Red-hot offense launches softball past Missouri at WCWS
<p>Jessica Mapes’ 4-for-5 showing with two runs scored led the red-hot ASU offense Thursday afternoon as the Sun Devils opened their eighth WCWS appearance with a 7-3 win over the Missouri Tigers. <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/w-softbl/mtt/bach_hillary00.html">H… Bach</a> was phenomenal for the Sun Devils in the circle as she led A State to their 47th win on the year as ASU pushes their record to 47-16 on the year.</p><separator></separator><p>The first inning saw ASU come out of the gates swinging as lead-off singles from <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/w-softbl/mtt/mapes_jessica00.html">… Mapes</a> and <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/w-softbl/mtt/cochran_kaitlin00.html… Cochran</a> got the ball rolling before <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/w-softbl/mtt/castillo_kaylyn00.html… Castillo</a> drew a walk to load the bases with no out. RBIs from <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/w-softbl/mtt/donnenwirth_krista00.h… Donnenwirth</a>, <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/w-softbl/mtt/haro_talor00.html">Tal… Haro</a> and <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/w-softbl/mtt/boyd_katelyn00.html">K… Boyd</a> brought home three as ASU grabbed a 3-0 lead after one complete.</p><separator></separator><p>The A State sballers nearly replayed the first inning again in the second as they loaded the bases again with no outs before RBIs from <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/w-softbl/mtt/castillo_kaylyn00.html… Castillo</a>, <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/w-softbl/mtt/haro_talor00.html">Tal… Haro</a> and <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/w-softbl/mtt/crabb_katie00.html">Ka… Crabb</a> again brought in three runs as ASU stormed to a 6-0 lead.</p><separator></separator><p>A double to left center from Rhea Taylor for an RBI got Missouri on the board in the third before ASU answered the run in the fourth, taking advantage of a dropped fly in right field to have <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/w-softbl/mtt/haro_talor00.html">Tal… Haro</a> dig in to hit a 1-1 pitch deep to the pocket at short to score <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/w-softbl/mtt/nulliner_michelle00.ht… Nulliner</a> and collect her third RBI of the game for her second three-RBI game of her career.</p><separator></separator><p><a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/w-softbl/mtt/bach_hillary00.html">H… Bach</a> did the rest for the Sun Devils pitching the complete game effort for ASU, but she didn’t escape unscathed as an error cost ASU a run in the sixth before Bach gave up a solo longball in the seventh to make the final 7-3 in Game Two of the WCWS. Bach pushed her record to 31-9 overall with her 31 wins sealing her for fourth place all-time in ASU single-season history.</p><separator></separator><p>The Sun Devils will return to action tomorrow as they set to face Pac-10 foe Washington in Game Five of the WCWS at 6 p.m. CT/4 p.m. PT on ESPN2.<!-- STORY AD BEGINS HERE --></p>