TEMPE – In keeping with the theme for the weekend, Sun Devil softball played another tight game to close the Sun Devil Classic on Sunday, but they fell to New Mexico State 10-8. Both teams held the lead at times before the Aggies used a three-run seventh to create enough separation for the victory.
Arizona State (11-6) trailed 2-0 before coming to the plate as NMSU (9-5) scored with a sac fly and on a wild pitch. The Sun Devils countered with two runs in the bottom of the inning behind back-to-back triples from Alesia Denby and Kayla Lissy.
ASU took a 4-2 lead in the second inning when Yannixa Acuña hit a two-run shot to right for her first career home run. They added a fifth run with an RBI double from Denby in the third. The lead was 6-3 in the top of the fifth when the visiting Aggies pulled even with a three-run home run.
Audrey LeClair tripled home a run to put ASU back in front in the home half of the fifth inning, only to see NMSU tie the game with a run in the sixth and then plate three runs in the seventh. Shannon Cunningham homered to start the Sun Devil seventh, but that would be all they would push across in their final at-bat.
Eight of the Sun Devils' 12 hits went for extra bases, including the first game with three triples in the past 20 years of available game records.
Acuña finished with three hits for the second time in three games and third time this season. Denby and LeClair each had two hits – a double and a triple – while Tanya Windle added two hits. The Lissy triple extended her hitting streak to six games for the longest streak by a Sun Devil this season.
UP NEXT
The Sun Devils now look ahead to the ASU Invitational which will begin on Friday at Farrington Stadium ASU will open with games against UC San Diego and James Madison on Friday with both games on the ASU Live Stream.
QUOTABLES
Arizona State Head Coach Megan Bartlett
On today's offense, despite the loss
"I think we were picking good pitches and we're settling into a bit of lineup. We can get on base, we can push the pace of play and force people to make mistakes and get catchers to throw the ball around. We did some really, really good things today, too. I'm really pleased with the hitters."
On the bonds the team has with each other and the importance of that connection
"It's everything. Our culture and our clubhouse are everything. They believe in each other, and they have each other's back. When the pitchers trust their defense, trust the hitters, and everyone's got each other's back, they'll come up with some magic in ball games."
Sun Devil outfielder Yannixa Acuña
On today's home run and her thoughts at the plate
"I was just waiting for a pitch, and I was swinging up. The pitcher was throwing up, so I was just waiting for it, and I felt super confident up there."
Arizona State (11-6) trailed 2-0 before coming to the plate as NMSU (9-5) scored with a sac fly and on a wild pitch. The Sun Devils countered with two runs in the bottom of the inning behind back-to-back triples from Alesia Denby and Kayla Lissy.
ASU took a 4-2 lead in the second inning when Yannixa Acuña hit a two-run shot to right for her first career home run. They added a fifth run with an RBI double from Denby in the third. The lead was 6-3 in the top of the fifth when the visiting Aggies pulled even with a three-run home run.
Audrey LeClair tripled home a run to put ASU back in front in the home half of the fifth inning, only to see NMSU tie the game with a run in the sixth and then plate three runs in the seventh. Shannon Cunningham homered to start the Sun Devil seventh, but that would be all they would push across in their final at-bat.
Eight of the Sun Devils' 12 hits went for extra bases, including the first game with three triples in the past 20 years of available game records.
Acuña finished with three hits for the second time in three games and third time this season. Denby and LeClair each had two hits – a double and a triple – while Tanya Windle added two hits. The Lissy triple extended her hitting streak to six games for the longest streak by a Sun Devil this season.
UP NEXT
The Sun Devils now look ahead to the ASU Invitational which will begin on Friday at Farrington Stadium ASU will open with games against UC San Diego and James Madison on Friday with both games on the ASU Live Stream.
QUOTABLES
Arizona State Head Coach Megan Bartlett
On today's offense, despite the loss
"I think we were picking good pitches and we're settling into a bit of lineup. We can get on base, we can push the pace of play and force people to make mistakes and get catchers to throw the ball around. We did some really, really good things today, too. I'm really pleased with the hitters."
On the bonds the team has with each other and the importance of that connection
"It's everything. Our culture and our clubhouse are everything. They believe in each other, and they have each other's back. When the pitchers trust their defense, trust the hitters, and everyone's got each other's back, they'll come up with some magic in ball games."
Sun Devil outfielder Yannixa Acuña
On today's home run and her thoughts at the plate
"I was just waiting for a pitch, and I was swinging up. The pitcher was throwing up, so I was just waiting for it, and I felt super confident up there."