TEMPE, Ariz. – The 21st- ranked Sun Devil softball team, fresh off a ten-game road trip, run-ruled Maine, 9-0, on Wednesday night at Farrington Stadium.
Sophomore
Taylor Becerra got the offense started for the Sun Devils (16-5) in the bottom of the first inning, working a leadoff walk. The third baseman would advance to second off a single by sophomore
Skylar McCarty, setting the table for
Chelsea Gonzales, smashed the first pitch of her at-bat over the wall in left center -- her fourth homer of the season -- to give the Sun Devils a three run lead early.
"She (Gonzales) came ready to play today" head coach
Trisha Ford said. "She has shown us every game this season that she is a ballplayer. She is a gamer."
Gonzales' long ball in the first tied the senior for tenth on the all-time ASU home run leader board with 35 career-home runs. Gonzales is tied with Bethany Kemp (2012-15) in tenth, and trails Krista Donnewirth (2008-11) and Alix Johnson (2011-14) who are tied for eighth by just one home run.
ASU would tack on one more in the home half of the third as sophomore Fa Leilua would bring in freshman designated player
Randi Farricker from third.
The Devils would knock six-straight hits to open the fourth frame, four singles and two doubles, to add five more runs, taking a commanding 9-0 lead into the fifth inning.
Starting in the circle for the Devils was
Alyssa Loza, who struck out a career-high 10 batters in five innings of work. The freshman tossed a gem in her fourth start of the season, limiting the Black Bears to just three hits on the night to notch her fourth win of the season. The Torrance, Calif., native faced 19 batters in the midweek contest, and delivered 14 first pitch strikes.
Gonzales finished the night 2-for-3 with five RBI and a run scored. McCarty followed close behind with a two-hit performance while scoring two runs and knocking in two.
The Sun Devils will return to action this weekend in a three-game series against Nebraska starting Friday, March 10. Season ticket holders are encouraged to attend Friday night's contest as it has been designated as Season Ticket Holder Appreciation night at Farrington Stadium. All season ticket holders will be invited to take a photo with the team following Friday night's game. If that wasn't enough, Friday night will also be a bobble head night, with Sparky bobble heads available to all fans in attendance at Friday's game.
