Cats savor sweep of ASU after losses last season
Arizona State's Michelle Nulliner slides into second as Arizona's Victoria Kemp tries to turn the double play at Farrington Stadium in Tempe on Wednesday. A pair of wins over the Sun Devils put Arizona in a good position to host a postseason regional tourney.
TEMPE – The Arizona softball team had been angry for the past year.
The Wildcats were upset when Arizona State swept them for the first time in 20 years last season. Wednesday night, No. 7 UA exacted revenge.
UA secured the season sweep over the Sun Devils with two victories at Farrington Stadium.
“It feels good,” said UA second baseman Victoria Kemp, who had two home runs between the two games against No. 6 ASU. “It was a team effort. It’s not just one person.”
The Wildcats won the first game, a continuation of a rain-postponed contest that began April 11 in Tucson, 3-2. They won the second game 10-6.
“This hurts,” ASU center fielder Katie Cochran said, “but we just have to move on from this and learn as a team because that’s all we can do.”
The wins moved UA (39-11, 11-4 Pac-10) into first place in the Pac-10, a half-game ahead of UCLA. The Wildcats are in a good position to host an NCAA regional.
UA has six more Pac-10 games left, and all are on the road, starting in the Bay Area this weekend.
The first contest was a pitcher’s duel The teams combined for only four hits when the game was resumed in the bottom of the third inning.
Sarah Akamine (18-5) picked up the win, allowing two runs on six hits, while striking out seven.
Kemp homered in the fourth inning to put UA up for good. She was 2 for 3 at the plate, as was Lauren Schutzler.
The second game was a slugfest. UA posted four hits and five runs in the first inning.
Their first inning was powered by two home runs, one from Jenae Leles and the other from Kemp.
ASU (37-13, 7-8) came back to tie the game in the third inning, but UA scored three runs in the fourth and held the lead the rest of the way.
“You never like to lose against UA,” ASU coach Clint Myers said. “We didn’t play as well as we can. You’re not going to win games like that.”
Lindsey Sisk improved to 12-3 despite allowing nine hits and five runs in 6 1/3 innings in the second game.
Brittany Lastrapes had three hits for UA, while driving in three runs. Leles posted three RBIs.
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PAC-10 STANDINGS
School Conf. Overall
Arizona 11-4 39-11
UCLA 10-4 35-8
Stanford 10-5 41-6
Washington 8-6 35-9
California 8-7 32-15
Arizona State 7-8 37-13
Oregon State 3-12 24-25
Oregon 2-13 15-29 UP NEXT: Arizona at California, 1 p.m. Friday