Red-hot offense launches softball past Missouri at WCWS

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. Hillary Bach 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.

The first inning saw ASU come out of the gates swinging as lead-off singles from Jessica Mapes and Kaitlin Cochran got the ball rolling before Kaylyn Castillo drew a walk to load the bases with no out. RBIs from Krista Donnenwirth, Talor Haro and Katelyn Boyd brought home three as ASU grabbed a 3-0 lead after one complete.

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 Kaylyn Castillo, Talor Haro and Katie Crabb again brought in three runs as ASU stormed to a 6-0 lead.

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 Talor Haro dig in to hit a 1-1 pitch deep to the pocket at short to score Michelle Nulliner and collect her third RBI of the game for her second three-RBI game of her career.

Hillary Bach 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.

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.