TEMPE– Sun Devil Softball closed out a three-game set with its in-state rival on Sunday, taking down No. 10 Arizona 3-2 for its fourth win over a ranked team this season.
A two-run home run by Ashleigh Mejia and an RBI-double by Tiare Ho-Ching – two of ASU's four hits in the third inning – proved to be the difference makers in helping the Sun Devils (23-10, 5-4 Big 12) outlast the Wildcats (29-5, 6-3).
Kenzie Brown provided the Sun Devils with consistency in the circle, carrying a shutout through 5 2/3 innings, before an RBI-single got the Wildcats on the board. Brown was able to close out the inning and Meika Lauppe came in to close out the game and earn the save.
Notable
Quotable
Arizona State Head Coach Megan Bartlett
On adjustments made after the previous two losses to Arizona:
"We spent a lot of time spinning on balls the last couple of nights, so we did spend some time early in the cage. They picked a little bit better pitches, they got on time. We're certainly happy with how quickly we got the starter out of the game, because she gave us fits on Friday night. But that's a really good pitching staff. That's a top-10 win. Some of it was that they just needed to calm down and play. We do things the way we're capable, and we can work with a little bit of a lead for the pitching staff."
On Kenzie Brown's performance in the circle:
"She'll just get a tiny bit off-time, and then her body will decide to cooperate, and then she'll just go back to doing Kenzie things. She didn't pitch much her freshman year. She was a middle reliever for us as a sophomore and then she had a whole year off And we're about halfway through this year. So as veteran and experienced as she seems sometimes, she's just still working through the process."
On Ashleigh Mejia's two-run home run:
"It's so exciting. She'll adjust for the most part, especially as the year has gone on and she's kind of cut her teeth a little bit. Her zone awareness has gotten better and better, but she can hunt, and when you throw her the pitch that she's looking for and she's on time, watch out, because she's powerful enough to get it out of any yard in the country."
Senior Pitcher Kenzie Brown
On the confidence she gained after getting out of bases-loaded jam in the first inning:
"First of all, I really need to stop doing that. I think it was just key knowing that I am good enough. So I took that with me for the rest of the game: that I am good enough to get out of things like that. It
Freshman Outfielder Ashleigh Mejia
On the message to the younger players in the dugout:
"Just focusing on what we're good at and not trying to do too much. You don't change anything. It's just another game and we're going to compete regardless of who we're playing. I think a lot of the things the younger girls were talking about was to just lock into what we want to do and just play our best out on the field. It's just something you have to do as a freshman going out there."
Inning-by-inning recap
1st Inning
Kenzie Brown escaped a bases-loaded jam after giving up two hits and a walk. She settled in, issuing three-straight strikeouts to keep the Wildcats scoreless.
The Sun Devils couldn't get anything started against Swain, going down in 1-2-3 fashion.
2nd Inning
Brown got out of another tough situation, this time with runners on the corners. She got some help from her defense, inducing a flyout and two ground balls.
ASU got a couple hits, putting a runner into scoring position, but was unable to bring any runs home.
3rd Inning
Brown returned to the circle for her third inning of work, working around a one-out single to keep it scoreless.
The Sun Devils got the scoring started, as Ashleigh Mejia lined a two-run home run into right-center field. Back-to-back doubles from Kelsey Hall and Tiare Ho-Ching added another run and a 3-0 lead for the Devils.
4th Inning
The Wildcats went down in order, as Brown picked up another strikeout and two groundouts.
Sam Swan led off the inning with a single and moved over to second on a fielder's choice groundout from AJ Murphy, but the offense couldn't get anything going after that, leaving Swan stranded in scoring position.
5th Inning
Brown continued her dominance in the circle, pitching another 3-up, 3-down inning.
The Sun Devils went down in order.
6th Inning
Arizona got on the board with a two-out RBI-single, cutting ASU's lead to 3-1. Brown was able to limit the damage getting out of the inning with a strikeout.
ASU was able to get two runners on, but couldn't scratch any across, keeping the score at 3-1.
7th Inning
Meika Lauppe came in to pitch for the Sun Devils, relieving Brown. After Arizona got a run back on two singles and a fielder's choice, Lauppe settled in and struck out the final batter, preserving the 3-2 victory for the Sun Devils.
Up Next
The Sun Devils travel to Ames, Iowa, to take on Iowa State. Game one of the three-game series is set for Friday at 2 p.m. MST and can be seen on ESPN+.
A two-run home run by Ashleigh Mejia and an RBI-double by Tiare Ho-Ching – two of ASU's four hits in the third inning – proved to be the difference makers in helping the Sun Devils (23-10, 5-4 Big 12) outlast the Wildcats (29-5, 6-3).
