Tempe, Ariz. --- No. 17/15 Arizona State softball (17-6) began the ASU Invitational Thursday night with a four home run game in a run-rule 12-0 win over Wright State. Sophomore Makenna Harper led the Sun Devil offense with a grand slam in the first inning for her first career home run.
"I didn't expect it to happen, but I felt it right off the bat though and it made me extremely happy," said Harper. "It made it even better that all my teammates were on base and that made it a really cool first experience."
The Sun Devils started off strong in the bottom of the first inning with Jazmine Hill slamming a two-run homer into right center field for her fifth home run of the season.
With three straight walks on the Devils, Alynah Torres was able to walk home to make the game 3-0. Two batters later with the bases loaded, Makenna Harper worked the count before blasting a grand slam to left field for a 7-0 Sun Devil lead. Harper's grand slam is the first home run of her career.
Leading off the second, Hill continued her offensive power with a triple to center field. At the next at-bat she was able to steal home with a Wright State wild pitch.
With zero outs and runner on, Maddi Hackbarth stepped to the plate, sending the ball deep towards the flagpole in left field. Hackbarth's seventh of the season put ASU up by 10 runs. Following Hackbarth, DeNae Chatman hit a solo homer to right field.
Kindra Hackbarth singled to left field, advancing Harper to second base and bringing home Alli Tatnall to complete the 12-0 score.
In three innings pitched, Samantha Mejia threw six strikeouts with her third win of the season.
Up Next:
Arizona State continues as host of the ASU Invitational tomorrow, Friday, Mar. 5 against New Mexico State with the first pitch at 7:00 p.m. MST. Follow along with Sun Devil softball all season on Twitter @ASUSoftball.