April 23, 2010
TEMPE, Ariz. – Ten strikeouts for Hillary Bach and 14 hits for the Sun Devil offense fueled a 10-3 win Friday night over the No. 20 Oregon Ducks. Bach collected the win to push her record to 18-4 while ASU improves to 36-9 overall and 5-5 in Pac-10 play. With the loss the Ducks now move to 30-9 on the year and 6-4 in conference play.
Hillary Bach took to the circle for A State with a 17-4 record and looking for retaliation from the weekend prior. Her peer for the Ducks was freshman, Jessica Moore, who entered with a 13-4 record and a 1.08 ERA.
The Sun Devils wasted no time getting on the board in the first inning as Katelyn Boyd singled and pulled some thievery taking second base and snaking third off a throwing error before Krista Donnenwirth dug in to crack an RBI single up the middle to plate a run.
The Ducks retaliated immediately though as they took advantage of a ball in the dirt with a runner on third to knot it up at one apiece. ASU wasn’t having it though as they fired back in the second inning with three runs including an RBI single from Katelyn Boyd and a two-RBI single from Krista Donnenwirth to grab the 4-2 lead.
Bach looked to be in solid form as she flummoxed the Oregon line-up, collecting five strikeouts through three innings of work. The Ducks kept piping up a quack of life here and there though as they added a run in the fifth inning with a solo shot to inch up to a 4-3 lead.
ASU wasn’t about to dance with the devil in the pale moonlight with only a one run lead though as the offense tore the game open in the fifth inning led by a two-RBI double from Mandy Urfer and an RBI single from Talor Haro, bringing in four runs with four hits to hold an 8-3 lead.
The second highest scoring team in the nation wasn’t done yet though as they added just a bit more cushion in the sixth inning with two runs coming home with a two-RBI single to left center from pinch hitter Katie Crabb. Hillary Bach did the rest as her pitching flabbergasted the Ducks, with the Pac-10 batting leader, Sam Pappas falling victim for three of Bach’s season-high 10 Ks on the night.
For video highlights and interviews please click here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJHbyZwwBTQ
The Sun Devils hit the dirt again tomorrow night as they face the Oregon Ducks yet again at 7 p.m. in Tempe at Farrington Stadium.