CATHEDRAL CITY – The No. 16 Arizona State softball team hit eight home runs from six different batters to sweep both games on Friday night at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic. ASU's 14-2 win against San Diego featured three back-to-back-to-back home runs. Later the same night and in defiance of the odds, the Sun Devils scored another three consecutive home runs in the 15-0 run-rule win over New Mexico.
ASU's eight-game win streak ties the last time the Sun Devils won eight or more consecutive games two seasons ago from April 27-May 11, 2018.
The last time ASU hit five home runs in a game was in the comeback win against Utah on March 24, 2019.
Game 1: ASU 14, USD 2
As the visiting team for the first time this season, ASU went straight to its scoring business at the top of the first inning. Kindra Hackbarth scored first for the Sun Devils after an error by the Toreros allowed her to reach third after stealing second. With Bella Loomis on second, Alynah Torres doubled to left center collecting an RBI on Loomis' run. Cielo Meza made quick work of the San Diego at-bat, forcing a popup and two batters out swinging.
In the bottom of the second, USD brought the score to 2-1 but Meza's throwing stopped all Toreros momentum. The third and four innings stayed quiet for both offensive efforts.
In her seventh game start, Makenna Harper hit a double at the bottom of the order and scored when leadoff hitter K. Hackbarth sent her own RBI double to center field. Maddi Hackbarth kept the doubles coming with a right line hugger, bringing in her sister to extend the lead, 4-1. With two outs and two runners on base, designated player Alli Tatnall hit the team's fourth double of the inning to collect two RBI.
In the final inning of the game, the Sun Devils scoring machine kicked into high gear. Jazmine Hill and Yannira Acuña both scored early to extend the lead, 8-1. M. Hackbarth took the plate with bases loaded and two outs and hit a grand slam as her second home run of the season. In the next at-bat, Torres homered to left center. Hill returned for another at-bat, knocking a third consecutive homer past the fences. ASU scored a phenomenal eight runs in the seventh inning to secure the 14-2 win over San Diego.
Game 2: ASU 15, UNM 0
The offensive production carried into the matchup against New Mexico with ASU scoring seven runs in the first inning. Fourth in the batting order, Torres sent her second home run of the night and her seventh of the season, out to left field for three RBI. Tatnall doubled to right center and scored on back-to-back wild pitches. Makenna Harper was hit by a pitch that loaded the bases and subsequently allowed Denae Chatman to score on the next wild pitch. K. Hackbarth hit a two RBI single to close out the inning, 7-0.
Torres walked to first in the top of the second as Chatman faced off against UNM's second pitcher of the night. The relief brought no relief for the Lobos as Chatman bashed a two RBI home run to left field. Kiara Kennedy followed suit with another home run to left field on a 1-0 count. UNM called in its third relief pitcher but to no avail as Halle Harger sent a third over the fences, her first as a Sun Devil. For the second time on Friday night, ASU hit three home runs in three consecutive at-bats.
Samantha Mejia kept the Lobos in check and preserved the ASU shutout with her fifth strikeout to conclude the second inning.
The Lobos pitching loaded the bases on three consecutive walks, allowing the Sun Devils to score again on a ground out from Tatnall.
With a 12-0 lead, Coach Ford implemented several pinch hitters into the lineup and exchanged catcher M. Hackbarth for freshman Macy Simmons. In her fourth appearance as a freshman, Jordyn Vanhook singled to the left side on a full count and pushed Harger to second. Rookie Hill blasted a three RBI homer to lengthen the lead to its final 15-0.
Mejia threw four innings with two hits and eight strikeouts in 14 batters faced. Freshman pitcher Linsday Lopez entered as relief in the top of the fifth inning and preserved ASU's sixth shutout of the season with two strikeouts to end the game.
Up next:
Arizona State continues its schedule of the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic in Cathedral City on Saturday afternoon. ASU plays it's second doubleheader of the tournament includes matchups against No. 7 Florida at 3:30 p.m. MST and Notre Dame at 6:00 p.m. MST.
ASU's eight-game win streak ties the last time the Sun Devils won eight or more consecutive games two seasons ago from April 27-May 11, 2018.
The last time ASU hit five home runs in a game was in the comeback win against Utah on March 24, 2019.
Goodnight ??
