TEMPE -- The No. 17 Arizona State softball team opened the Sun Devil Classic with a two-game sweep against Maryland and Wisconsin. The Sun Devils shutout the Terrapins 8-0 and outscored the Badgers 3-1 on Friday night at Farrington Stadium.
"I think in this game we owed it to the team to put a good game together after last year," said Maddi Hackbarth. "Obviously this is my last year playing and hitting that home run with a good day at the plate takes the pressure off me so I can just go out there and play."
Game 1: ASU 8, Maryland 0
The first two innings were scoreless before the Sun Devils put up a run on the scoreboard first. In the bottom of the third, Kindra Hackbarth's third home run of the season to centerfield gave ASU the lead. The Sun Devils stayed busy hitting through the lineup with eight runs on seven hits. Maddi Hackbarth hit a double up the middle to bring home Jazmine Hill and Alynah Torres. After a pitching change from Maryland, Kiara Kennedy hit a home run - also her third of the season - to bring in DeNae Chatman and Alli Tatnall. Bella Loomis finished the job with a triple to bring home K. Hackbarth.
At the bottom of the fourth, Mailey McLemore, Lindsay Lopez, and Jordyn Vanhook entered as pinch hitters. Macey Simmons went behind the plate and McLemore took first base at the top of the fifth.
Pitcher Samantha Mejia went to work with five strikeouts in five innings. She held off Maryland's offense without giving up a single run throughout the entire game. ASU's plate performance was supplemented by a strong defensive showing in a shutout of the Terrapins. Kiara Kennedy made some plays at third to keep Maryland from scoring.
Game 2: ASU 3, Wisconsin 1
The first few innings started slowly with neither team on the board. Cielo Meza started a pitchers battle with four strikeouts despite a Badger hit at the top of the fourth.
Maddi Hackbarth came out swinging at the bottom of the fourth inning with a home run to left center and scored the first run of the game.
At the top of the fifth, the Sun Devils continued to hold off the Badgers with another strikeout from Meza and strong defense from Alynah Torres, who putout a Wisconsin runner attempting to steal third. Bella Loomis scored her second home run of the season at the bottom of the fifth to bring home Kindra Hackbarth for a three-point lead.
The Sun Devils kept the top of the sixth quick with two strikeouts from Meza and an out at second from Torres. With Savannah Morales in as a pinch runner for DeNae Chatman, Alli Tatnall hit a double but both runners were left stranded in scoring positions.
Wisconsin began the top of the seventh with a solo home run but was soon shut down by another strikeout from Meza, to give her eight strikeouts and three hits for the game.
Up next:
Arizona State (14-5) continues hosting Sun Devil Classic on Saturday, Feb. 29 and Sunday, Mar. 1. The Sun Devils return for their second doubleheader against Southern Utah (1-10) at 2:30 p.m. and Wisconsin (9-7) at 5:00 p.m. at Farrington Stadium in Tempe, Ariz. Fans can follow @ASUSoftball on Twitter to keep up all season long.
??SUN DEVILS WIN??#ForksUp #OnTheBoat pic.twitter.com/HJrUQbhYEK
— Sun Devil Softball (@ASUSoftball) February 29, 2020
"I think in this game we owed it to the team to put a good game together after last year," said Maddi Hackbarth. "Obviously this is my last year playing and hitting that home run with a good day at the plate takes the pressure off me so I can just go out there and play."
Game 1: ASU 8, Maryland 0
The first two innings were scoreless before the Sun Devils put up a run on the scoreboard first. In the bottom of the third, Kindra Hackbarth's third home run of the season to centerfield gave ASU the lead. The Sun Devils stayed busy hitting through the lineup with eight runs on seven hits. Maddi Hackbarth hit a double up the middle to bring home Jazmine Hill and Alynah Torres. After a pitching change from Maryland, Kiara Kennedy hit a home run - also her third of the season - to bring in DeNae Chatman and Alli Tatnall. Bella Loomis finished the job with a triple to bring home K. Hackbarth.
Ohhhh she squeaks past the fencing?? #ForksUp pic.twitter.com/n4OCFi3ibT
— Sun Devil Softball (@ASUSoftball) February 29, 2020
At the bottom of the fourth, Mailey McLemore, Lindsay Lopez, and Jordyn Vanhook entered as pinch hitters. Macey Simmons went behind the plate and McLemore took first base at the top of the fifth.
Pitcher Samantha Mejia went to work with five strikeouts in five innings. She held off Maryland's offense without giving up a single run throughout the entire game. ASU's plate performance was supplemented by a strong defensive showing in a shutout of the Terrapins. Kiara Kennedy made some plays at third to keep Maryland from scoring.
OOOO AHHH @keeeks03?? #ForksUp #OnTheBoat pic.twitter.com/XKw2DXK653
— Sun Devil Softball (@ASUSoftball) February 29, 2020
Game 2: ASU 3, Wisconsin 1
The first few innings started slowly with neither team on the board. Cielo Meza started a pitchers battle with four strikeouts despite a Badger hit at the top of the fourth.
Maddi Hackbarth came out swinging at the bottom of the fourth inning with a home run to left center and scored the first run of the game.
MADDI ?? HACKBARTH ?? pic.twitter.com/vEfkFFCiN3
— Sun Devil Softball (@ASUSoftball) February 29, 2020
She was so smooth with it ?????? https://t.co/yrZrtCqJT3
— Lauren Chamberlain (@LChamberlain44) February 29, 2020
At the top of the fifth, the Sun Devils continued to hold off the Badgers with another strikeout from Meza and strong defense from Alynah Torres, who putout a Wisconsin runner attempting to steal third. Bella Loomis scored her second home run of the season at the bottom of the fifth to bring home Kindra Hackbarth for a three-point lead.
The Sun Devils kept the top of the sixth quick with two strikeouts from Meza and an out at second from Torres. With Savannah Morales in as a pinch runner for DeNae Chatman, Alli Tatnall hit a double but both runners were left stranded in scoring positions.
Wisconsin began the top of the seventh with a solo home run but was soon shut down by another strikeout from Meza, to give her eight strikeouts and three hits for the game.
??SUN DEVILS WIN??#ForksUp #OnTheBoat pic.twitter.com/HJrUQbhYEK
— Sun Devil Softball (@ASUSoftball) February 29, 2020
Up next:
Arizona State (14-5) continues hosting Sun Devil Classic on Saturday, Feb. 29 and Sunday, Mar. 1. The Sun Devils return for their second doubleheader against Southern Utah (1-10) at 2:30 p.m. and Wisconsin (9-7) at 5:00 p.m. at Farrington Stadium in Tempe, Ariz. Fans can follow @ASUSoftball on Twitter to keep up all season long.