Feb. 12, 2010
Tempe, Ariz. - The fifth-ranked Arizona State Sun Devils put up three runs in the first inning and cruised to a 14-2 victory over the Auburn softball team Friday night at the Kajikawa Classic.
Auburn (0-2) plays twice Saturday, taking on Texas Tech at 12:30 p.m. CT and Notre Dame at 5:30 p.m. CT in day three of the tournament.
Megan Elliott (1-1) earned the win for Arizona State, allowing two runs, both earned, on five hits in a five-inning complete-game effort. Elliott fanned six and did not issue a walk.
Jenee Loree (0-1) took the loss for the Tigers after giving up four runs, all earned, on two hits in 1.0 innings of work. Loree walked two, struck out one, hit a batter and had one wild pitch.
Lauren Schmalz threw 1.1 innings of relief, allowing five runs, all earned, on four hits with two walks and two strikeouts. Angel Bunner tossed 1.2 innings, allowing five runs, two earned, on five hits.
Arizona State jumped on the scoreboard in the bottom of the first inning when Ashley Muenz drew a bases-loaded walk to force home Lesley Rogers (single). Katie Crabb (HBP) followed with a ground out to shortstop that forced Talor Haro home and gave ASU a 2-0 lead.
Still in the first, Loree threw wild on a ball four to Annie Lockwood which allowed Kaylyn Castillo to score from third to give the Sun Devils a 3-0 edge.
Arizona State made it a 4-0 game when Christina Zambrana took a 1-1 pitch over the wall in left centerfield for a solo home run in the bottom of the second inning. That blast chased Loree from the game for Schmalz.
The Sun Devils, however, continued the outburst as two more runs crossed the plate in the second inning. Castillo laced a one-out single to the wall in right-center to score Rogers and Katelyn Boyd to make it a 6-0 game.
Lockwood opened the bottom of the third with a solo home run to center to give Arizona State a 7-0 lead. ASU made it 8-0 when Rogers doubled to right with Zambrana (walk) aboard. Zambrana moved to third on the play, but came in to score when Kyndall White misplayed the relay throw from right fielder Caitlin Stangl.
Still in the third, Bunner was brought in to relieve Schmalz. With two on and one out, Boyd smashed a three-run home run to center to give Arizona State an 11-0 lead. ASU would tack on three more runs on a fielding error and a pair of wild pitches in the bottom of the fourth inning to make it 14-0.
In the top of the fifth, Lindsey Harrelson drove in Auburn's first run of the game with a single through the right side that plated Kelsey Cartwright (single). Krista Clyde followed with a single up the middle that scored Lauren Guzman (single) for the 14-2 score.