Feb. 28, 2009
TEMPE, Ariz. – Solid pitching and 18 runs scored on the day propelled the eighth-ranked ASU Softball team to two more wins on the season as they topped Northern Colorado 11-2 in five innings and New Mexico State 6-2 to wrap Day Two of the Wilson DiMarini Classic. The Sun Devils are now 17-4 overall headed into the tournament’s final day.
The Sun Devils faced the Northern Colorado Bears in their first outing of the day where the Devil D started off a bit shaky with the Bears clawing onto the scoreboard first with a double and a two-run home run by Jessica McNabb to snake the lead. ASU came throttling back in the bottom of the inning as back-to-back singles to open the inning helped set up Katelyn Boyd for a two-RBI single up to middle. Jumping on a Bear error, Kaylyn Castillo took a 3-1 pitch to left center to plate two more as ASU captured the lead 6-2 after one complete.
Two more runs were added to the A State score in the second with an RBI hit from Krista Donnenwirth, but the fourth is where ASU put away three more runs, with the highlight reel showcasing Ashley Muenz’s RBI double to right center and Katie Crabb’s solo shot to left center. Birthday girl, Megan Ellsworth collected the win, her fourth on the season as she allowed only the two runs in the first before shutting down the Bear offense the remainder of the game.
Against the New Mexico State Aggies, Hillary Bach took to the circle shutting down the NMSU offense for two innings, before stumbling in the third giving up a solo home run to Kylie Randall and an RBI single to Stacey Lein. The offense was NMSU’s only on the night as Bach settled in to rock the rest of the night away.
The third proved to be lucrative for the Sun Devils as well as the New Mexico State pitcher struggled for control, hitting three batters and walking one as well as giving up two hits, one a two-RBI single to Katelyn Boyd as ASU scored five to grab the lead. ASU had one more to add to the tally as Renee Welty led off the fourth inning with a full count sizzler to center field for her third home run of the season.
Settling down after the third, Hillary Bach took the win on the night, remaining an untouchable 10-0 on the season to push ASU to 17-4 overall with one game remaining in the weekend.
The Sun Devils will wrap the Wilson/DiMarini Invitational tomorrow as they take on the Southern Utah Thunderbirds at 1 p.m. Tournament play begins at 9 a.m. in Tempe at Farrington Stadium.