ASU softball welcomed themselves back to Tempe with a doubleheader sweep Friday night after a six game California road trip.
The No. 21 Sun Devils started off the Louisville Slugger Invitational in a hard-fought battle against No. 23 Nebraska, winning 6-0.
This victory concluded ASU's first pair of back-to-back shutout wins over ranked opponents since 2011.
Neither team got on the board until the fourth inning. Senior second baseman Nikki Girard drew first blood, hitting a double to left field and knocking in her 22nd RBI of the season.
She went 1-3 on the day.
“It felt good, it was fun just getting on top because it gives you a lot more confidence in the game," she said.
Redshirt junior pitcher Kelsey Kessler pitched a complete game and allowed only five hits in shutout victory. It was her eighth win of the season.
She got help from senior centerfielder Jennifer Soria (2-2) and sophomore right fielder Nichole Chilson (1-3). They both hit their fourth home runs of the season in the fifth inning.
Kessler was pleased with ASU's victory after a long week in California.
“I think that was a good win just for the team because everything finally worked together," she said.
ASU went on to beat the Huskers 6-0.
The Sun Devils followed this game with one against Georgetown (5-12). They stayed patient at the plate and had a dominant performance from sophomore pitcher Breana Macha, leading to a mercy-rule victory and their 20th win of the season.
Macha (6-2) allowed two hits and pitched in all five innings. The defense behind her stayed composed, helping her confidence in the circle.
Freshman first baseman Leilua Ulufa sparked the offense after hitting an RBI double down the left field line and the Sun Devils would end the first inning leading 4-0.
Senior left fielder Abby Spiel would knock home junior shortstop Chelsea Gonzales in the second inning, extending the lead to 5-0.
The Sun Devils offense then made a detrimental scoring brigade in the fourth inning. Georgetown errors on defense allowed ASU to score eight runs, escalating the Sun Devil lead to 13-0 and ending the game by mercy-rule in the fifth inning.
“We don’t really look at the record or the opponent,” said co-interim head coach Robert Wagner. “We have to take care of business no matter whose on the other side of the field.”
ASU will look to continue its winning streak tomorrow evening where they will face-off against Georgetown again at 6 p.m.
Reach the reporter at kcvalen1@asu.edu or follow @kvalenzuela17 on Twitter.
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