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Sun Devils Go Yard Against The Utes

by thesundevils.com
Feb 13, 2021

TEMPE, ARIZ.-- That famous Sun Devil Softball big bat offense? They're back, baby. Saturday night's game against the Utah Utes (4-1-0) was a slugfest that carried the Sun Devils to their fourth win of the season to remain undefeated as they closed out their 2021 Kajikawa Classic schedule. 

Jazmine Hill was one of four Sun Devils to go yard against the Utes noting that, "It felt really good. My job is just to make sure that I bring our runners in no matter what I do. In my head I was thinking about a gapper, but I saw the pitch and I did what I could with it."

Coach Ford praised the team's progressing offense, "Each day, our at-bats got better and better. I thought we did a tremendous job of putting up nine runs tonight, that was big. (The team) got more and more comfortable as the weekend went on."

Super senior Cielo Meza got the start for the Arizona State Sun Devils (4-0) in the final day of the Kajikawa Classic where they handed the Utah Utes their first loss of the season. Meza recorded 11 strikeouts in her first start on Thursday night, and added 6 to that on Saturday. Sophomore left-hander Lindsay Lopez came in under pressure as relief in the fourth inning. The Utes saw their only offense efforts succeed in the fourth which caused Ford to call Lopez out of the bullpen.

"It's good for us. I told them after the game, hey welcome to PAC-12 play. Nobody dies. I think Amy is very much like me, we fight, we're fighters, both of our teams fight to the last out, and I think it's just good for us to get that this early in the season," Ford said of the pressure brought by the Utes in the fourth inning. 

Lopez stood tall in the circle, silencing the Utes through the remaining three innings. She finished the night with four strikeouts - including two swinging to get two of the last three outs in the seventh. 

UP NEXT: 
ASU continues the hosting gig, as Cal State Fullerton comes to Tempe on Feb. 16 for a doubleheader at Farrington. Feb 26-28 the Sun Devils will co-host a tournament with GCU where four non-conference teams will compete. 

HOW IT HAPPENED:

  • The first inning got off to a slow start offensively, but the defense kept things quiet for the Utes behind Meza. 
  • Hill lined her first home run of the season over the wall in right field, earning two RBIs for bringing Alli Tatnall and Alynah Torres in to put the Sun Devils up 3-0.
  • Meza pitched out of a jam to strand three Utes in the top of the third. It's a home run party in the third for ASU as Bella Loomis' first hit of the season is a bomb out to right center field to put ASU up 4-0. Immediately after Loomis, Maddi Hackbarth decided that she wanted in, and launched a solo shot to left that probably hasn't landed yet, and the Sun Devil lead grew to 5. The dingers continued as Tatnall and Torres were on base for Denae Chatman, who launched the third home run of the inning to put ASU up 8-0. All with one out, by the way. A few Utah pitching changes later, and the Sun Devils took their lead into the fourth. 
  • Meza continued to bring the heat, holding the Utes to one hit with six K's through four innings. ASU had runners in the corners for Tatnall and a line drive through the infield brought in the ninth run of the night.
  • The Sun Devils gave the Utes a mere chance at a comeback, but it halted at four runs. After a pitching change to Lindsay Lopez, the fifth inning ended with the Sun Devils up 9-4.
  • Lopez provided the Sun Devils the needed defensive insurance with three solid innings, allowing no earned runs in her relief appearance to close out the night against Utah.

FACTS TO KNOW:

  • Did you know? Maddi Hackbarth cannot be stopped. She leads the team with a 0.583 batting average (with a minimum 8 at bats), and is tied for the team home run lead with junior Makenna Harper; each at two.
  • Jazmine Hill leads the team in RBI's with seven.
  • The Sun Devils notched 11 hits against the Utes, and have now won their eighth straight against Utah, dating back to April 23, 2017.
  • The all-time program record against Utah is 40-19. 

 

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