Courtesy of USD Atheltics
TEMPE, Ariz. – The USD Softball team (2-0) held off late rallies by UTEP and No. 16 Arizona State to begin the 2015 season with a pair of wins. In the first game against UTEP, the Toreros opened up a 7-0 lead through the first two innings and then held off the Miner’s late rally for a 7-6 win. In game two, USD belted three home runs to knock off No. 16 Arizona State 5-3 for their third win over a ranked opponent in program history. Freshman Paige von Sprecken picked up both wins in her first collegiate action, allowing two earned runs through 12 innings.
In game one the USD offense hit the ground running, sending ten batters to the plate, scoring five runs in the first inning, and knocking the Miners starting pitcher, Erika Harrawood, out of the game after just one inning.
After Danielle Mavridis drew a leadoff walk, Chloe Kaneko hit a two run home run to left field to give USD an early 2-0 lead. Caitlin Rooney and Paige von Sprecken then each reached base, prompting an Olivia Sandusky sacrifice bunt. With runners on second and third, Mary Grabowski hit a sacrifice fly to right field, bringing home Rooney and advancing von Sprecken to third. Freshman Hannah Gilliland then hit a RBI single in her first career at-bat. After stealing second, Gilliland came around to score on a RBI single by Mavridis.
With Harrawood’s day done, the Miners turned to Dani Ficham, who struggled with her command, walking four of her first five batters. Grabowski and Gilliland each drew walks with the bases loaded, giving the Toreros a 7-0 lead.
Freshman pitcher Paige von Sprecken cruised through the first five innings, allowing just one hit and one walk and striking out five. In the sixth inning, Coach McElvain gave the ball to her other freshman starting pitcher Kailey Hill.
Hill battled through one-plus inning, giving up four runs on two hits and three walks. The Miners closed the gap to 7-4 after Hill gave up a two run home run in the bottom of the seventh. Grace Hernandez then came in for the save opportunity. She allowed four of her first five batters to reach base, bringing the score to 7-6 with the bases loaded and just one out. Hernandez escaped the jam and picked up the save after Kailtin Ryder popped into a double play.
In the second game against No. 16 Arizona State, von Sprecken and ASU’s Alexis Cooper had a pitcher’s duel going through the first four innings allowing only one combined hit. However, von Sprecken gave herself some run support with a lead off home run to right field in the top of the fifth. Sandusky followed with a single and then Mary Grabowski belted a two run home run to left field to give USD a 3-0 lead, sending Cooper to the bench.
The Toreros scored some insurance runs in the top of the seventh when freshman Kailey Hill (Ramona, Calif.) hit a two run bomb to dead centerfield to put USD up 5-0. It was Hill’s first career hit as a Torero.
The Sun Devils’ rally began with a lead off seventh inning solo home run to left by Bethany Kemp. After getting the next batter to fly out, the next four ASU batters reached base. With the score at 5-3 and two outs, ASU had the bases loaded, but Von Sprecken got the final batter to ground out to first to end the game.
Von Sprecken (2-0) pitched a complete game allowing two earned runs on six hits with two strikeouts. Cooper was saddled with the loss after allowing three earned runs in four innings.
The Toreros have two more games in the Kajikawa Classic on Saturday. They will face Indiana at 3:30 p.m. and New Mexico at 7:15 p.m.
