TEMPE – On the third day of the Littlewood Classic, Sun Devil Softball (7-2) picked up a pair of run-rule victories on Saturday night at Farrington Stadium. Arizona State began the day with an 11-3 win over Illinois State (2-7) and then came back for an 8-0 win over DePaul (4-4) in the nightcap.
Arizona State 11, Illinois State 3
After a slow start for the Sun Devils, the bats of ASU quickly heated up with 11 unanswered runs which featured four home runs to take the first game of the doubleheader. Three Sun Devils recorde multiple hits, including a 3-for-3 performance from Yanni Acuña. Deborah Jones earned her first win at ASU with three shutout innings in the circle.
How It Happened:
Arizona State 8, DePaul 0
All nine starters recorded a hit and the Sun Devils sent 12 batters to the plate in a 6-run second inning. Five of the 10 hits went for extra bases - including four doubles - and VanHook homered in her fourth straight game. Mac Osborne was dominant in the circle with a career-high six strikeouts and she held the Blue Demons hitless into the fifth inning.
How It Happened:
Notables:
The Sun Devils will play in the final game of the Littlewood Classic tomorrow at 10:30 a.m. where they will face Weber State. Coverage can be seen on ASU Live Stream-2 and follow @ASUSoftball on Twitter for all the coverage.
QUOTES:
Head Coach Megan Bartlett
On Mac Osborne:
"She got buried behind some really great pitchers of Virginia Tech the last couple years. So we didn't really need to do much with her skill set when she got here. We really just had to find a way to build her confidence, because once we do, and she feels like she's capable of going out and competing against any lineup in the country, she is going to win some really big ballgames for us. When she's in a dark space we're going to be the people to tell her, you are talented, and you are capable and you need to go get it because you're going to keep getting the ball. She's just such a sweet kid and when we get that kid in a safe space, and I think she learns to compete a little bit she's going to be great food us."
On identity of the offense:
"Hit-ability, hit-ability, hit-ability. I don't know that the power numbers are going to look the same, but I'm hoping that we're going to hang in there. We're going to have better adjustability and stability when the strikeouts come way down, and we become the toughest team in the country to strike out. We're going to find a way to score in really tough moments against great pitching."
On Deb Jones:
"She is just a master of changing speeds. And she's got this brilliant composure about her.. She has thrown a ton of innings in her career. I'm excited for Deb. I think she can compete at a really high level for us. She is a very talented pitcher and she is an even better human. And she's a glue kid and a huge part of our clubhouse and what the program will be moving forward."
Jazmine Hill
On getting a few dominating wins over the past couple of days
"I just think the biggest thing was that we kept the momentum going instead of just pressing the brakes. We kept telling each other to keep going and just keep having quality at-bats and on defense, make plays."
On what the Sun Devils did differently this time after getting into an early hole versus BYU:
"Obviously, we decided to learn from what we did against BYU, and just forget about it and come back and do what we know how to do, which is play ball and trust ourselves."
On what the team's message was to Mac Osborne tonight after she struggled versus BYU earlier this week:
"Just trust herself. I mean, her spin is incredible, so after seeing today's game I know she probably feels very good, so I think she just needs to trust the defense behind her and just know that her spin is incredible."
Mac Osborne
On bouncing back after her performance versus BYU:
"Yeah, coming in I just said 'I've got to spin the ball and trust my defense'. My defense played really good tonight, so kudos to them."
On the importance of not only redeeming herself after her performance versus BYU but also helping her team out:
"It's great. We have such a stellar pitching staff. We've got five arms that can go any time, any moment, and just to come in and throw these five innings and get outs and be ready for tomorrow. We have four great arms behind me, and I think we'll be ready to attack tomorrow's game."
On how Osborne's teammates helped her in the shutout win versus DePaul:
"Energy. We made two great double plays right there, in the game. Just knowing that they're right behind me and talking to me every pitch, whether I threw a ball or I threw a strike, or one foul ball - the energy from the dugout feeds in to outside, on the field, so it's very energetic."
On what she was feeling out on the mound during the fifth inning:
"I was like, 'I've got to help my team, just throw strikes and get the outs'. I know they worked hard to get those 8 runs, and here we are - we got the win in five innings."
On the pressure that's there when the team is leading and she needs to step up and get the win:
"You can feel it a little bit, but this whole game I was like 'I've got defense behind me, whether I give up a hit, a home run, whatever.' I knew that whatever happened, we were going to come back and beat them ten times more."
Arizona State 11, Illinois State 3
After a slow start for the Sun Devils, the bats of ASU quickly heated up with 11 unanswered runs which featured four home runs to take the first game of the doubleheader. Three Sun Devils recorde multiple hits, including a 3-for-3 performance from Yanni Acuña. Deborah Jones earned her first win at ASU with three shutout innings in the circle.
How It Happened:
- The Redbirds took advantage of a couple of singles to score their first two runs of the game. The ASU deficit reached 3-0 when Delainey Bryant homered to start the third inning.
- Yanni Acuña drove home her sister Yaya Acuña with a single to get the Seun Devils on the board.
- Jazmine Hill hit a 3-run home run two batters later and then Jazmyn Rollin went deep for back-to-back home runs that left ASU leading 5-3 after three.
- With two outs in the fourth inning, ASU got four straight singles before back-to-back home runs from McKenna Harper and Jordyn VanHook opened the lead to 11-3.
- Jones allowed a walk and two hits before stranding the bases loaded to earn the victory.
Club Farrington is ACTIVE tonight thanks to @makennaharp ?? ??
