TEMPE – Sun Devil Softball used a 10-run fifth inning to overcome an early 5-0 deficit and claim a 15-7 win over Miami (Ohio) on Friday night during day two of the Kajikawa Classic at Farrington Stadium.
Down 7-5 entering the bottom of the fifth inning, ASU (2-0) used all the tools to end the night early. They loaded the bases with two walks around a bunt single and eventually tied the game by forcing Miami (0-2) into a pair of errors, allowing runs to score. The game flipped for good when Grace Molitor and Tiare Ho-Ching scored following a bases-loaded walk to Ashleigh Mejia.
Now leading 9-7, Kelsey Hall ignited the Club Farrington faithful with a three-run home run to center field. Her first homer of the season came just 278 days after leaving the same center field with an injury at the end of last season. Nehanda Lewis put ASU on the brink of winning with an RBI single, and then Tanya Windle delivered the walk-off with a two-run double to left center.
It was a slow start for the Sun Devils as Miami put five runs on the board in the top of the second inning. Meika Lauppe entered in relief and worked the final 3.2 innings with just two runs (one earned) allowed while matching her career-best with four strikeouts to keep the team within striking distance.
AJ Murphy sparked the rally with a solo home run to right-center in the second inning. She then blasted a three-run shot to left in the third inning to notch her first career multi-home run game. Samantha Swan added an RBI single in the fourth.
Murphy and Mejia reached base in all four of their plate appearances, with the duo each scoring three times. Swan and Lewis finished with three hits and two runs apiece. Seven different Sun Devils had a hit in the game, with six posting at least one RBI.
Notable
Senior AJ Murphy
On her approach at the plate that resulted in two home runs
"I just saw the pitches that Coach Bloomer prepared us for exactly to a tee. I trusted his plan and my teammates behind and in front of me to get it done."
Graduate Kelsey Hall
On her first home run coming off an ACL injury
"Coming into this year, it's another season of an ACL where I have to really value grace and process and I'm just trying to have celebrations within every at-bat. So It was really refreshing I'm not going to lie. It was exciting, but I was so excited to see how happy my teammates were for me. It just shows how absolutely awesome they are."
Up Next
The Sun Devils are back in action on Saturday during day three of the Kajikawa Classic. ASU begins with a rematch with Miami at 6 p.m. before taking on Minnesota at 8:15 p.m. Be sure to stay connected with Sun Devil Softball on X (@ASUsoftball) for the latest updates on game time changes with six games taking place at Farrington Stadium on Saturday.
Down 7-5 entering the bottom of the fifth inning, ASU (2-0) used all the tools to end the night early. They loaded the bases with two walks around a bunt single and eventually tied the game by forcing Miami (0-2) into a pair of errors, allowing runs to score. The game flipped for good when Grace Molitor and Tiare Ho-Ching scored following a bases-loaded walk to Ashleigh Mejia.
Now leading 9-7, Kelsey Hall ignited the Club Farrington faithful with a three-run home run to center field. Her first homer of the season came just 278 days after leaving the same center field with an injury at the end of last season. Nehanda Lewis put ASU on the brink of winning with an RBI single, and then Tanya Windle delivered the walk-off with a two-run double to left center.
It was a slow start for the Sun Devils as Miami put five runs on the board in the top of the second inning. Meika Lauppe entered in relief and worked the final 3.2 innings with just two runs (one earned) allowed while matching her career-best with four strikeouts to keep the team within striking distance.
AJ Murphy sparked the rally with a solo home run to right-center in the second inning. She then blasted a three-run shot to left in the third inning to notch her first career multi-home run game. Samantha Swan added an RBI single in the fourth.
Murphy and Mejia reached base in all four of their plate appearances, with the duo each scoring three times. Swan and Lewis finished with three hits and two runs apiece. Seven different Sun Devils had a hit in the game, with six posting at least one RBI.
Notable
- With Julianne Tipton starting in the circle one game after Cambree Creager started, the pair became the first ASU freshmen pitchers to start the first two games of a season since Dale Ryndak and Breanna Macha in 2015.
- The multi-home run game from Muprhy is the first since Hall hit two at GCU last April. The San Diego State transfer hit four home runs in the entire 2024 season.
- ASU has seen seven freshmen take the field over the first two games, with Tipton and Takyla Davis making their debuts on Friday.
- The run-rule victory is the first for ASU since a 15-0 win in five innings over North Florida on March 2, 2024. The Sun Devils are 330-65 in games decided by run-rule in program history.
- Friday is the second time in the past two seasons that ASU has overcome a deficit of five or more to win, joining a six-run rally to beat Ohio State on Feb. 22, 2024.
Senior AJ Murphy
On her approach at the plate that resulted in two home runs
"I just saw the pitches that Coach Bloomer prepared us for exactly to a tee. I trusted his plan and my teammates behind and in front of me to get it done."
Graduate Kelsey Hall
On her first home run coming off an ACL injury
"Coming into this year, it's another season of an ACL where I have to really value grace and process and I'm just trying to have celebrations within every at-bat. So It was really refreshing I'm not going to lie. It was exciting, but I was so excited to see how happy my teammates were for me. It just shows how absolutely awesome they are."
Up Next
The Sun Devils are back in action on Saturday during day three of the Kajikawa Classic. ASU begins with a rematch with Miami at 6 p.m. before taking on Minnesota at 8:15 p.m. Be sure to stay connected with Sun Devil Softball on X (@ASUsoftball) for the latest updates on game time changes with six games taking place at Farrington Stadium on Saturday.