Kenzie Brown closed out the win by stranding the bases loaded in the top of the seventh for her ninth with of the season. Brown worked the final four innings without allowing a hit. She relived Kylee Magee, who opened with three hitless innings before leaving, having allowed one run on two hits with three strikeouts.
ASU (19-11, 3-5) managed just four hits, with three coming during the decisive sixth-inning run. The Sun Devils’ pitching staff countered by holding Washington (26-7, 7-4) to just two hits – both in the fourth inning – while striking out four.
Yanni Acuña doubled in the first and singled in the sixth for two of the team’s hits. She also scored two runs. Alexa Milius and Rollin provided the other two hits for the Sun Devils.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Leading off the opening frame, Acuña belted a double into the gap in left center and then scored when an Milius infield chopper was thrown away for a Washington error.
Magee held the Huskies hitless through the first three innings, but the fourth started with back-to-back hits. Brown then came on in relief and got out of a bases loaded and one-out jam by allowing just a sacrifice fly that tied the game.
Both teams continued to come up empty at the plate until Acuña and Milius each singled to start the sixth inning. Rollin followed with a double to right center that scored Acuña and she took third as Milius was thrown out at the plate.
Makenna Harper provided an insurance run with a sacrifice fly to score Rollin and five the Sun Devils a 3-1 lead heading to the seventh.
Washington used a pair of walks and a hit by pitch to lead the bases before Brown struck out Madison Huskey to seal the win.
NOTABLES
Acuña managed to obtain the 150th hit of her Sun Devil career with that first-inning double. Dating back to the start of last season, Acuña has 100 hits in the last 84 games, with 62 RBIs.
Acuña’s single to start the sixth inning gave her the 47th multi-hit game of her career.
The go-ahead double from Rollin was her second double of the season and first extra-bast hit since homering on March 18 against Minnesota.
Rollin has now picked up an RBI in each of the first two games of the series.
Harper managed the sixth sacrifice fly of her career, and first of the season in the sixth inning. The RBI was her first since March 4 against Michigan State.
Jordyn VanHook drew a pair of walks for the second straight game. She entered the weekend having drawn two walks in a game just once in her career.
This is the third straight appearance by Brown in which she hasn’t allowed a run and the fourth in her past five outings. During this five appearances she has compiled 17 strikeouts in 14 innings.
UP NEXT
The Sun Devils look to earn its first conference series win of the season in tomorrow’s rubber match with Washington. First pitch is scheduled for noon and the game can be seen on ASU Live Stream.
Press Release courtesy of Sun Devil Athletics – Josh Fisher
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