No. 17 ASU softball splits the second day of the Sun Devil invitational behind a run-rule win against Southern Utah followed by a run-rule loss to Wisconsin.
Senior catcher Maddi Hackbarth was 3-4 on the day, including a home run giving her six on the season.
Southern Utah
ASU softball (15-6) gained its second run-rule victory of the weekend defeating Southern Utah (1-12) 12-0.
Freshman pitcher Lindsay Lopez made her first collegiate start, looking sharp from the first pitch. Lopez threw four scoreless innings, allowing only one hit .
"I think Lindsay did a great job," head coach Trisha Ford said. "She made pitches when she needed to and I think she threw well ... the biggest thing for me is having Lindsay come out as a freshman and throw."
The bats sprang to life in the bottom of the third, beginning with back-to-back doubles from junior third baseman Kiara Kennedy and sophomore outfielder MaKenna Harper.
Kennedy scored the first run of the game on a sacrifice fly from senior center fielder Kindra Hackbarth.
The flood gates began to open after a walk brought freshman right fielder Jazmine Hill to the plate with two runners on. Hill roped a triple down the first base line and came all the way around to score on an error by the catcher, giving her three RBIs and the Sun Devils a 4-0 lead.
Two more Sun Devils drew walks and scored on single by freshman catcher Macy Simmons.
To cap off the hitting frenzy, Kennedy hit a two-run home run in her second at bat of the inning, finishing the scoring as 11 batters came to the plate and 8 runs were scored.
The Sun Devils immediately added more insurance runs in the bottom of the fourth with a leadoff home run off the bat of Kindra Hackbarth.
Maddi Hackbarth matched her sister later in the inning with a three-run home run driving in the freshman duo of Hill and freshman shortstop Alynah Torres.
Maddi Hackbarth's RBIs were the last for the Sun Devils, giving ASU a 12-0 lead entering the fifth inning.
Senior pitcher Samantha Mejia secured the shutout, closing the door in the fifth. Lopez and Mejia only allowed a combined three hits in a dominant pitching performance from beginning to end.
Wisconsin
The Sun Devils took on the Badgers (10-8) for the second time in as many days, however, the results were very different. The Sun Devils lost in run-rule fashion 10-1 on Saturday after defeating the Badgers 3-1 just a night ago.
Junior pitcher Madison Preston entered the circle for the Sun Devils and ran into trouble right away, allowing the first two Badgers to reach base.
Preston struck out the next two and looked to be in position to escape the jam when junior infielder Taylor Johnson hit an RBI double. Freshman first baseman Abby Herbst plated two more runs on a single before Preston could end the inning.
While the Sun Devils were still looking for their first hit of the game, the Badgers extended their lead on a two-run home run from senior designated hitter Caroline Hedgcock in the third.
Senior pitcher Kaitlyn Menz sat down the first nine Sun Devils she faced and her offense would continue to give her run support.
Preston once again found herself in trouble allowing the first two runners on in the fourth, marking the end of her outing.
Redshirt senior pitcher Cielo Meza came in relief and allowed a bunt single to load the bases with no outs. Meza then walked in the sixth run of the game.
The Badgers offense continued to explode when sophomore infielder Jolie Fish hit a grand slam extending the Badgers lead to 10-0.
Kindra Hackbarth finally got the Sun Devils into the hit column in the bottom of the fourth with a lead off double, but they could not produce anymore offense as ASU stranded the baserunner.
Meza retired the Badgers in order in the top of the fifth, however the Sun Devils needed three runs in the bottom half to avoid getting run-ruled.
Maddi Hackbarth lead off with a single in the fifth. Senior outfielder Alli Tatnall followed with a one out double.
Harper hit an RBI single with two outs to get the Sun Devils their first run, but that would it for ASU, ending the game 10-1.
"We just have got to get better," Maddi Hackbarth said. "That's what I told them, tomorrow is a new day, be ready."
The Sun Devils will look to bounce back in their final game of the Sun Devil Classic on Mar. 1 at 12:00 p.m. MST against Maryland in Tempe.
Reach the reporter at kbdyer2@asu.edu and follow @TheKamDyer on Twitter.
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