By Diana Ly, SDA Media Relations Student Assistant
TEMPE, Ariz. – No. 8 Arizona State claimed game two in the three-game set against Stanford in run-rule fashion Saturday night, topping the Cardinal, 8-0, for ASU's 15th run-rule victory of the season.
The win also marked the Sun Devil's 14th conference win of the year, notching their seventh highest win total in conference play in a single season, with four Pac-12 games left in 2018.
Starting pitcher Breanna Macha took the circle for her 16th start of the season Saturday night, looking to pick up where she left off in Friday's contest. The senior righty kept the Cardinal scoreless en route to a complete-game shutout, her first of the season. Macha added four strikeouts and limited Stanford to just two hits. With the win, Macha now has 52 career-victories as a Sun Devil, and has struck out an impressive 360 batter in her illustrious Sun Devil career.
The Sun Devils gained momentum early in the bottom of the first by putting up three runs on three hits. Junior Morgan Howe bounced one up the middle that allowed Taylor Becerra to score for the first ASU run, that was followed by a two-RBI triple from sophomore Jade Gortarez to clear the bases and secure the early 3-0 lead.
In the bottom of the second, Becerra got things going again with a single to right field with two outs, allowing McCarty to score and extend the lead to 4-0.
Freshman Danielle Gibson kept the offense rolling, sending the first pitch of her at-bat over the right field wall, to extend the lead to 6-0. The two run shot marked Gibson's 12th home run on the season, moving her just two shy of tying Kaitlin Cochran's single season total of 14 (2008).
In the bottom of the fourth, sophomore Kindra Hackbarth blasted a long ball of her own, securing ASU's second home run of the evening, and 12th multi-home run game of the season. ASU wasn't done there, as Becerra laced a triple that would score the seventh ASU run of the game, and cap a perfect 3-for-3 performance. Becerra would be brought in on an RBI ground out by Loomis, bringing the score to the final 8-0.
The Sun Devils will conclude their last home game tomorrow with the series finale against the Cardinal. First pitch in Sunday's contest is slated for 1 p.m. and will be streamed live on Arizona State's Pac-12 Live Stream. The outing will also serve as senior day, as seniors Nichole Chilson, Kwyn Cooper, Breanna Macha, Dale Ryndak, Marisa Stankiewicz, and Brynley Steele will be honored alongside their family at the conclusion of the game. Fans can follow all of the action from the 2018 Sun Devil softball season by following @ASUSoftball on Twitter.
MOST SUN DEVIL PAC-12 WINS
18-3, 2008
18-4, 2012
17-4, 2011
16-8, 2013
15-5, 1991
15-7-1, 2014
14-6, 2018
13-8, 2007
13-11, 1993
TEMPE, Ariz. – No. 8 Arizona State claimed game two in the three-game set against Stanford in run-rule fashion Saturday night, topping the Cardinal, 8-0, for ASU's 15th run-rule victory of the season.
The win also marked the Sun Devil's 14th conference win of the year, notching their seventh highest win total in conference play in a single season, with four Pac-12 games left in 2018.
Starting pitcher Breanna Macha took the circle for her 16th start of the season Saturday night, looking to pick up where she left off in Friday's contest. The senior righty kept the Cardinal scoreless en route to a complete-game shutout, her first of the season. Macha added four strikeouts and limited Stanford to just two hits. With the win, Macha now has 52 career-victories as a Sun Devil, and has struck out an impressive 360 batter in her illustrious Sun Devil career.
The Sun Devils gained momentum early in the bottom of the first by putting up three runs on three hits. Junior Morgan Howe bounced one up the middle that allowed Taylor Becerra to score for the first ASU run, that was followed by a two-RBI triple from sophomore Jade Gortarez to clear the bases and secure the early 3-0 lead.
In the bottom of the second, Becerra got things going again with a single to right field with two outs, allowing McCarty to score and extend the lead to 4-0.
Freshman Danielle Gibson kept the offense rolling, sending the first pitch of her at-bat over the right field wall, to extend the lead to 6-0. The two run shot marked Gibson's 12th home run on the season, moving her just two shy of tying Kaitlin Cochran's single season total of 14 (2008).
In the bottom of the fourth, sophomore Kindra Hackbarth blasted a long ball of her own, securing ASU's second home run of the evening, and 12th multi-home run game of the season. ASU wasn't done there, as Becerra laced a triple that would score the seventh ASU run of the game, and cap a perfect 3-for-3 performance. Becerra would be brought in on an RBI ground out by Loomis, bringing the score to the final 8-0.
The Sun Devils will conclude their last home game tomorrow with the series finale against the Cardinal. First pitch in Sunday's contest is slated for 1 p.m. and will be streamed live on Arizona State's Pac-12 Live Stream. The outing will also serve as senior day, as seniors Nichole Chilson, Kwyn Cooper, Breanna Macha, Dale Ryndak, Marisa Stankiewicz, and Brynley Steele will be honored alongside their family at the conclusion of the game. Fans can follow all of the action from the 2018 Sun Devil softball season by following @ASUSoftball on Twitter.
MOST SUN DEVIL PAC-12 WINS
18-3, 2008
18-4, 2012
17-4, 2011
16-8, 2013
15-5, 1991
15-7-1, 2014
14-6, 2018
13-8, 2007
13-11, 1993