(Tempe, AZ) No. 22/23 Arizona State softball squad kicked off the first day of the 2020 Kajikawa Classic, winning their double header. ASU began the day with a 10-0 five inning win over Portland State, and then after being down four runs the Devils rallied for a 8-5 win over Kansas.
The action at Farrington is the first since playing Pac-12 opponent Cal last May. The Devils ended the 2019 season in the Tuscaloosa Regional against Alabama.
“Arizona State softball is dynamic in the box, we are a team no matter what the score is, no matter what inning it is, I know we always have a shot,” said head coach Trisha Ford. “I’m crazy confident of what we can do in the box and we are never out of a game.”
Game 1: ASU 10, Portland State 0
Starting pitcher Cielo Meza started off strong for the Sun Devils as she retired the first three Portland State batters.
In a score heavy first inning, senior Kindra Hackbarth began the batting rotation with a leadoff single up the middle. Following the single, both Bella Loomis and Maddi Hackbarthsaw a handful of pitches before being walked. Then DeNae Chatman came up with loaded bases, but was walked, bringing in K. Hackbarth for the first score of the game. On a pass ball Loomis scored and advanced Chatman and M. Hackbarth on the bases.
With two outs, Kiara Kennedy blasted a double into right centerfield earning herself two RBI with Alynah Torres and Chatman coming home to increase the lead to 4-0.
Succeeding Kennedy in the batting order was freshman Jazmine Hill. Hill saw a few pitches before she decided to swing at a pitch coming down the pipe that was blasted out of the stadium. In her first at-bat as a Sun Devil, Hill’s two-run homer was also her first collegiate home run.
The Sun Devils walked away from the first inning with a 6-0 lead as Meza went back to work in the circle for two consecutive innings with a three up and down mentality to continue her perfect game and no-hitter.
ASU’s offense would not strike again until the third inning with Kennedy’s single into left field. Hill then earned herself a spot on base with an error on Portland State, putting pinch runner Savannah Morales into scoring position. K. Hackbarth doubled into left field and earned two RBI with Hill and Morales scoring. Loomis hit another double, but this time into centerfield to bring home K. Hackbarth for a 9-0 lead.
To lock in the win during a wild pitch with pinch hitter Mailey McLemore, Alli Tatnalli advanced home for the final run of the game.
In Meza’s five innings pitched, her no hitter and perfect game were broken only one batter away from finishing the game.
In the spirit of it’s winning ways, ASU’s ‘W’ against Portland State marks the 24th time in the last 25 seasons that ASU won it’s season opening game.
Game 2: ASU 8 Kansas 5
In their second game of the day, ASU was down by four runs until the fourth winning when the No. 2 scoring team in the country turned up the heat to top Kansas by a final of 8-5.
Starting pitcher Samantha Meija held the Jayhawks scoreless in the first while the Sun Devil offense took three base on balls in the bottom of the first.
In the top of the second, Kansas landed on the scoreboard first with a three-run home run. Meija bounced back in the third, striking out two Jayhawks.
The Sun Devil offense kept creating opportunities in the box as M. Hackbarth and Chatman had back to back singles, but were left stranded on base.
Meija gave up a home run in the top of the fourth inning and transfer Madison Preston took over in the circle to then finish out the game. Preston’s control of the mound was her first appearance as a Sun Devil transfer.
In the fourth inning, after battling a seven pitch at-bat, Yanni Acuña hit a home run to right field to get the Sun Devils on the board cutting down the Kansas lead to 4-1. K. Hackbarth then reached on an error by the left fielder to then advance to second.
With the momentum swinging in ASU’s direction, Loomis hit a double into right field bringing K. Hackbarth home, cutting the Kansas lead to only two runs. The Jayhawks held the Devils from scoring in the fifth inning, but the offense kept pursuing.
Hill opened up the sixth with a single to left field and then advanced to second on a throwing error on Yanni Acuña’s at-bat. K. Hackbarth blasted a double down the middle allowing Hill to score to make the game 4-3. Then Loomis followed in her footsteps and with her double K. Hackbarth ran across home plate for the tying run.
The offense continued to flourish as M. Hackbarth hit a two-run homer to take the first Sun Devil lead of the game. Two batters later, freshman Alynah Torres popped the ball right over centerfield for a two-run home run.
Down by four runs, Kansas made one final push to regain the lead with a runner on third who was able to capitalize on a ball that bounced into fair play off Sun Devil catcher M. Hackbarth to make the game 8-5.
Combined, the Sun Devils had 19 hits Friday, six coming from the squad’s newcomers.
Up Next
ASU is back in action tomorrow, Saturday, February 7 for day two of the Kajikawa Classic. The Sun Devils will play two games, the first against Western Michigan at 4:30 p.m. MST and then against Northwestern at 7:00 p.m. MST. Both games will be broadcasted on the Pac-12 Network.
Press Release courtesy of Sun Devil Athletics
