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#10 Softball Clinches Series Over Utah

by thesundevils.com
Apr 15, 2022

TEMPE, Ariz. –  No. 10 Arizona State Softball (30-5, 11-0) picked up its series clinching, 12-2 win against the Utah Utes (20-19, 4-7), in its 15th run-rule game of the season and the fourth in Pac-12 conference play as well as their 19th win in a row. This is the 13th game of the season where the Sun Devils had hit three or more home runs in a single game as ASU had 13 hits throughout five innings.
 
"Tomorrow's a new day, Utah is going to come out and we're just going to stay focused on our path," head coach Trisha Ford said on the win streak and playing one more game against the Utes. "For us, it's just continuing our approach and keeping our nose down."
 
They also had a runner reach base in each inning as well as at least two runs scored in each frame. Eight of the 12 runs scored were scored with two outs, including all of the runs from the third and fourth innings.
 
Junior Alynah Torres got her second leadoff home run in two weeks for the Sun Devils to give them an early edge in the bottom of the first inning. She also homered in the bottom of the third to score three runs. Torres has become the fifth Sun Devil this year to homer twice in the same game. After Friday, ASU has tallied 70 home runs in 35 games.

 
Mailey McLemore hit the fourth home run of the game for ASU to tack on two more runs in the bottom of the fourth to give ASU the 11-0 lead. The other pinch hitters that batted in the fourth came in clutch as fellow pinch hitters Kristiana Watson and Bella Loomis each had singles.
 

Lindsay Lopez started in the circle for the Sun Devils and she had three 1-2-3 innings to keep Utah hitless through the first three innings. Lopez picked up her sixth win of the season to help ASU clinch the series over Utah.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:
Arizona State 12, Utah 2

  • The Sun Devil offense picked up where it left off in last night's walk off as Torres had a leadoff home run to center field in the bottom of the first to make it 1-0 for ASU. Yanni Acuña reached base on a walk then Cydney Sanders singled. A Jazmine Hill single to short brought in Acuña to give ASU the 2-0 lead. Jazmyn Rollin singled and Emily Cazares reached on a fielder's choice to load up the bases for the Sun Devils, all runners were stranded to end the inning.
  • With one out, Torres reached first after an error by Utah's shortstop. A double from Sanders brought in Torres with two outs in the Sun Devils' half of the second frame, Sanders advanced to third on the throw to home. Hill then doubled to center field to bring in Sanders to make it 4-0 for ASU.
  • Jessica Puk hit a single to short and Savannah Price singled into left field to get two runners on base with two outs in the bottom of the third. Then Torres hit a blooper for the second time this evening to left field, bringing in Price and Puk to increase the Sun Devils' lead 7-0. Acuña reached base after being hit by a pitch and Sanders hit a two-run home run to center field to make it 9-0 for ASU.
  • Makenna Harper singled with two outs in the fourth to get on base for ASU. Mailey McLemore pinch hitting had the fourth home run of the game to also bring in Harper to make it 11-0 for the Sun Devils. Price drew a walk and pinch hitter Bella Loomis singled to put runners on first and second with two outs in the inning. Kristiana Watson came in to pinch hit and singled into left field to score Price and advance Loomis to third, the Sun Devil lead extended to 12-0.
  • After a Utah single, the next Ute homered to bring the score to 12-2, which was the final score in five innings.

 
QUOTES
Head coach Trisha Ford
On Mailey McLemore's pinch hitting
"She did a great job yesterday and a couple of our players have been working their tails off. We're going to need everybody at some point in time and we just did a tremendous job to come in and stay calm and put in a good pitch, but Mailey crushed that ball."
 
On performance tonight versus Thursday's win
"We were consistent and we were good in the box. We did a much better job in the circle, I thought Lindsay (Lopez) did a tremendous job. We did a much better job focusing on every at-bat."
 
On what assistant coach Jeff Harger means for the program
"Every year he has put up this type of offense. I just think he does a tremendous job of knowing all the metrics and the science behind it, and he does a tremendous job each and every year with connecting with his players."
 
Alynah Torres
On Team's Chemistry
"Our team is so well connected right now."
 
Cydney Sanders
On ASU's offensive mentality
"We like to say pass the bat, so the first person gets a hit and then the next. So we just want to pass the bat around and swing hard."
 
On her and the team's defense today
"It was fun and I got a lot of action. I was trying to see the ball into my glove. Lindsay is a really good pitcher and will get you a lot of ground balls and fly outs and she did really great this game.
 
 
SCHEDULE
Game 1: Thursday 4/14 7:00 p.m. MST                       Arizona State 10, Utah 9
Game 2: Friday 4/15  6:00 p.m. MST                           Arizona State 12, Utah 2                             
Game 3: Saturday 4/16 12:00 p.m. MST                   Live Stats | ASU Live Stream
 
PAC-12 STANDINGS
Arizona State, 11-0
UCLA, 10-2
Oregon State, 7-7
Stanford, 5-6
Washington, 5-6
 
RANKINGS
USA Softball/ESPN.com - T10
NFCA/USA Today - 13
Softball America - 10
D1 Softball - 11
             
 

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