Devils up 1-0.
The Sun Devils' momentum slowed after the run, as WMU put up four of their own runs in the top of the third inning to take a 4-1 lead. Starting pitcher Samantha Mejia limited the Broncos to only that outburst in the fourth en route to a five-inning win with three strikeouts.
The offense backed Mejia in the home half of the inning by cashing in two runs. Kindra Hackbarth set the table with a leadoff double, and Howe added one of her own off the wall in dead centerfield to plate a run for ASU. DeNae Chatman showed disciplined by working a walk, and Jade Gortarez sent a fly ball just deep enough to plate Howe from third and cut the Broncos' lead to 4-3.
ASU scored in every inning from there on out, as K. Hackbarth added her second double of the game to score Bella Loomis from second to tie the game up at four apiece. The Sun Devils put up another run in the fifth, this time off a moonshot by Chatman, her first of the season.
The no-doubter secured the lead for ASU, who sent three more runs across the plate in the home half of the sixth in the same longball fashion.
Howe stepped up to the plate with two in scoring position and two outs to secure an exclamation point win for ASU to the tune of a 8-4 win. The home run was Howe's second hit of the game and the senior also played a role in seven of the eight ASU runs in the game, knocking in four RBI and scoring three runs.
K. Hackbarth and Chatman joined her in recording multi-hit efforts, with all three putting up two hits in the win including two doubles from Hackbarth.
MIZZOU 8, ASU 0
In their second game of the on the day, Sun Devil softball dropped their game with Missouri by a final of 8-0.
The Tigers jumped on the board in the first to the tune of a four-run inning. Starting pitcher Cielo Meza was able to keep Missouri to four runs off two hits in the first frame.
Meza blanked the Tigers in the second inning, working around a leadoff walk to set Missouri down scoreless. The junior struck out the second batter she faced that inning and then notched a fielder's choice and fly out to come out of the second inning clean.
Missouri put up three more runs in the third and a single run in the fourth to bring the score to its final of 8-0.
Three Sun Devils got hits in the night game including singles by Maddi Hackbarth, Jade Gortarez and Taylor Becerra. Meza's night in the circle ended after four innings and two strikeouts in her first start as a Sun Devil.
UP NEXT
ASU is back in action tomorrow for day two of the Kajikawa Classic. They again play two games, the first against Kansas at 2:30 p.m. MST and the second against Weber State at 7:30 p.m. Both games will be broadcasted live on Pac-12 Arizona, and fans can keep up with the action all season-long by following @ASUSoftball on Twitter.