Day two of dominance? Check.
In game two against Stanford, No. 24 ASU softball scored 11 consecutive runs to end the game en route to a 16-6 victory in six innings of play.
Dale Ryndak took the circle for the Sun Devils (32-18, 10-9 Pac-12), pitching a complete game allowing eight hits and six runs.
After a scoreless first two innings for both teams, the Cardinal (16-34, 1-19 Pac-12) got out to an early 2-0 lead in the third thanks to a two-RBI double by junior Kayla Bonstrom.
The Sun Devils would respond, however, with a five-run fourth inning that included two RBI singles, a fielder's choice, and a bases loaded hit-by-pitch.
Stanford had a response of its own in the bottom of the frame, plating four runs on three RBI singles and a solo home run. The Cardinal led 6-5 after four.
But what propelled the Sun Devils to a dominant victory was a fifth inning in which they scored seven runs. The inning began with a two-RBI double by senior Elizabeth Caporuscio, was followed by sophomore Chelsea Gonzales reaching on an error and ended with three straight singles by seniors Haley Steele and Bethany Kemp in addition to sophomore Sashel Palacios.
After Ryndak held the Cardinal batters in check in the bottom of the fifth, ASU stepped up to the plate in the sixth and ballooned its lead to an insurmountable margin. The Sun Devils scored four runs thanks to a sac-fly by Gonzales, an RBI double by senior catcher Amber Freeman, and a two-run home run from Steele.
Stanford would not recover, losing 16-6 to fall into an 0-2 hole in the series against the Sun Devils.
Game three is scheduled for Sunday at 2 p.m. in Stanford, CA.
Reach the reporter at rclarke6@asu.edu or follow @RClarkeASU on Twitter.
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