May 9, 2009
EUGENE, Ore. – Renee Welty’s home run coupled with Hillary Bach’s stellar outing in the circle resulted in a 5-1 win over the Oregon Ducks Saturday for the ninth-ranked ASU Softball Team. The win gives Bach her 24th of the year and closes out the 2009 regular season for the Sun Devils who currently hold a 40-16 overall record and 10-11 record in the Pac-10.
The Ducks hit the scoreboard first in the third inning as senior outfielder; Sari-Jane Jenkins launched a 3-1 pitch way over center field for her sixth home run of the year to take a 1-0 lead after three.
The Sun Devils came back to rattle the cage in the fifth though as a lead-off walk followed with singles from Lesley Rogers and Jessica Mapes and a sacrifice fly to right from Kaitlin Cochran tacked three on for the Sun Devils who took off with a 3-1 lead.
A single to center from Lesley Rogers proved to be vital for the Sun Devils in the sixth as Sam Skillingstad threw a 1-1 pitch down the highway to the danger zone to Renee Welty who crushed it deep to left center to plate two and put the lead at 5-1 in ASU’s favor.
Megan Elliott came in to finish out the seventh inning, relieving Hillary Bach who went six complete, while allowing only four hits and striking out six. Bach picked up her 24th win on the year to go 24-9 in the 2009 regular season.
The game wraps the Sun Devils 2009 regular season where ASU will now gear up to hit the road to defending their 2008 NCAA Championship. The team will host an NCAA Selection Show Viewing Party tomorrow at the Phoenix Airport Sheraton. The viewing party is open to all and will start at 6:30 p.m. with the show airing at approximately 7 p.m. PT on ESPNU.