Over the last two days, No. 14 ASU softball has outscored its opponents by three touchdowns, obliterating Georgetown and South Dakota for a combined total of 21-0 at Farrington Stadium.
On Wednesday evening, the Sun Devils defeated the Georgetown Hoyas 13-0 in five innings.
In addition to a high volume of offense, the Sun Devils have not allowed a run over their last four games, and their versatile battalion has been firing on all cylinders en route to an 18-2 start to the 2018 season.
“We talk about their focus from the first inning,” ASU head coach Trisha Ford said. “We have a plan and it’s sticking to the plan, and executing the plan. We have kind of talked about that as well. The team that adjusts more quickly is going to win, so it’s important for us from the very first pitch to execute.”
With that team philosophy in mind, ASU put up three runs in the first inning for the second day in a row.
With runners on first and second in a 1-2 count, ASU senior outfielder Nichole Chilson was able to run the count full, and she then proceeded to backspin a 3-2 pitch to the opposite field, clearing the left center field wall to give the Sun Devils an early 3-0 advantage.
Chilson finished the game with five RBI, and the senior has hit another level over the last couple of weeks with her poise in the batter’s box. Her coaches have taken notice, sliding her into the cleanup spot in the ASU batting order over the last couple of games.
“I’m pretty locked in. It’s so funny, Coach Ford, we always have a conversation and she is like, ‘You look so confident and calm,’” Chilson said. “I do. I feel really calm and I am just really zoned in on pitches that are being thrown … I feel good right now.”
As for other offensive contributors, ASU brought out a full arsenal of bats as they cleared their deep bench in Wednesday’s blowout victory.
Junior outfielder Skylar McCarty was 1-2 with an RBI and sophomore outfielder Kindra Hackbarth was 1-2 with three RBI after clearing the bases with a three-run triple in the third inning.
The Sun Devils put up seven runs in the third frame and they batted around the lineup.
Junior third baseman Taylor Becerra also contributed when she slapped a single to left field in the third inning.
The RBI served as a timely hit, and it had the looks of what Becerra did last season, hitting .331 for the Sun Devils as a top slugger in the ASU batting order.
“I needed that … It was really rough at the beginning (of the season) because I was just frustrated,” Becerra said. “I have really been trying to embrace it and the adversity. You need it and this is a game of failure, so it’s going to happen.”
Among others, junior outfielder Morgan Howe blasted a solo home run in the fourth inning after sitting out of the ASU starting lineup for the last couple of games.
With a refreshed attitude and mindset, the junior came up and launched an opposite field home run, and Howe finished the game reaching base in all three of her plate appearances.
“I feel like my pitch selection is very wide and it shouldn’t be,” Howe said. “That’s definitely been something that I have needed to check in with (over the last week), and I think I did a lot better today … pitch selection is a key.”
With the win, ASU improved to 18-2 overall and will now get ready for a more formidable opponent when the Minnesota Golden Gophers enter Farrington Stadium for three games this weekend.
First pitch for game one between ASU and Minnesota is set for Friday, March 9 at 7 p.m. MST.
Reach the reporter at atbell1@asu.edu or follow @AndrewBell7 on Twitter.
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