TEMPE, Ariz. -- The No. 15 Arizona State softball team (14-6) closed out day two of the Sun Devil Classic Saturday with a second win against Princeton, 14-5, before dropping a hard-fought contest to Wisconsin, 5-1.
GAME ONE: ASU 14, PRINCETON 5
For the second time in as many games, the Princeton Tigers struck first against the Sun Devils. Freshman Abby Andersen retired the first two batters before giving up a two-run home run for the early 2-0 lead.
On the flip side, Princeton's pitcher walked four out of the first five ASU batters to step into the box allowing two Sun Devils to cross home plate, and tie the game.
Jade Gortarez lifted the Sun Devils into the lead with an RBI double down the left-line bringing Morgan Howe and DeNae Chatman, and giving ASU their first lead of the game.
Following Friday's breakout performance, sophomore Bella Loomis muscled out her first collegiate grand slam, and sixth home run of the season to extend Arizona State's lead to 8-2.
In the following three innings, ASU scored six runs on six hits. Maddi Hackbarth continued her dominance at the plate, launching a two-run home run in the third inning.
Having already put together what was an incredible day at the plate, Loomis' showed she wasn't done, carding a second home run, this time a deep shot over the right field wall. Two batters later Skylar McCarty tallied her third home run of the season, to push the score to 14-2, in favor of the Sun Devils.
"She comes ready to play, she's swinging at pitches that are her pitches and she's not getting flustered no matter what the count is," head coach Trisha Ford said of Loomis' success at the plate. "She's doing a really good job just staying within herself and we know what she's capable of doing."
In the circle, freshman right-hander Abby Andersen pitched four innings before handing the game over to Mikayla Santa Cruz who closed out the, 14-5 Arizona State run-rule victory.
GAME TWO: ASU 1, WISCONSIN 5
Fresh off an offensive surge in game one, the Sun Devil offense found themselves in a bit of a hole following the top of the first against the Badgers, who started the game with back-to-back singles. Just two batters later, Caroline Hedgcock hit a three-run home run to deep center field that put the visitors out front, 3-0.
Kindra Hackbarth did her best to get things rolling for ASU, securing her 100th- hit as a Sun Devil with an infield single to lead off the bottom of the first.
"During my time as a Sun Devil, my career has been many mixtures of good at-bats and bad at-bats. I go into the box thinking I have nothing to lose every time," K. Hackbarth said. "It's a pretty big accomplishment for me and I'm always trying to do the best I can for my team."
Despite working the leadoff batter on, the offense would stall, and keep the Badgers out front, 3-0 after one inning of play.
Wisconsin would fire up the offense again in the second, this time plating two-runs on two hits to extend their lead to 5-0.
With the Sun Devils unable to respond in the home-half of the frame, Cielo Meza stepped into the circle to start the third inning, and did a masterful job of holding the Badgers at bay in the proceeding five innings. The junior would finish the game with zero runs allowed and five strikeouts.
"I think Cielo came in and pitched five great innings against Wisconsin which was really good to see," Ford said.
With neither team able to work in a run through the fifth inning, ASU would battle back to score their first run in the home-half of the sixth, but it would be too little too late as the Badgers would cut the would-be comeback short, and secure the win.
Arizona State will be back at Farrington Sunday afternoon for the final game of the Sun Devil Classic at 12:30 p.m. to face No. 9 Texas. The game will be streamed here with live stats available here. Fans can also keep up to date with all of the action from the 2019 season by following @ASUSoftball on Twitter.
GAME ONE: ASU 14, PRINCETON 5
For the second time in as many games, the Princeton Tigers struck first against the Sun Devils. Freshman Abby Andersen retired the first two batters before giving up a two-run home run for the early 2-0 lead.
On the flip side, Princeton's pitcher walked four out of the first five ASU batters to step into the box allowing two Sun Devils to cross home plate, and tie the game.
Jade Gortarez lifted the Sun Devils into the lead with an RBI double down the left-line bringing Morgan Howe and DeNae Chatman, and giving ASU their first lead of the game.
Following Friday's breakout performance, sophomore Bella Loomis muscled out her first collegiate grand slam, and sixth home run of the season to extend Arizona State's lead to 8-2.
In the following three innings, ASU scored six runs on six hits. Maddi Hackbarth continued her dominance at the plate, launching a two-run home run in the third inning.
Having already put together what was an incredible day at the plate, Loomis' showed she wasn't done, carding a second home run, this time a deep shot over the right field wall. Two batters later Skylar McCarty tallied her third home run of the season, to push the score to 14-2, in favor of the Sun Devils.
"She comes ready to play, she's swinging at pitches that are her pitches and she's not getting flustered no matter what the count is," head coach Trisha Ford said of Loomis' success at the plate. "She's doing a really good job just staying within herself and we know what she's capable of doing."
In the circle, freshman right-hander Abby Andersen pitched four innings before handing the game over to Mikayla Santa Cruz who closed out the, 14-5 Arizona State run-rule victory.
GAME TWO: ASU 1, WISCONSIN 5
Fresh off an offensive surge in game one, the Sun Devil offense found themselves in a bit of a hole following the top of the first against the Badgers, who started the game with back-to-back singles. Just two batters later, Caroline Hedgcock hit a three-run home run to deep center field that put the visitors out front, 3-0.
Kindra Hackbarth did her best to get things rolling for ASU, securing her 100th- hit as a Sun Devil with an infield single to lead off the bottom of the first.
"During my time as a Sun Devil, my career has been many mixtures of good at-bats and bad at-bats. I go into the box thinking I have nothing to lose every time," K. Hackbarth said. "It's a pretty big accomplishment for me and I'm always trying to do the best I can for my team."
Despite working the leadoff batter on, the offense would stall, and keep the Badgers out front, 3-0 after one inning of play.
Wisconsin would fire up the offense again in the second, this time plating two-runs on two hits to extend their lead to 5-0.
With the Sun Devils unable to respond in the home-half of the frame, Cielo Meza stepped into the circle to start the third inning, and did a masterful job of holding the Badgers at bay in the proceeding five innings. The junior would finish the game with zero runs allowed and five strikeouts.
"I think Cielo came in and pitched five great innings against Wisconsin which was really good to see," Ford said.
With neither team able to work in a run through the fifth inning, ASU would battle back to score their first run in the home-half of the sixth, but it would be too little too late as the Badgers would cut the would-be comeback short, and secure the win.
Arizona State will be back at Farrington Sunday afternoon for the final game of the Sun Devil Classic at 12:30 p.m. to face No. 9 Texas. The game will be streamed here with live stats available here. Fans can also keep up to date with all of the action from the 2019 season by following @ASUSoftball on Twitter.