Feb. 13, 2009
TEMPE, Ariz. – Another stellar outing from Hillary Bach and offensive prowess from Katelyn Boyd, Lesley Rogers and Kaylyn Castillo lit the fuse to push No.3 ASU Softball past Illinois State 3-0 and 10-2 past Chattennooga Friday night in the opening day of the Littlewood Classic. The Sun Devils are now 8-1 overall with three games remaining in the weekend.
Round one slated the Sun Devils against the Illinois State Redbirds which saw Hillary Bach pitch a complete game shutout, allowing only three hits and striking out seven as she pitched her way out of a couple jams, stranding six on-base for the Redbirds. All ASU needed for offense came in the fourth inning as Katelyn Body lit a 1-2 pitch deep to center field for a solo shot to take the lead.
With Mandy Urfer placed on first after being plunked by a pitch, Caylyn Carlso dug in to kiss a 1-2 pitch long goodbye with a two run homerun to left field to cement the lead as Hillary Bach worked her magic through the rest to give her a 4-0 record on the year and drop the Redbirds to 2-5 overall.
In the nightcap, ASU took on the Chattenooga Lady Mocs for the second night in a row, where sophomore Megan Ellsworth got her second start on the season and held it down for the Devils, allowing only two hits and two runs while the Sun Devil offense tore it up behind her.
A three-run third inning and five run fifth inning where Lesley Rogers’s 2-for-4 performance coupled with Katelyn Castillo’s 2-for-3 for three RBIs gave ASU all the O it needed racking up eight earned runs on the Mocs to take their eighth win of the season and drop UTC to 4-5 overall.
The Littlewood Classic continues tomorrow with ASU taking on Iowa at 3:30 and Kent State at 5:30 p.m. in Tempe at Farrington Stadium. Games start at 9 a.m.