April 10, 2009
TUCSON, Ariz. – Jessica Mapes hit her first career home run while Kaitlin Cochran’s 13 game hitting streak continued, but ultimately the night belonged to the No. 10 Arizona Wildcats who took a 10-8 win over ASU in Tucson on Friday night. The Sun Devils are now 34-8 overall and 4-3 in conference play while Arizona improves to 33-9 overall and 5-2 in the Pac-10.
The ‘Cats took it to the scoreboard first as a lead-off walk to Brittany Lastrapes proved costly as clean-up hitter, Stacey Chambers did exactly that sweeping the bases clean with a 1-1 pitch crushed to left field for the 2-0 lead. A State wasn’t about to be out done though, as they fired back in the second with two runs of their own, starting with a single up the middle from Katelyn Boyd followed with a double lifted to left center by Kaylyn Castillo. Nerves got to the Wildcat pitcher, Sarah Akimine as she later walked home a run with the bases loaded.
The ‘Cats untied the knot again in the third inning as a double to Jenae Leles followed with an intentional walk to Stacey Chambers cost the Sun Devils as Sam Banister took a look at one pitch before giving the next a new home somewhere past left center to plate three and take a 5-2 lead. Back-to-back solo shots in the fourth inning gave UA a commanding 7-2 lead after four complete.
A State sounded the battle cry in the fifth inning with a lead-off single from Kaitlin Cochran that was later plated with an RBI single from Krista Donnenwirth which ended starting hurler, Sarah Akimine’s night. The Sun Devils weren’t done yet as they took it to Jennifer Martinez putting two hits, a walk and three runs before Jessica Mapes dug in to hit her first career home run for a two run shot to take the lead for the first time 8-7.
ASU couldn’t seal the deal though as a lead-off hit to Brittany Lastrapes was followed with two outs before the second intentional walk of the day to Stacey Chambers proved to be costly yet again as Sam Banister hit her second home run of the day deep to left to put the score at it’s final resting place of 10-8.
The Sun Devils will lock horns with the Wildcats again tomorrow as they set for Game Two of the ‘Duel in the Desert’ in Tucson at Hillenbrand Stadium. Game time is 7 p.m. PT.