Instead of the expected pitching duel, offensive fireworks ensued from the ASU and Stanford softball teams.
Behind nine RBIs from sophomore catcher Amber Freeman, ASU (36-3, 7-1 Pac-12) swept Stanford by scores of 12-6 and 11-2.
Entering this week, ASU and Stanford’s pitching staffs were statistically among the best in the country. ASU was ranked 11th and Stanford was 14th out of 290 schools in ERA (1.61 and 1.66 respectively).
ASU’s 11 and 12 runs were each more than Stanford (26-12, 4-7 Pac-12) allowed in a single game all season.
The opener in the series lasted 2 hours and 46 minutes which is much longer than the average softball game. ASU drew 11 free passes and the Sun Devils allowed six free passes.
The scoring started in the first inning, when junior shortstop Cheyenne Coyle homered to center in the first. Coyle drew a walk with the bases loaded in the second.
In the fourth, Freeman cleared the bases with a three-run double, pushing ASU’s lead to 5-0.
Junior pitcher Mackenzie Popescue escaped a bases-loaded jam with nobody out in the third, but she couldn’t record an out in the fourth. The first five batters reached in the inning and junior pitcher Dallas Escobedo relieved her.
Escobedo controlled the damage, only allowing one more run to score, and ASU held onto a 5-3 lead entering the fifth.
ASU’s bats continued to churn out runs in the fifth inning. Freshman pinch-hitter Jennifer Soria plated two on a triple. ASU took six free passes in the inning, including three with the bases loaded.
With a 10-3 lead, ASU took control of the game, although Stanford sophomore outfielder Cassandra Roulund hit two home runs after. Stanford actually out-hit ASU 11-9 in their 12-6 loss, but the walks did them in.
In the second game, it was the Freeman show. All she did was go 3-for-4 at the plate with two home runs and five RBIs.
In her last three games, Freeman has four home runs and 13 RBIs.
In the second game, Popescue was much more efficient on the mound. It took her 80 pitches to navigate through six innings. She allowed four hits and two runs while striking out three.
Freeman, playing as designated player in game two, put ASU on the board with a home run in the first, and junior catcher Lucy Aubrecht homered in the second.
In the third, Freeman hit a three-run home run to put ASU in front 5-0. Freeman also singled in a run in the fourth. Aubrecht drove in two more runs in the sixth.
Sophomore third baseman Haley Steele had five RBI in the doubleheader, and drove in two runs in the sixth. ASU went on to win 11-2 in a run rule game.
Reach the reporter at justin.janssen@asu.edu
