Senior ties the program record for strikeouts in a 7-inning game
Brown opened the game by walking the first two batters she faced before settling in and posting 18 strikeouts in a two-hit shutout. She struck out the side in the first, third, fourth and seventh innings while adding two strikeouts in the second, fifth, and sixth frames.
Her 18 strikeouts are tied for the second-most in program history – and tied for most in a seven-inning game – while setting the mark for a conference contest. This is her third double-digit strikeout performance in a week after Sun Devil pitchers accomplished the mark just 10 times since 2019.
ASU’s offense was being held in check with just three hits through the first five innings. Tiare Ho-Ching broke through leading off the sixth inning with a line drive to left-center that snuck over the wall and provided all the scoring the team would need.
BYU ended the night 0-for-11 with runners on base, including 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position. Brown worked out of trouble in the first and fifth innings, where she stranded Cougars on second and third.
Ho-Ching picked up two of ASU’s four hits, with Tanya Windle and Samantha Swan adding the others.
Quotable
Arizona State Head Coach Megan Bartlett
On Kenzie Brown and Tiare Ho-Ching’s performances
“Kenzie was brilliant tonight, and then Tiare came up clutch. I thought Tiare had some really nice at-bats tonight and certainly executed the plan well.”
On her outlook on the remainder of the series against BYU
“Winning a series is much different than winning a one-off game. You have to be a team that not only prepares well but makes adjustments well and doesn’t get sped up if we have to change the plan. It’s a chess match, and BYU is very good. We’re going to get to the film and just continue to get back to the drawing board as the weekend goes on.”
Senior Kenzie Brown
On what helped her have 18 strikeouts
“I didn’t even know I had that many strikeouts until after I was done. I had full trust in my pitches, in Samantha Swan behind the plate, and in my defense. My ball just happened to work for me tonight.”
Up Next
The Sun Devils will host the Cougars in game two of the series at Farrington Stadium on Friday at 6 p.m.
Press Release courtesy of Sun Devil Athletics – Doug Tammaro
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