SAN DIEGO – Opening weekend for the No. 22 ranked Sun Devils concluded Saturday morning at the SDSU Kickoff Classic with Arizona State (4-1) run-ruling the Memphis Tigers (0-3), 10-0 to cap off the first tournament of the year under head coach Megan Bartlett. ASU will return to Club Farrington in the annual Littlewood Classic to take on BYU on Feb. 16.
Arizona State 10, Memphis 0
Lead-off hitter Yanni Acuña continued to shine with three hits, including her third home run of the weekend and adding three RBIs to conclude her weekend. Sophomore transfer Kenzie Brown made her Sun Devil debut in the circle, striking out a career-high nine batters and only allowing one hit in the contest. Seniors Jazmyn Rollin and Makenna Harper each had two hits in the run-rule victory which included five runs in the second frame.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
NOTABLES:
UP NEXT:
The Sun Devils return to Club Farrington in its home opener against BYU at 6 p.m. MST on Feb. 16. The game is first of five for the Sun Devils in the annual Littlewood Classic. Coverage can be seen on Pac-12 Oregon, follow @ASUSoftball on Twitter for the most up-to-date information.
Arizona State 10, Memphis 0
Lead-off hitter Yanni Acuña continued to shine with three hits, including her third home run of the weekend and adding three RBIs to conclude her weekend. Sophomore transfer Kenzie Brown made her Sun Devil debut in the circle, striking out a career-high nine batters and only allowing one hit in the contest. Seniors Jazmyn Rollin and Makenna Harper each had two hits in the run-rule victory which included five runs in the second frame.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Acuña kicked things off with a single, then Rollin singled through the gap. Following a Harper walk, utility hitter Marissa Schuld singled to left field to give ASU a 2-0 lead.
- After Brown struck out three batters in the second, Savannah Price was walked to start the bottom frame. Acuña then singled, as Rollin brought in Price to make it 3-0.
- After a Jazmine Hill walk to load the bases, Harper struck a single to clear the bases, scoring two more adding to the Sun Devil lead, 5-0.
- Schuld was hit by a pitch, making the bases loaded for the second time. Alexa Milius hit a deep sacrifice fly to score Hill, her first RBI as a Sun Devil.
- To cap off the second inning, Price busted a single to the outfield to score Harper, making it 7-0.
- After a scoreless third, freshman Yaya Acuña notched her first career hit with a single, with Milius doing the same. Yanni Acuña then knocked a home run over the right field wall to make it 10-0.
- After the first inning, Brown went on to strike out eight of the next 14 batters she faced to close out the victory for the Maroon and Gold.
Heading back to Tempe with a W ??????#ForksUp /// #O2V pic.twitter.com/VP7vQWFJcx
— Sun Devil Softball (@ASUSoftball) February 11, 2023
NOTABLES:
- Right-hander Kenzie Brown achieved a career-high nine strikeouts in her debut for the Sun Devils, along with her first career shutout and complete game, allowing only one hit, it's tied for the fewest amount of hits she's allowed in a start.
- Dating back to the start of the NCAA tournament on May 20, 2022. Eight of the last 11 games for Acuña have featured two or more hits. Continuing her hitting streak to 13 games, and hitting the long ball in three of the last four games.
- Rollin has a five-game hitting streak to start the year, along with at least one RBI in four straight games of the Sun Devils. The first time she's notched consecutive multi-hit games since March 20th & 25th against Oregon St and Arizona.
- Schuld's two RBIs made it the first time she's had a multi-RBI game since March 10, 2022 against BYU.
- Three stolen bases for the Sun Devils is the most since April 10, 2022 at Oregon.
UP NEXT:
The Sun Devils return to Club Farrington in its home opener against BYU at 6 p.m. MST on Feb. 16. The game is first of five for the Sun Devils in the annual Littlewood Classic. Coverage can be seen on Pac-12 Oregon, follow @ASUSoftball on Twitter for the most up-to-date information.