Popescue leads Sun Devils to shut out of Wichita State
Arizona State senior Katelyn Boyd notched two home runs for three RBI as Mackenzie Popescue no-hit the Wichita State Shockers, 11-0 in five innings. The Devils had four total homers on the night as they move to a 15-2 record and the Shockers fall to 4-6.
The game marked Mackenzie Popescue’s first career no-hitter and the second no-hitter for the Devils this season. It was also the eighth-straight game decided in six innings or less.
With six home runs on the year, Katelyn Boyd pulled her career RBI count to 190, placing her at third overall in Sun Devil history. Her stolen base in the bottom of the fourth tied her for third in the record books for career stolen bases, with 67 total.
ASU kept a steady pace in the beginning of the game, with Boyd lifting a home run past the center wall. In the second frame, Sam Parlich snuck a double up the left field line then stole third and was brought home by a single from Amber Freeman, pulling the score to 2-0.
The Sun Devils caught fire in the bottom of the third, led by Boyd’s second homer of the night. The two-run four-bagger was Boyd’s third single-game high of two home runs and marked the sixth-consecutive game in which she has recorded a hit.
Alix Johnson emptied the bases soon after with another bomb past the fence, bringing in Caporuscio. Johnson’s third long-yarder on the year extended her hitting streak to seven-straight games. Parlich scored yet another run before wrapping up the frame with a score of 7-0.
n RBI single from pinch hitter Talor Haro in the fourth scored Boyd before Nikole Afusia launched a three-run homer, her first of the year, to pull the Devils to 11-0.
Popescue improved to 4-1 with the no-hitter to take the win – she fanned four batters in five innings of work. Sloan Anderson took the loss for the Shockers and falls to 2-4.
Action continues for the Devils as the Wilson/DeMarini Invitational begins on tonight, with Arizona State facing North Dakota State and Boise State at 5 p.m. and 7 p.m., respectively.