Cochran's grand slam powers softball over Cal

May 03, 2009

Powered by a grand slam from <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/w-softbl/mtt/cochran_kaitlin00.html… Cochran</a>, the sixth-ranked ASU Softball team got back to form Sunday afternoon as they topped the 13th-ranked Cal Golden Bears 7-3 at Levine-Fricke Field in Berkeley. <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/w-softbl/mtt/bach_hillary00.html">H… Bach</a> took the win for her 23rd on the season as ASU improves to 38-15 and 8-10 in conference play while Cal drops to 34-16 and 9-8 in the Pac-10.<separator></separator>A State finally got back on track in the first inning with their offense as they were able to grab a run as they took advantage of a throwing error by the Cal catcher to plate <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/w-softbl/mtt/cochran_kaitlin00.html… Cochran</a>. Cal did one better in the bottom half of the first though as an RBI single from Elia Reid plated one as well as seeing another run come home off a Sun Devil blunder in right field to give Cal the 2-1 lead after one.<separator></separator>A State was silent until the sixth inning when they decided to get the party started with <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/w-softbl/mtt/donnenwirth_krista00.h… Donnenwirth's</a> single to right followed with a single to right center to put two on. A ground out to advance the runners set up <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/w-softbl/mtt/haro_talor00.html">Tal… Haro's</a> heroics as she nailed a single up the middle to take two back and the lead. The sassy Sun Devils weren't done yet though as <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/w-softbl/mtt/cochran_kaitlin00.html… Cochran</a> strode up to the plate with bases loaded and sent the first pitch she saw back over the Bay with a grand slam to right center.<separator></separator>Cal proved their feistiness in the bottom of the inning though, adding a run off a walk and a double to left center by Renee Sevilla to cut ASU's lead to 7-3. <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/w-softbl/mtt/bach_hillary00.html">H… Bach</a> buckled down after the run to shut down the Cal offense through the rest of the outing to push her record to 23-8 on the year.<separator></separator>The Sun Devils will head to the Oregon schools next weekend as they enter the final week of regular season play. They'll face Oregon State in Corvallis on Thursday, May 7 before facing the Oregon Ducks on Friday and Saturday May 8 and 9 in Eugene.