Courtesy of Texas Athletics
TEMPE, Ariz. – No. 25 Texas (3-2) wrapped up its stay at the Kajikawa Classic on a very positive note Sunday afternoon as the Longhorns utilized a six-run first inning in rolling past No. 16 Arizona State (4-2), 9-4.
Junior center fielder Lindsey Stephens continued to wreak havoc offensively, just missing a cycle by going 3-for-4 with a double, triple, HR and three RBIs. For the weekend the Beaumont, Texas, native hit a team-best .471 with five extra-base hits, including three long balls (two grand slams), and 11 RBIs. Junior first baseman Holly Kern was 2-for-4 at the plate with a pair of RBIs, senior right fielder Marlee Gabaldon was 2-for-4 with a RBI and junior catcher Erin Shireman blasted a three-run shot in the first to complete her weekend effort at .462 overall with two HR’s and seven RBIs.
Freshman Erica Wright fired her second complete game for UT in improving to 2-1 on the young season. The Huntington, Texas, product allowed four earned runs on eight hits with three walks and a career-best seven strikeouts over 7.0 frames.
Texas’ offense immediately wreaked havoc against Arizona State starter Breanna Macha in the top of the first as sophomore shortstop Devon Tunning‘s lead-off walk was quickly cashed in via Stephens’ one-out RBI double into the right center field gap. After an illegal pitch advanced the runner 60 feet, Kern hit a bouncer to second. ASU’s Nikki Girard charged the ball and fired home, but not in time as Stephens slid in under catcher Amber Freeman’s tag to make it 2-0.
Longhorns sophomore designated player Mickenzi Krpec managed a walk, setting the stage for a RBI base knock through the right side of the infield off Gabaldon’s bat. With UT leading 3-0 with still just one retired, Shireman stepped to the plate and continued her incredible opening weekend by driving a three-run bomb over the right center field wall, doubling the Texas advantage to a commanding 6-0. By the time the inning finally concluded, UT had scored six times on four hits while sending 10 batters to the plate.
During the bottom of the first, the Sun Devils looked to respond in kind as base hits from right fielder Sierra Rodriguez and third baseman Haley Steele quickly stationed a pair of ASU runners on with one out. Arizona State’s All-American catcher Freeman stepped to the dish and ripped a liner right back to the circle, but Wright stabbed it on the way by to save a potential run from crossing. ASU first baseman Bethany Kemp followed immediately with a sharp liner the other way to left, but Stephanie Wong was positioned perfectly. The sophomore barely had to move to make the catch as the Sun Devils left runners stranded.
Wright and new ASU pitcher Dale Ryndak managed to settle down the proceedings until the bottom of the third when ASU’s offense mounted a scoring opportunity. A hit batter, an Elizabeth Caporuscio single back up the middle and a walk loaded the bases with one down and the dangerous Freeman stepping into the batter’s box. Wright proved up to the challenge against the clean-up hitter, striking her out on four pitches for an important second out. ASU would leave all three bags occupied soon after as Wright induced a towering infield pop-up from Kemp that was tracked down routinely to end the threat.
The top of the Texas order again got busy during the top of the fourth, boosting the Longhorns advantage to a commanding 8-0. A one-out Tunning single into the hole at deep short got things rolling, while both a Stephens RBI triple and a Kern RBI single did the damage.
Arizona State threatened in the bottom of the fourth as Chelsea Gonzales’ lead-off single and a hit batter put two Sun Devils on with just one retired. Wright would again manage to work her way out of a jam by striking out center fielder Jennifer Soria looking before inducing a Rodriguez pop-up to shallow left.
With one final chance to avoid the run-rule, Arizona State got the base runners on it needed as Steele and Kemp each drew walks off Wright. Gonzales stepped into the box with two down and hit a roller up the middle that Hanzel corralled near second. Unfortunately for the Horns, the sophoomore didn’t have time to beat the runner to the bag for the force, and her try to first proved just a half-second late. That was just enough time for pinch runner Allie Butterfield to score from second, making it 8-1 while extending the contest.
Stephens immediately restored Texas’ eight-run advantage in the top of the sixth, blasting her third HR of the weekend down the line and just inside the left field fair pole.
There would be no run-rule for Texas, however, as the Sun Devils continued to battle in the sixth. With a runner on first and just one out, Rodriguez laced a run-scoring two-bagger into the right center gap, cutting ASU’s deficit to 9-2. After being kept in check through the contest, Freeman finally delivered a two-run double down the left field line as Texas’ lead was cut to just five tallies.
The Longhorns “D” flashed the leather to eventually finish off the contest in the seventh. First. Wong raced over deep into the left center gap to track down a ball near the wall, then junior third basemanStephanie Ceo reached her glove over the top of ASU’s dugout to make a terrific grab. A foul out to third wrapped the contest up as Texas picked up a big early season victory over the Sun Devils.
