Freshman center fielder Kaitlin Cochran may be the new kid on the block, but her power has opponents quickly learning her name.
Cochran and the softball team retired the side over the weekend, taking first place in the Tempe Kajikawa Classic after winning all six games to improve to 7-0 this season.
Cochran's tournament included three home runs, 16 RBIs, nine hits, and eight runs scored.
One of her home runs was a grand slam that ended the Nevada game by giving ASU a 9-0 lead after five innings.
Cochran hit over .500 in the tournament and showed speed to compliment her strength by stealing two bases.
"We're extremely excited [about Cochran]," senior third baseman Jen McCard said. "She came in here taking hacks and we thought she'd get in there and do well."
McCard also had a grand slam, coming in ASU's final game of the tournament in a rematch of the season opener against Utah State.
The bases were loaded in the top of the second inning when she came to the plate.
"I personally was trying to get on top and drive it through somewhere," she said. "I wasn't even thinking [of a grand slam]."
The Sun Devils defeated Syracuse, Nevada, Cal State Northridge and Utah State by eight runs or more, invoking the run rule in each game and ending the games short of the full seven innings.
The closest call came Saturday against New Mexico when the Lobos loaded the bases in the bottom of the fourth inning with the game tied 1-1.
Senior pitcher Desiree Serrano was brought in to relieve starting pitcher Ashley Werschky midway through the fourth.
She struck out New Mexico pinch hitter Ashley Allen to end the inning with three runners stranded.
Sophomore catcher Kristen Miller doubled to score two runs in the next inning, and the Sun Devils held on to win 3-2.
Despite the need to use Serrano -- who pitched in four of the seven games -- in relief, ASU coach Clint Myers was happy with the pitching staff in the tournament.
"We stayed to the plan pretty well," Myers said. "[Serrano] came in relief one time but we had the relief situation all planned. I'm pretty happy with the pitching right now."
Myers tweaked the starting lineup throughout the weekend, getting most of the roster playing time at one point.
"We're looking for the hot bat and the combinations that are really going to click," Myers said. "The team is getting better and some people are making the most of their opportunities so we've got to continue to go that way."
ASU stayed aggressive on the bases all weekend, stealing 17 to their opponents' one. The team averaged nearly three stolen bases a game.
"We definitely feel that we had a good start but we've got lots to work on," McCard said.
The Kajikawa Classic had no bracket but determined the winner by record and strength of victory.
ASU and intrastate rival UA were both undefeated in the event, but the Sun Devils scored 43 more runs than the opposition, compared to UA's 36.
Reach the reporter at steven.bohner@asu.edu.
