TEMPE, Ariz. – DeNae Chatman's clutch two-run home run in the bottom of the sixth secured a comeback victory for the eighth-ranked Arizona State softball team who defeated the Stanford Cardinal, 3-2, on Sunday afternoon at Farrington Stadium.
The Sun Devils featured a trio of arms in the Sunday outing with Dale Ryndak making her eighth start of the season. Following a strong two-inning outing, sophomore lefty G Juarez took over to lead ASU through 4.1 innings of shutout softball to pick up her 23rd win of the season. Senior Breanna Macha came in in the ninth to close out the game, earning her first save of the season.
Playing from behind for the second time in the series, the Sun Devils were kept off the board for the first four frames. The squad threatened in the home half of the third inning when Chatman knocked a leadoff single and advance to third with a single by Kindra Hackbarth, bu ASU was unable to capitalize.
The Sun Devil bats came alive in the fifth frame, when Skylar McCarty battled through a seven-pitch at-bat, before finally sending a solo shot over the wall in left center to cut Stanford's lead in half.
With the momentum in ASU's favor, Juarez worked around a one-out single to retire the next three Stanford hitters in the top half of the frame. Morgan Howe would spark the ASU offense with a leadoff single in the bottom of the sixth to put ASU in prime position to take the lead.
With two outs and a runner on first base, DeNae Chatman launched a moon-shot to straightaway centerfield. The laser marked the freshman's fifth long ball of the season and secured a 3-2 lead for the Sun Devils, their first lead of the ballgame.
The one-two punch of Juarez and Macha would prove too much for the Cardinal offense, and would lock up the Sun Devil's third series sweep, and 15th Pac-12 victory of the year, the most for ASU since the 2014 season (15 wins).
The Sun Devils will be back in action this Thursday, beginning a the team's final three-game series of the season against UCLA in Los Angeles. All three games of the road series are set to be broadcasted on the Pac-12 Network, with first pitch on Thursday and Friday set for 7 p.m. and noon on Saturday. Fans can follow the action all season long by following @ASUSoftball on Twitter.
MOST SUN DEVIL PAC-12 WINS
18-3, 2008
18-4, 2012
17-4, 2011
16-8, 2013
15-6, 2018
15-7-1, 2014
15-5, 1991
13-8, 2007
13-11, 1993
The Sun Devils featured a trio of arms in the Sunday outing with Dale Ryndak making her eighth start of the season. Following a strong two-inning outing, sophomore lefty G Juarez took over to lead ASU through 4.1 innings of shutout softball to pick up her 23rd win of the season. Senior Breanna Macha came in in the ninth to close out the game, earning her first save of the season.
Playing from behind for the second time in the series, the Sun Devils were kept off the board for the first four frames. The squad threatened in the home half of the third inning when Chatman knocked a leadoff single and advance to third with a single by Kindra Hackbarth, bu ASU was unable to capitalize.
The Sun Devil bats came alive in the fifth frame, when Skylar McCarty battled through a seven-pitch at-bat, before finally sending a solo shot over the wall in left center to cut Stanford's lead in half.
With the momentum in ASU's favor, Juarez worked around a one-out single to retire the next three Stanford hitters in the top half of the frame. Morgan Howe would spark the ASU offense with a leadoff single in the bottom of the sixth to put ASU in prime position to take the lead.
With two outs and a runner on first base, DeNae Chatman launched a moon-shot to straightaway centerfield. The laser marked the freshman's fifth long ball of the season and secured a 3-2 lead for the Sun Devils, their first lead of the ballgame.
The one-two punch of Juarez and Macha would prove too much for the Cardinal offense, and would lock up the Sun Devil's third series sweep, and 15th Pac-12 victory of the year, the most for ASU since the 2014 season (15 wins).
The Sun Devils will be back in action this Thursday, beginning a the team's final three-game series of the season against UCLA in Los Angeles. All three games of the road series are set to be broadcasted on the Pac-12 Network, with first pitch on Thursday and Friday set for 7 p.m. and noon on Saturday. Fans can follow the action all season long by following @ASUSoftball on Twitter.
MOST SUN DEVIL PAC-12 WINS
18-3, 2008
18-4, 2012
17-4, 2011
16-8, 2013
15-6, 2018
15-7-1, 2014
15-5, 1991
13-8, 2007
13-11, 1993