Salt Lake City -- The ninth-ranked Arizona State softball team out-hit Utah, 11-7, en route to a 7-2 win over Utah in game two of the three-game series at Dumke Family Stadium Saturday afternoon.
Senior Breanna Macha delivered her ninth complete game of the season in Saturday's win. The Mesa, Ariz., native held the Utes to just two runs on seven hits while striking out five in her 11th win of the season.
At the plate, the Sun Devils picked up right where they left off from Friday's outing. Six of nine ASU batters recorded hits, with Kindra Hackbarth, Taylor Becerra and Jade Gortarez all recording multiple hits in the outing.
The Sun Devils jumped out to an early lead when freshman Rylee Maston reached on a fielders choice that counted as her first career RBI.
The lead was short-lived, however, as the Utes answered back with a run of their own in the bottom of the third.
With the score knotted at 1-1, the Sun Devil offense came to life with a three-run top of the fifth. Center fielder Morgan Howe laced a one out bases-loaded triple to the wall in right center that scored Ashley Moss, Becerra and Bella Loomis, and gave ASU a 4-1 advantage heading to the sixth.
The Arizona State offense struck again in the seventh when Becerra launched her second triple of the year - second of the day for the Sun Devils - that was promptly followed by an RBI-single from freshman of the year candidate Danielle Gibson to make it a 5-1 ASU lead.
The Sun Devils didn't stop there, as Marisa Stankiewicz added on two more runs with her eighth home run of the season, pulling the score to 7-1 heading to the final half inning.
While the Utes responded with a run in their half of the frame, Macha and the ASU defense buckled down to close out the Sun Devil's 37th win of the season.
Arizona State is back in action tomorrow looking for the series sweep of the Utes. First pitch in Sundays series finale is scheduled for 11 a.m. PT. Fans can follow all of the action by following @ASUSoftball on Twitter.
Senior Breanna Macha delivered her ninth complete game of the season in Saturday's win. The Mesa, Ariz., native held the Utes to just two runs on seven hits while striking out five in her 11th win of the season.
At the plate, the Sun Devils picked up right where they left off from Friday's outing. Six of nine ASU batters recorded hits, with Kindra Hackbarth, Taylor Becerra and Jade Gortarez all recording multiple hits in the outing.
The Sun Devils jumped out to an early lead when freshman Rylee Maston reached on a fielders choice that counted as her first career RBI.
The lead was short-lived, however, as the Utes answered back with a run of their own in the bottom of the third.
With the score knotted at 1-1, the Sun Devil offense came to life with a three-run top of the fifth. Center fielder Morgan Howe laced a one out bases-loaded triple to the wall in right center that scored Ashley Moss, Becerra and Bella Loomis, and gave ASU a 4-1 advantage heading to the sixth.
The Arizona State offense struck again in the seventh when Becerra launched her second triple of the year - second of the day for the Sun Devils - that was promptly followed by an RBI-single from freshman of the year candidate Danielle Gibson to make it a 5-1 ASU lead.
The Sun Devils didn't stop there, as Marisa Stankiewicz added on two more runs with her eighth home run of the season, pulling the score to 7-1 heading to the final half inning.
While the Utes responded with a run in their half of the frame, Macha and the ASU defense buckled down to close out the Sun Devil's 37th win of the season.
Arizona State is back in action tomorrow looking for the series sweep of the Utes. First pitch in Sundays series finale is scheduled for 11 a.m. PT. Fans can follow all of the action by following @ASUSoftball on Twitter.