TEMPE – The Sun Devils' bats stay hot, notching 18 runs in a doubleheader sweep on Sunday night in the finale of the ASU Invitational. Arizona State (21-7) finished the tournament with a 5-1 record and added 12 homers to its nation-leading long ball log.
"I thought we did a great job of coming out and being focused," head coach Trisha Ford said. "Lehigh came out ready to go as I anticipated. I thought Lindsay came in and had a solid start, Sam came in and mowed them down... Preston was very efficient, I was very pleased with her performance tonight. So we had a lot of big balls and good at-bats and we put everything together which was nice on a Sunday."
Game 1: ASU 9, Lehigh 0
Freshman leftie Lindsay Lopez earned her second career start in the circle for Saturday's rematch against Lehigh. Maddi Hackbarth initiated the Sun Devils' scoring, knocking her eighth home run of the season deep in centerfield in the bottom of the first.
Both dugouts went one-two-three in the second only for the third to see another ASU solo home run, this time from junior Kiara Kennedy – her fifth of the season.
Samantha Mejia entered as relief for Lopez in the top of the fourth with two outs and two runners in scoring position. Mejia walked the first batter she faced to load the bases before a defensive catch in foul territory by Denae Chatman left Lehigh stranded.
Mailey McLemore and Halle Harger touched home plate for two more ASU runs late in the fourth inning, pushing the Sun Devils to a 4-0 lead.
The Sun Devil big bats exploded in the fifth inning, scoring five runs to notch their third run-rule of the ASU Invitational. A three-run home run from Jordyn VanHook sealed the walk-off 9-0 victory.
Game 2: ASU 9, OSU 0
Junior pitcher Madison Preston made her seventh game start, throwing to seven batters in the first three innings without a hit.
Where the defense put in work to keep the Buckeyes at bay, the offense took the early lead with five runs in the first inning. Second baseman Halle Harger notched three RBI from a single to right field and an error by the fielder that brought home Denae Chatman, Bella Loomis and Alynah Torres. In her next at-bat Loomis scored a three-run home run, improving the Sun Devil lead to 8-0 in the bottom of the second.
OSU presented its best scoring chance in the top of the third with two runners on base but an unassisted ground out by Chatman brought the nation's home run leaders back to the plate.
After a quiet ASU third, Chatman reignited ASU's offense with the second home run of the game – her fifth this year.
Two looking strikeouts from Preston in the top of the fifth secured the 9-0 run-rule victory for ASU. Preston pitched five innings and faced 18 batters, striking out six with only one hit.
Up next:
ASU hosts South Dakota on Tuesday, March 10 at 6:00 p.m. at Farrington Stadium before starting conference play at No. 1 UCLA this weekend. Follow along with the Devils on social media on Twitter @ASUSoftball and on Instagram @SunDevilSB.
"I thought we did a great job of coming out and being focused," head coach Trisha Ford said. "Lehigh came out ready to go as I anticipated. I thought Lindsay came in and had a solid start, Sam came in and mowed them down... Preston was very efficient, I was very pleased with her performance tonight. So we had a lot of big balls and good at-bats and we put everything together which was nice on a Sunday."
Game 1: ASU 9, Lehigh 0
Freshman leftie Lindsay Lopez earned her second career start in the circle for Saturday's rematch against Lehigh. Maddi Hackbarth initiated the Sun Devils' scoring, knocking her eighth home run of the season deep in centerfield in the bottom of the first.
Both dugouts went one-two-three in the second only for the third to see another ASU solo home run, this time from junior Kiara Kennedy – her fifth of the season.
Samantha Mejia entered as relief for Lopez in the top of the fourth with two outs and two runners in scoring position. Mejia walked the first batter she faced to load the bases before a defensive catch in foul territory by Denae Chatman left Lehigh stranded.
?? @SamanthaaMejia ??
— Sun Devil Softball (@ASUSoftball) March 9, 2020
3????3???? pic.twitter.com/WhRkIqONC5
Mailey McLemore and Halle Harger touched home plate for two more ASU runs late in the fourth inning, pushing the Sun Devils to a 4-0 lead.
The Sun Devil big bats exploded in the fifth inning, scoring five runs to notch their third run-rule of the ASU Invitational. A three-run home run from Jordyn VanHook sealed the walk-off 9-0 victory.
WALK IT OFF FRESHMAN ??@jordynvanhook CALLED GAME pic.twitter.com/hjngwtrpck
— Sun Devil Softball (@ASUSoftball) March 9, 2020
Game 2: ASU 9, OSU 0
Junior pitcher Madison Preston made her seventh game start, throwing to seven batters in the first three innings without a hit.
Where the defense put in work to keep the Buckeyes at bay, the offense took the early lead with five runs in the first inning. Second baseman Halle Harger notched three RBI from a single to right field and an error by the fielder that brought home Denae Chatman, Bella Loomis and Alynah Torres. In her next at-bat Loomis scored a three-run home run, improving the Sun Devil lead to 8-0 in the bottom of the second.
?? #BellaBomb ??@BellaLoomis strikes again ??
— Sun Devil Softball (@ASUSoftball) March 9, 2020
ASU 8 - OSU 0 pic.twitter.com/uEjmSCFqph
OSU presented its best scoring chance in the top of the third with two runners on base but an unassisted ground out by Chatman brought the nation's home run leaders back to the plate.
After a quiet ASU third, Chatman reignited ASU's offense with the second home run of the game – her fifth this year.
?? @DeNae_Chatman CRUSHED that ball pic.twitter.com/hVEHQKeyVG
— Sun Devil Softball (@ASUSoftball) March 9, 2020
Two looking strikeouts from Preston in the top of the fifth secured the 9-0 run-rule victory for ASU. Preston pitched five innings and faced 18 batters, striking out six with only one hit.
Up next:
ASU hosts South Dakota on Tuesday, March 10 at 6:00 p.m. at Farrington Stadium before starting conference play at No. 1 UCLA this weekend. Follow along with the Devils on social media on Twitter @ASUSoftball and on Instagram @SunDevilSB.