— Sun Devil Softball (@ASUSoftball) February 22, 2020
?? @FloSoftball ?? https://t.co/CdMmjz6wYK pic.twitter.com/slhDIcmIIA
Game 1: ASU 14, USD 2
As the visiting team for the first time this season, ASU went straight to its scoring business at the top of the first inning. Kindra Hackbarth scored first for the Sun Devils after an error by the Toreros allowed her to reach third after stealing second. With Bella Loomis on second, Alynah Torres doubled to left center collecting an RBI on Loomis' run. Cielo Meza made quick work of the San Diego at-bat, forcing a popup and two batters out swinging.
In the bottom of the second, USD brought the score to 2-1 but Meza's throwing stopped all Toreros momentum. The third and four innings stayed quiet for both offensive efforts.
In her seventh game start, Makenna Harper hit a double at the bottom of the order and scored when leadoff hitter K. Hackbarth sent her own RBI double to center field. Maddi Hackbarth kept the doubles coming with a right line hugger, bringing in her sister to extend the lead, 4-1. With two outs and two runners on base, designated player Alli Tatnall hit the team's fourth double of the inning to collect two RBI.
?? GRAND SLAM ??
— Sun Devil Softball (@ASUSoftball) February 22, 2020
?? @Maddihack with a NO-DOUBTER
?? @FloSoftball ?? https://t.co/CdMmjz6wYK pic.twitter.com/EZEwJoASgd
Things you love to see ?? pic.twitter.com/YcEt4FNbec
— Sun Devil Softball (@ASUSoftball) February 22, 2020
In the final inning of the game, the Sun Devils scoring machine kicked into high gear. Jazmine Hill and Yannira Acuña both scored early to extend the lead, 8-1. M. Hackbarth took the plate with bases loaded and two outs and hit a grand slam as her second home run of the season. In the next at-bat, Torres homered to left center. Hill returned for another at-bat, knocking a third consecutive homer past the fences. ASU scored a phenomenal eight runs in the seventh inning to secure the 14-2 win over San Diego.
SUN DEVILS WIN??#OnTheBoat@TheSunDevils bring the heat deep into the night pic.twitter.com/Mcf26x4kag
— Sun Devil Softball (@ASUSoftball) February 22, 2020
Game 2: ASU 15, UNM 0
The offensive production carried into the matchup against New Mexico with ASU scoring seven runs in the first inning. Fourth in the batting order, Torres sent her second home run of the night and her seventh of the season, out to left field for three RBI. Tatnall doubled to right center and scored on back-to-back wild pitches. Makenna Harper was hit by a pitch that loaded the bases and subsequently allowed Denae Chatman to score on the next wild pitch. K. Hackbarth hit a two RBI single to close out the inning, 7-0.
Torres walked to first in the top of the second as Chatman faced off against UNM's second pitcher of the night. The relief brought no relief for the Lobos as Chatman bashed a two RBI home run to left field. Kiara Kennedy followed suit with another home run to left field on a 1-0 count. UNM called in its third relief pitcher but to no avail as Halle Harger sent a third over the fences, her first as a Sun Devil. For the second time on Friday night, ASU hit three home runs in three consecutive at-bats.
8?? homers from 6?? Sun Devils#OnTheBoat | @TheSunDevils pic.twitter.com/YsiOB153qH
— Sun Devil Softball (@ASUSoftball) February 22, 2020
Samantha Mejia kept the Lobos in check and preserved the ASU shutout with her fifth strikeout to conclude the second inning.
The Lobos pitching loaded the bases on three consecutive walks, allowing the Sun Devils to score again on a ground out from Tatnall.
With a 12-0 lead, Coach Ford implemented several pinch hitters into the lineup and exchanged catcher M. Hackbarth for freshman Macy Simmons. In her fourth appearance as a freshman, Jordyn Vanhook singled to the left side on a full count and pushed Harger to second. Rookie Hill blasted a three RBI homer to lengthen the lead to its final 15-0.
These freshmen! My goodness ??@Jazmine_h77 | #ONTHEBOAT
— Sun Devil Softball (@ASUSoftball) February 22, 2020
?? @FloSoftball ?? https://t.co/CdMmjz6wYK pic.twitter.com/2tAD4yEV8p
Mejia threw four innings with two hits and eight strikeouts in 14 batters faced. Freshman pitcher Linsday Lopez entered as relief in the top of the fifth inning and preserved ASU's sixth shutout of the season with two strikeouts to end the game.
Up next:
Arizona State continues its schedule of the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic in Cathedral City on Saturday afternoon. ASU plays it's second doubleheader of the tournament includes matchups against No. 7 Florida at 3:30 p.m. MST and Notre Dame at 6:00 p.m. MST.