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No. 10/11 Softball's Big Bats Are Bigger In Texas

by thesundevils.com
Mar 6, 2021

EL PASO, Texas -- The No. 10/11 Arizona State softball team messed with Texas and won big on Saturday night to collect the four-game sweep of the Orange and Blue Tournament. ASU (15-1) scored ten runs in one inning against the host team, The University of Texas, El Paso, and put the pedal to the metal with its high-scoring identity, finishing the day with 29 runs. 

ASU defeated UTEP, 21-1, in the team's ninth run-rule victory of the season. The last time ASU scored more than 20 runs in a game was in a 21-1 victory versus Weber State on Feb. 9, 2019. The Sun Devils went yard six times, complete with a grand slam from Denae Chatman to stifle the Miners. 

Earlier in the day, ASU played in a rematch against Incarnate Word and notched another mercy-rule win with an 8-0 shutout final score. ASU inked six runs in the second inning topped with a Maddi Hackbarth grand slam to quickly jump ahead of the Cardinals.

Amidst the flash and glamour of big bats, the ASU pitching staff showcased elite performances from the mound in El Paso, allowing only one run through three games. Lindsay Lopez boasts a 0.00 ERA on the weekend, topped off with her second shutout victory of the season. She threw five innings with five strikeouts against UIW on Saturday. 
 

The Sun Devils scored 60 runs through four games at the tournament and rode their way to the best season start since 2014. With 44 home runs on the season, Home Run U continues to lead the Pac-12 and places third in the nation behind No. 1 Oklahoma (50) and No. 20 Arkansas (45). 
 

UP NEXT: The Sun Devils return to Alberta B. Farrington Softball Stadium for two mid-week games against Northern Illinois and Baylor on Tuesday, Mar. 9, and Thursday, Mar. 11. 

GAME 1: ASU 8, INCARNATE WORD 0
HOW IT HAPPENED:

  • Lindsay Lopez started in the circle for the Sun Devils and made quick work of UIW, striking out the first batter and giving up the first of just two hits in the top of the first inning. 
  • The Sun Devils stranded a one-out walk to Jazmine Hill in the bottom of the first, and the game remained tied through one. 
  • Lopez went three-up three-down with UIW in the top of the second, and ASU's offense came alive in typical fashion. Two singles and a walk brought in Alli Tatnall, followed by a single and sac fly from Kindra Hackbarth to put the Sun Devils up 2-0. A walk to Jazmine Hill had the bases loaded for Maddi Hackbarth, who sent a grand slam to center field, which extended the lead to 6-0.
  • Lopez forced back-to-back-to-back ground outs in the third, and ASU stranded another walk as three popups ended the inning.
  • Another three-batter inning for Lopez was quick work, and the Sun Devils tacked another run at the bottom of the fourth. Kindra Hackbarth doubled and advanced on an error and eventually scored on a wild pitch which extended the lead 7-0. 
  • Two strikeouts from UIW ended their half of the fifth and set the Sun Devils in a position to run-rule UIW through five innings. A double from Alynah Torres and a Denae Chatman single set ASU up for victory, as Brittney Holland singled in Olivia Miller for the game-ending run. 

GAME 2: ASU 21, UTEP 1
HOW IT HAPPENED

  • Meza made quick work of UTEP and opened the game by striking out the side. K. Hackbarth was on base for Hill, who homered to left to score the first points of the game. M. Hackbarth followed with a solo shot to left to put the Sun Devils up 3-0 headed into the second inning. 
  • Another one-two-three inning for Meza sent ASU up to bat, where they tacked two runs onto their lead off of a two-run home run from Holland, who was set up from Makenna Harper's leadoff double.  
  • UTEP got their only run of the game in their half of the third, and ASU stranded two runners on base to send it to the fourth. 
  • A monster inning for the Sun Devils put ASU up 14-1. So, let's get a rundown of this scoring. K. Hackbarth sent one deep to left after Holland and Loomis walked and singled to extend the lead 8-1. Hill tripled and scored on an error to make it a 9-1 ballgame. With no outs and Tatnall, Price, and Miller on base, Chatman sent her third career grand slam over the right field wall to extend the lead 13-1. Three straight singles had the bases loaded, and Hill drew a walk to bring Harper in from third to put the Sun Devils up 14-1. A sac fly for ASU scored the final run in the inning to send Meza out to the mound to close out the fourth, where she tacked on two more strikeouts allowing just the third hit of the game for UTEP.  
  • An error and two singles had the bases loaded in the top of the fifth, and ASU scored their 16th run off of a fielder's choice. VanHook reached on an error and scored Holland and Chatman to get the Sun Devils 18 runs. 
  • In the next at-bat, rookie Harleigh Braswell pinch-hit from Hill and notched her first collegiate home run with three RBIs to push the score to 21-1. 

STRAIGHT FACTS

  • Maddi Hackbarth hit four home runs over the four games to extend her home run lead to ten through 16 games this year. 
  • Six Sun Devils are batting over .400, including Kindra and Maddi Hackbarth, Alli Tatnall, Denae Chatman, Brittany Holland, and Jazmine Hill. 
  • ASU's pitching trio: Lindsay Lopez, Cielo Meza, and Allison Royalty threw for 22.0 innings and allowed only two walks and six runs, holding opponents to a .173 batting average at the Orange and Blue Tournament.
  • Royalty led the strikeout charge, throwing 17 in 11.0 innings pitched with a mere three runs.  
  • Denae Chatman, Jazmine Hill, and Brittany Holland tied at second in RBIs this weekend, each batting in seven. Team and weekend RBI leader is Maddi Hackbarth, with nine in El Paso and 29 on the season.
  • Lindsay Lopez is the only member of the pitching staff who has not given up a home run so far this season

 

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