Softball makes NCAA history in double sweep of UNLV
It was raining home runs at Farrington Stadium Tuesday afternoon as the fifth-ranked ASU softball team made NCAA history as they tied the all-time record for team home runs in a game with ten homeruns in game one of the afternoon hit where they beat UNLV 20-10 in six innings. Only two teams in history have hit 10 homeruns in a game, the last being BYU against Utah Valley State last year. The hit parade continued in the second game, with ASU hitting five more as they defeated the Rebels in a quick five innings, 15-2 with a phenomenal pitching effort from Hillary Bach as well. The wins put the Sun Devils record at 34-7 on the season as UNLV falls to 23-13 overall.
UNLV jumped out to an early lead in the first game, as they spotted UNLV five runs before storming the castle on the Rebs. Kaylyn Castillo got the party started for the Sun Devils with ASU's first of 15 homeruns on the day taking one over the left center field fence to start off the second inning. The fourth inning saw the Sun Devils rally as Christina Zambrana launched a four bagger over the left field fence for her first career long ball. Krista Donnenwirth wrapped up the fourth inning rally with a three run dinger as she cleared two fences in left field to score Katelyn Boyd and Kaylyn Castillo.
The Sun Devils saw four home runs in the fifth inning with Katelyn Boyd, Krista Donnenwirth, Katie Crabb, and Christina Zambrana all going yard. The sixth inning wasn’t any different as Lesley Rogers and Kaitlin Cochran had solo shots of their own while Mandy Urfer finished off the game with a three run money ball over the right center fence.
The theme continued in the second game as Renee Welty cracked the first home run of the game over the center field fence scoring Kaitlin Cochran and Krista Donnenwirth. Following her was Mandy Urfer with a two run bomb over the left field fence tallying two more runs as Caylyn Carlson touched home plate on the hit as well. The second inning found Renee Welty at the plate again crushing a grand slam over the left field fence clearing the bases for the Sun Devils to take a commanding lead. Mandy Urfer, not to be outdone crushed another solo homer in the fourth, collecting her second homerun of the game and third of the day. Wrapping up the win was Katelyn Boyd collecting four RBI’s as she sent a grand slam packing over the left center field fence. Hillary Bach tallied the W to put her record at 19-2 on the season while allowing only two runs in the outing.
Pac-10 play will pick up again for the Sun Devils this weekend as they travel to Tucson for part one of the 'Duel in the Desert' as they take on in-state rivals, Arizona this coming weekend. The first game of the two game series will be on Friday, April 10th at 7:00 followed by game two on Saturday, April 11 at 7:00.