Kenzie Brown provided the Sun Devils with consistency in the circle, carrying a shutout through 5 2/3 innings, before an RBI-single got the Wildcats on the board. Brown was able to close out the inning and Meika Lauppe came in to close out the game and earn the save.
Notable
- Kenzie Brown pitched six innings of one-run softball, striking out eight. Her season ERA of 0.98 is among the top 10 in the country.
- Today marked the seventh time this season Brown has completed six or more innings. She has earned the win in every such appearance.
- Ashleigh Mejia's go-ahead, third-inning home run was her eighth of the season, tying her for the team lead with Kelsey Hall. The home run broke a scoreless tie and brought her season RBI total to 21.
- The home run by Mejia was her sixth this season that either tied or gave ASU the lead.
- ASU's four wins over ranked teams so far this season is double it had last season. Sunday's upset of No. 10 Arizona is the highest ranked win the Sun Devils have had since their 9-3 victory at No. 5 Washington last season.
- The Sun Devils rank 44th in the country in batting average, hitting .321 as a team. The squad also ranks 44th in RBI (163).
Quotable
Arizona State Head Coach Megan Bartlett
On adjustments made after the previous two losses to Arizona:
"We spent a lot of time spinning on balls the last couple of nights, so we did spend some time early in the cage. They picked a little bit better pitches, they got on time. We're certainly happy with how quickly we got the starter out of the game, because she gave us fits on Friday night. But that's a really good pitching staff. That's a top-10 win. Some of it was that they just needed to calm down and play. We do things the way we're capable, and we can work with a little bit of a lead for the pitching staff."
On Kenzie Brown's performance in the circle:
"She'll just get a tiny bit off-time, and then her body will decide to cooperate, and then she'll just go back to doing Kenzie things. She didn't pitch much her freshman year. She was a middle reliever for us as a sophomore and then she had a whole year off And we're about halfway through this year. So as veteran and experienced as she seems sometimes, she's just still working through the process."
On Ashleigh Mejia's two-run home run:
"It's so exciting. She'll adjust for the most part, especially as the year has gone on and she's kind of cut her teeth a little bit. Her zone awareness has gotten better and better, but she can hunt, and when you throw her the pitch that she's looking for and she's on time, watch out, because she's powerful enough to get it out of any yard in the country."
Senior Pitcher Kenzie Brown
On the confidence she gained after getting out of bases-loaded jam in the first inning:
"First of all, I really need to stop doing that. I think it was just key knowing that I am good enough. So I took that with me for the rest of the game: that I am good enough to get out of things like that. It
Freshman Outfielder Ashleigh Mejia
On the message to the younger players in the dugout:
"Just focusing on what we're good at and not trying to do too much. You don't change anything. It's just another game and we're going to compete regardless of who we're playing. I think a lot of the things the younger girls were talking about was to just lock into what we want to do and just play our best out on the field. It's just something you have to do as a freshman going out there."
Inning-by-inning recap
1st Inning
Kenzie Brown escaped a bases-loaded jam after giving up two hits and a walk. She settled in, issuing three-straight strikeouts to keep the Wildcats scoreless.
The Sun Devils couldn't get anything started against Swain, going down in 1-2-3 fashion.
2nd Inning
Brown got out of another tough situation, this time with runners on the corners. She got some help from her defense, inducing a flyout and two ground balls.
ASU got a couple hits, putting a runner into scoring position, but was unable to bring any runs home.
3rd Inning
Brown returned to the circle for her third inning of work, working around a one-out single to keep it scoreless.
The Sun Devils got the scoring started, as Ashleigh Mejia lined a two-run home run into right-center field. Back-to-back doubles from Kelsey Hall and Tiare Ho-Ching added another run and a 3-0 lead for the Devils.
4th Inning
The Wildcats went down in order, as Brown picked up another strikeout and two groundouts.
Sam Swan led off the inning with a single and moved over to second on a fielder's choice groundout from AJ Murphy, but the offense couldn't get anything going after that, leaving Swan stranded in scoring position.
5th Inning
Brown continued her dominance in the circle, pitching another 3-up, 3-down inning.
The Sun Devils went down in order.
6th Inning
Arizona got on the board with a two-out RBI-single, cutting ASU's lead to 3-1. Brown was able to limit the damage getting out of the inning with a strikeout.
ASU was able to get two runners on, but couldn't scratch any across, keeping the score at 3-1.
7th Inning
Meika Lauppe came in to pitch for the Sun Devils, relieving Brown. After Arizona got a run back on two singles and a fielder's choice, Lauppe settled in and struck out the final batter, preserving the 3-2 victory for the Sun Devils.
Up Next
The Sun Devils travel to Ames, Iowa, to take on Iowa State. Game one of the three-game series is set for Friday at 2 p.m. MST and can be seen on ESPN+.