TEMPE – Everyone always warns opponents not to let the bats get hot. Well, fourth-year head coach Megan Bartlett’s Sun Devil Softball program is no different after Arizona State totaled 29 combined runs across ASU’s two games in the Littlewood Invitational.
ASU began its Saturday tilt with a 20-2 win over Portland State in five innings, before withstanding a seventh-inning rally from Pacific to earn a 9-6 victory to close out the day.
Over the course of the pair of two-hour games, the Arizona State offense went to the dish 10 times. Of those 10 offensive innings, the Sun Devils scored at least one run in five or 50 percent.
The roof was blown off the Portland State game during an 11-run, 7-hit, 1-error bottom of the second that saw 14 Sun Devils have an at-bat. An inning later, ASU added seven more runs on five more hits after sending 12 to the plate. And it didn’t stop there as Brooke Piwowar and Corie Shull had run-scoring doubles during the bottom of the fourth to push Arizona State’s run total to 20, marking the most runs in a single game under Bartlett.
Welcome to the box score, Rook! 😈#ForksUp /// #BeElite pic.twitter.com/LbLcGD3FgN
The second inning laid the foundation for Arizona State’s eventual win over Pacific as Ryan Brown and JazMarie Roberts both scored on a Brooklyn Ulrich single to left-center field to give the Sun Devils a 2-0 lead right out of the gates.
Despite the Tigers answering right back with a two-run third, Arizona State dropped a seven spot during a bottom of the sixth that was bookend by a pair of doubles by Ashleigh Mejia and a pinch-hit, two-run home run off the bat of Katie Chester.
Bases Loaded?
Bases Cleared. #ForksUp /// @ashleighmejia24 pic.twitter.com/AuPLHP7ymI
The seven-run frame was enough to within stand Pacific’s four two-out runs in the top of the seventh, before Aissa Silva (4-0) struck out Jayleen Scott on three pitches to seal the Sun Devil victory.
From head coach Megan Bartlett
“Man, what a day it was. I thought the bats were outstanding in the opening game. But I feel like so much has happened since, then, though, so I’m having a little trouble remembering all of it. Tonight, we got a little bit messy on defense. Thankfully, the bats had already done their thing at that point, so we just have to make sure we show up in the morning, respect the game the right way, clean it up on defense and take care of business.
From sophomore outfielder Ashleigh Mejia
“My night was very exciting. I think the most important thing that happened tonight, though, was just remembering to have fun and be relaxed at the plate. I feel like I didn’t start out as strong as I wanted to, but I just trusted in the plan. Coach (Bartlett) talks a lot about continuing to swing and don’t put so much pressure on yourself and it’s going to happen for you. So, I think tonight really was my breakthrough.”
Game notes
- Arizona State’s 20 runs scored in five innings against Portland State were the most runs scored in a single game at Farrington Stadium since the Sun Devils beat GCU, 21-0, in five innings on Tuesday, April 6, 2021.
- Mary Peyton Hodge made her Arizona State debut when the left-handed freshman out of North Carolina pitched a scoreless fifth inning to close out the Sun Devils’ 18-run victory over the Vikings. She went on to earn her first career collegiate start hours later when she was given the softball to begin ASU’s night cap against Pacific.
- Against Portland State, 16 different Sun Devils were credited with at least one official plate appearance. Of those 16, 11 recorded at least one base hit, including freshman Brooke Piwowar who drove in Ashleigh Mejia on a run-scoring single to right field during the bottom of the third for her first career base hit.
- With a three-hit contest against Pacific to close out Saturday’s action, Ashleigh Mejia joined Emily Schepp (vs. Portland State, 2/12) and JazMarie Roberts (vs. Nevada, 2/13) as the only Sun Devils with a three-hit game during the 2026 season.
- By drawing a two-out, five-pitch walk during a seven-run bottom of the sixth against Pacific, Kaylee Pond extended her on-base streak to 10 consecutive games. Pond, a first-year Sun Devil, is the only ASU softball student-athlete to successfully reach base at least once in each softball game this season.
Up next
- Arizona State (9-1) will not only look for its ninth consecutive win, but also its 10th win at Farrington Stadium this season when the Sun Devils close out the Littlewood Invitational against Pacific (1-7) at 12:45 p.m. MST on Sunday, Feb. 15.
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