Sun Devils Drop Opener at Utah

SALT LAKE CITY – It was a tough start to the delayed opener of this weekend's series for No. 25 Sun Devil softball as Utah used a pair of six-run innings to take a 12-3 win in five innings on Friday night.

Arizona State (20-12, 4-6 Pac-12) was held to three hits while scoring a single run in the third, fourth, and fifth innings. They gave up 13 hits to Utah (23-7, 7-3) and the two big innings.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Utah scored six runs on six hits – including a triple – in the bottom of the first to take the early advantage.
• ASU got on the board with a Kayla Lissy home run to deep right field leading off the top of the third inning.
• In the fourth, the Sun Devils used a bases-loaded single from Gianna Boccagno to get within 6-2, but they stranded the bases loaded with a pair of flyouts.
• Utah answered in the bottom of the fourth with a pair of doubles being part of a six-hit frame that accounted for six runs.
• Kalyn McCarthy reached on an error and came around to score on a second Utah error for the game's final run.

ABSOLUTELY CRUSHED ?? @lissykayla first home run as a Sun Devil was a LONG one. ??

T3 ASU 1 | Utah 6

?? Pac-12 Network
?? https://t.co/0EDLieM9M7#ForksUp /// #O2V pic.twitter.com/Y4JfCUsLl1

— Sun Devil Softball (@ASUSoftball) April 8, 2023

NOTABLE

• The home run by Lissy was her first extra-base hit of the season. Her last home run was on April 11, 2022, for Ball State against Ohio.
• Boccagno's RBI single was her first RBI since March 4 against Boise State.
• McCarthy scored a run for the second consecutive game.
• ASU has now dropped the first game in all four Pac-12 series this season.

UP NEXT
Arizona State and Utah will close the series with a doubleheader on Saturday starting at 8 a.m. MST. Both games will be broadcast on the Utah Live Stream.