Softball shuts out Broncos, Spartans
The No. 1 Arizona State softball team launched the 2012 season with two shutout victories on Thursday evening. Helped along by five total home runs, two of which were hit by freshman starters, ASU is now 2-0 on the season.
Game One
Arizona State 10, Western Michigan 0 (6)
Sparked by four home runs, including three in the third inning, top-ranked Arizona State shut out Western Michigan (0-1), 10-0, for its first win of the season. A late three-run home run in the sixth by Elizabeth Caporuscio sealed the victory, allowing the Sun Devils to run-rule the Broncos.
The contest started out slow, but the Devils caught fire in the third inning, after Katelyn Boyd rocketed her 44th career home run out past left field. It started off a hitting spree for ASU, as Christina Zambrana slammed a double to left center, followed by a stellar home run by Annie Lockwood past center field. Four pitches later, freshman Amber Freeman hit her first career homer on only her second plate appearance.
The lead would only widen throughout the remainder of the game. In the bottom of the fifth, the Devils walked in two runs on bases loaded before Boyd punched a single through the left side to score a third.
Freshmen Caporuscio, Freeman, and Haley Steele made their first career starts for the Devils, contributing two home runs and four RBIs in total.
Game Two
Arizona State 4, San Jose State 0
The Devils wrapped up the evening with a victory over the Spartans (0-1), with Hillary Bach pitching all seven innings on the mound.
A-State got on the board first in the third inning, when Zambrana hit a sacrifice ground ball to second base to bring home Bailey Wigness. ASU’s main drive came in the bottom of the fifth, where Lucy Aubrecht smashed a homer over left field before Annie Lockwood’s single brought in two runs. Aubrecht’s long ball marked her first career home run.
The action continues tomorrow for the Devils as they take on McNeese State at 4:30 p.m. and Northwestern at 7 p.m. in the second day of the Kajikawa Classic.