TEMPE – Sun Devil Softball began the 2025 season on a strong note with a 7-1 victory against Maryland in the opening game of the 20th edition of the Kajikawa Classic.
Tanya Windle started the season with a bang in the first inning, smashing a solo homer to right field to give the Sun Devils an early 1-0 lead. They would extend the advantage in the next inning courtesy of a Tiare Ho-Ching double that drove in two runs.
While Maryland got a run back in the top of the third, Arizona State responded with two runs in the bottom half. Samantha Swan's double scored Yannixa Acuña, and Swan touched home on an AJ Murphy single to make it a 5-1 ballgame.
In the bottom of the fourth, Ho-Ching continued her impressive freshman debut with a two-run blast to increase the lead to 7-1. It was the third straight inning where ASU put two runs on the board.
On the mound, Cambree Creager kept the Terrapins in check in her collegiate debut. The freshman from Georgetown, Texas, recorded two strikeouts and allowed only one run in four innings of work for her first career victory. Kenzie Brown took the ball in the fifth inning – returning to the field for the first time since 2023 – and picked up where Creager left off. Brown struck out the first five batters she faced and had six overall in recording the save.
Notable
Arizona State Head Coach Megan Bartlett
On how a huge win to begin the season can boost confidence
"I think the sky can be the limit for this crew, and they will go as far as they believe they're capable. We just need them to grab some momentum and keep it rolling throughout the season and as we move into the Big 12 in the back half of the season."
On having the support of Sun Devil Athletics at the game
"It certainly means everything. I remember those being some of my fondest moments as a student-athlete. I can tell you this about college athletics: rising tides raise all ships. When you have that departmental standard of excellence, you'll watch all your programs rise to it. So the fact that their buddies came out on their night off to cheer them on and we got a win is big-time and very cool. Shout out to the football team because they were showing up all last year, too, which I certainly appreciated."
Freshman Second Base Tiare Ho-Ching
On her success in her first two at-bats
"It felt really good to just jump on a pitch and get my jitters out my first at-bat. This is my first game, and it felt really good to get a good swing off and then just let that go toward my second at-bat. Then, when Tanya (Windle) starts a game like that, in your first game, it takes some jitters away when you see her just crack that pitch out."
Freshman Pitcher Cambree Creager
On how it feels for her freshman class to have such an impact on the game
"It's really cool. We're coach Bartlett's first recruiting class here at ASU. I think that is super special and speaks volumes about her and her coaching abilities."
Senior Pitcher Kenzie Brown
On returning to the mound after being injured for the 2024 season
"I just think that Cambree set me up so well to go in and just do my best, and same with our hitters. So I just went in, threw my pitches and it went in my favor. Sometimes that's going to fall, sometimes it's not. But going alongside Cambree, I think, is going to be super special this season."
Up Next
The Sun Devils will continue play in the Kajikawa Classic tomorrow at 6:30 p.m. against Miami (OH). The game will be broadcast on ESPN+.
Tanya Windle started the season with a bang in the first inning, smashing a solo homer to right field to give the Sun Devils an early 1-0 lead. They would extend the advantage in the next inning courtesy of a Tiare Ho-Ching double that drove in two runs.
While Maryland got a run back in the top of the third, Arizona State responded with two runs in the bottom half. Samantha Swan's double scored Yannixa Acuña, and Swan touched home on an AJ Murphy single to make it a 5-1 ballgame.
In the bottom of the fourth, Ho-Ching continued her impressive freshman debut with a two-run blast to increase the lead to 7-1. It was the third straight inning where ASU put two runs on the board.
On the mound, Cambree Creager kept the Terrapins in check in her collegiate debut. The freshman from Georgetown, Texas, recorded two strikeouts and allowed only one run in four innings of work for her first career victory. Kenzie Brown took the ball in the fifth inning – returning to the field for the first time since 2023 – and picked up where Creager left off. Brown struck out the first five batters she faced and had six overall in recording the save.
Notable
- ASU started four freshmen in the game – Creager, Ho-Ching, Ashleigh Mejia and Grace Molitor – for the first time in a season opener since 2003.
- Windle is the first Sun Devil since at least 2000 – when records are available – to hit a home run leading off the season opener.
- Creager is the first ASU freshman to start and earn the win in the season opener since Dale Ryndak beat Creighton in 2015.
- The Sun Devils are now 48-9 in the program's history in season openers and winners of 28 of the past 30.
Arizona State Head Coach Megan Bartlett
On how a huge win to begin the season can boost confidence
"I think the sky can be the limit for this crew, and they will go as far as they believe they're capable. We just need them to grab some momentum and keep it rolling throughout the season and as we move into the Big 12 in the back half of the season."
On having the support of Sun Devil Athletics at the game
"It certainly means everything. I remember those being some of my fondest moments as a student-athlete. I can tell you this about college athletics: rising tides raise all ships. When you have that departmental standard of excellence, you'll watch all your programs rise to it. So the fact that their buddies came out on their night off to cheer them on and we got a win is big-time and very cool. Shout out to the football team because they were showing up all last year, too, which I certainly appreciated."
Freshman Second Base Tiare Ho-Ching
On her success in her first two at-bats
"It felt really good to just jump on a pitch and get my jitters out my first at-bat. This is my first game, and it felt really good to get a good swing off and then just let that go toward my second at-bat. Then, when Tanya (Windle) starts a game like that, in your first game, it takes some jitters away when you see her just crack that pitch out."
Freshman Pitcher Cambree Creager
On how it feels for her freshman class to have such an impact on the game
"It's really cool. We're coach Bartlett's first recruiting class here at ASU. I think that is super special and speaks volumes about her and her coaching abilities."
Senior Pitcher Kenzie Brown
On returning to the mound after being injured for the 2024 season
"I just think that Cambree set me up so well to go in and just do my best, and same with our hitters. So I just went in, threw my pitches and it went in my favor. Sometimes that's going to fall, sometimes it's not. But going alongside Cambree, I think, is going to be super special this season."
Up Next
The Sun Devils will continue play in the Kajikawa Classic tomorrow at 6:30 p.m. against Miami (OH). The game will be broadcast on ESPN+.