“We welcome (the rabbit) with open arms,” senior outfielder Kaylee Pond said. “We treat others with respect, we get treated with respect, it's good karma.”

The Sun Devils rallied back from a 3-1 deficit late in the game on Thursday, Feb. 12, in Tempe.

Pond smashed a three-run home run to left-center field to put ASU up in the fifth inning, before eventually winning 7-6. 

“It feels good to be able to do stuff like that,” Pond said.”When you like playing for your team, it makes it that much more special.”

Although star senior pitcher Kenzie Brown surrendered the lead in the top of the sixth inning on a two-run home run hit by Hoosiers senior outfielder Ellie Goins.

The Sun Devils still had magic looming in the air over Farrington Stadium, as junior catcher Emily Schepp lined a heater into left field for a two-run home run, sealing the game shut in favor of ASU.

“I'm just focused on the game,” Schepp said. “Trying to find a pitch over the white, I don't do too much at that moment, and with two outs, just trying to find a barrel.”

Tonight, the Sun Devils struggled early again, going hitless until the fourth inning, after scoring five runs in the first inning against Portland State (2-5), in an 11-5 earlier in the day.

“They got in a bit of trouble today,” head coach Megan Bartlett said. “The defense and hitters picked themselves up. That's what good teams do, that's the reality of softball.”

In addition, Brown allowed six runs on five hits. However, she retired 14 batters and tossed 125 pitches in a complete game win. 

“She's certainly not a robot,” Bartlett said. "If she comes out here plus 90% of the time and she's lights out, I will take it, first team All Americans have nights like that.”

Most importantly, ASU rebounded in the toughest moments of the game after giving up home runs or when the offense faltered. 

“That's why you play softball,” Pond said. “You play for those high-intense moments. It's exciting that we're feeling that this early in the season.”

Nonetheless, ASU faced four different pitchers on Thursday, something that many teams rarely have in their game plan. What’s even more of a sight to see is the starting pitcher back on the rubber in the sixth inning. 

“We definitely were looking at the pictures before the game,” Pond said. “Whipping out four is a lot, and a starter coming back in is something you don't see often.” 

Despite being down for the majority of the game, the Sun Devils trusted the process their coaches laid out for them, and it led to glory. 

“That's where you just have to trust the plan,” Pond said. “You have to trust what the hitters are seeing, and trust the coaching staff as well as the plan that they have set for us.”

ASU looks to keep momentum going into the next four games, as the Littlewood Invitational heats up.