About thirty minutes prior to game time at Farrington Stadium, a blood-red moon loomed over Tempe as the players got their warmups going, foreshadowing that the Maroon and Gold were out for blood in this fall softball matchup.
ASU softball walked out victorious with a 25-5 win over Phoenix College Wednesday night, signaling its continued strong play.
As the top of the first inning concluded with back-to-back strikeouts from ASU Senior pitcher Aissa Silva, it was Sparky and the gang's time to step up to the plate.
Junior catcher Samantha Swan would go on to record the first out of the inning with a ground ball to second, which would then be followed by Senior left fielder Yannixa Acuna reaching first after an error by the third baseman.
Redshirt senior center fielder Kaylee Pond extended the traffic on the bases by drawing a walk, leading to Sophomore right fielder Ashleigh Mejia stepping into the box with an early chance to put runs on the board.
After Mejia had worked the count to 2-0, the Bears knew they had to challenge Mejia with a strike, and she was ready for it. Mejia would connect with a fastball and send a screaming line drive over the centerfielder's head, smashing against the wall while clearing the bases.
This two-run double would be the first of 25 base knocks that the Sun Devils would tally in the full nine innings of play.
Mejia put up a stat line that would only be seen in a video game, helping propel ASU to the victory. The talented right fielder went 5-5 with two doubles, two singles, a homerun, five RBI’s, and four runs scored.
Mejia did not just make headlines with the bat in her hand; she also made an incredible diving catch in the outfield, limiting a potential base hit to a sacrifice fly.
“Vitally important, she’s incredible,” head coach Megan Bartlett said. “She’s not only exceptionally talented, but currently en fuego. (We’re) Happy Ash chose to be a Sun Devil.”
While the bats got their fair share of recognition, the pitchers also had a masterclass of a performance while in the circle.
Senior Aissa Silva, freshman Mary Peyton Hodge, and junior Meikka Lauppe each pitched three innings, and in total, the talented roster surrendered just two hits.
Three of the runs scored by the Bears came from sac flies, showcasing the players' abilities to limit the damage by not allowing loud contact in high-pressure situations.
Hodge specifically performed well in these tense moments as she found herself in a bases-loaded jam in back-to-back innings.
In the first go around with all of the bases occupied, Hodge would surrender a walk, which brought in one run for the Bears. But the talented pitcher did not let the moment get to her head as she retired the next two with a lineout right back at her and a lineout to left field.
In the second scenario, Hodge again caught a line out, followed by a strikeout swinging and a pop-up to first to escape the jam.
“What I love about MP is she knows exactly what her strength is and she doesn’t stray from it,” Bartlett said. “She has a very strong sense of self she understands why she is really effective on the mound. She’s going to force the opposition to figure out how to score runs on her before they pop out three times”
An all-around incredible day for the Sun Devils kept vibes high in Farrington Stadium, as they now look to face off against Pima College on November 11, right back in Tempe, Arizona.