— Sun Devil Softball (@ASUSoftball) February 19, 2023
B4: ISU 3 /// ASU 10#ForksUp /// #O2V pic.twitter.com/vcmXATIorl
Arizona State 8, DePaul 0
All nine starters recorded a hit and the Sun Devils sent 12 batters to the plate in a 6-run second inning. Five of the 10 hits went for extra bases - including four doubles - and VanHook homered in her fourth straight game. Mac Osborne was dominant in the circle with a career-high six strikeouts and she held the Blue Demons hitless into the fifth inning.
How It Happened:
- The scoring started on a sac fly from Sara Kinch that brought in VanHook. Doubles from Shannon Cunningham and Savannah Price followed and helped ASU build a 3-0 lead.
- That advantage reached 6-0 following three straight RBI singles from Marissa Schuld, Hill, and Rollin.
- VanHook provided the 8-run cushion needed with a 2-run blast to right to give her a conference leading six home runs on the season.
- With one out in the fifth, Addison Talbot singled up the middle to breakup the no-hitter.
- Osborne then induced a double play from the next hitter to end the game.
Double header ?? ??????#ForksUp /// #O2V pic.twitter.com/QTt5oW1meD
— Sun Devil Softball (@ASUSoftball) February 19, 2023
Notables:
- Against Illinois State, the top-4 batters in the lineup for the Sun Devils went an efficient 8-for-12 with seven RBIs and two home runs.
- Game one against Illinois State marked the second time this season the Sun Devils have gone yard four times in a single game.
- The comeback over Illinois State was the Sun Devils third comeback victory of the year and matched the largest deficit overcome in a win.
- The Sun Devils turned a pair of double plays in each of the games on Saturday after having none in the season's first seven contests.
- With 17 home runs through nine games, ASU is ahead of the pace set by last season's team that finished with a program-record 104 long balls. That team didn't hit its 17th home run until the 14th game of the season.
- VanHook finished the day with a home run in four straight games. It's the longest home run streak since Cydney Sanders homered in five straight games last April.
- VanHook also matched her career-best hitting streak of four straight set earlier this season.
- Yanni Acuña has now reached base in 19 consecutive games dating back to last season and she has a hit in 16 of her last 17.
- With three scoreless innings, Jones has no gone 5.2 consecutive innings without allowing a run.
- Osborne recorded the second complete game and first shutout of her career. It was the second one-hit shutout by the Sun Devils this season.
The Sun Devils will play in the final game of the Littlewood Classic tomorrow at 10:30 a.m. where they will face Weber State. Coverage can be seen on ASU Live Stream-2 and follow @ASUSoftball on Twitter for all the coverage.
QUOTES:
Head Coach Megan Bartlett
On Mac Osborne:
"She got buried behind some really great pitchers of Virginia Tech the last couple years. So we didn't really need to do much with her skill set when she got here. We really just had to find a way to build her confidence, because once we do, and she feels like she's capable of going out and competing against any lineup in the country, she is going to win some really big ballgames for us. When she's in a dark space we're going to be the people to tell her, you are talented, and you are capable and you need to go get it because you're going to keep getting the ball. She's just such a sweet kid and when we get that kid in a safe space, and I think she learns to compete a little bit she's going to be great food us."
On identity of the offense:
"Hit-ability, hit-ability, hit-ability. I don't know that the power numbers are going to look the same, but I'm hoping that we're going to hang in there. We're going to have better adjustability and stability when the strikeouts come way down, and we become the toughest team in the country to strike out. We're going to find a way to score in really tough moments against great pitching."
On Deb Jones:
"She is just a master of changing speeds. And she's got this brilliant composure about her.. She has thrown a ton of innings in her career. I'm excited for Deb. I think she can compete at a really high level for us. She is a very talented pitcher and she is an even better human. And she's a glue kid and a huge part of our clubhouse and what the program will be moving forward."
Jazmine Hill
On getting a few dominating wins over the past couple of days
"I just think the biggest thing was that we kept the momentum going instead of just pressing the brakes. We kept telling each other to keep going and just keep having quality at-bats and on defense, make plays."
On what the Sun Devils did differently this time after getting into an early hole versus BYU:
"Obviously, we decided to learn from what we did against BYU, and just forget about it and come back and do what we know how to do, which is play ball and trust ourselves."
On what the team's message was to Mac Osborne tonight after she struggled versus BYU earlier this week:
"Just trust herself. I mean, her spin is incredible, so after seeing today's game I know she probably feels very good, so I think she just needs to trust the defense behind her and just know that her spin is incredible."
Mac Osborne
On bouncing back after her performance versus BYU:
"Yeah, coming in I just said 'I've got to spin the ball and trust my defense'. My defense played really good tonight, so kudos to them."
On the importance of not only redeeming herself after her performance versus BYU but also helping her team out:
"It's great. We have such a stellar pitching staff. We've got five arms that can go any time, any moment, and just to come in and throw these five innings and get outs and be ready for tomorrow. We have four great arms behind me, and I think we'll be ready to attack tomorrow's game."
On how Osborne's teammates helped her in the shutout win versus DePaul:
"Energy. We made two great double plays right there, in the game. Just knowing that they're right behind me and talking to me every pitch, whether I threw a ball or I threw a strike, or one foul ball - the energy from the dugout feeds in to outside, on the field, so it's very energetic."
On what she was feeling out on the mound during the fifth inning:
"I was like, 'I've got to help my team, just throw strikes and get the outs'. I know they worked hard to get those 8 runs, and here we are - we got the win in five innings."
On the pressure that's there when the team is leading and she needs to step up and get the win:
"You can feel it a little bit, but this whole game I was like 'I've got defense behind me, whether I give up a hit, a home run, whatever.' I knew that whatever happened, we were going to come back and beat them ten times more."