TEMPE, Ariz. – A home run in the bottom of the sixth inning from pinch-hitter Ryan Brown pushed No. 25/RV Arizona State past No. 21/15 Oklahoma State, 5-4, on Saturday afternoon at Farrington Field.
The loss drops the Cowgirls to 17-9 overall and 1-4 in conference play, while ASU improves to 22-6 and 2-3 in conference.
ASU took the lead in the bottom of the first inning on a double to center field that drove in one run. Jayelle Austin responded with a solo shot in the top of the second, her fifth of the season, to tie the game at one apiece.
The back-and-forth scoring continued throughout the game, as each time a team gained the lead, the other tied it in the following inning.
In the bottom of the third inning, the Sun Devils struck again on an error that allowed two runs to score. Amanda Hasler brought the Cowgirls within one in the following frame with her fifth home run of the season, and later in the fourth, an RBI double off the bat of Aubrey Jones knotted the game at 3-3.
The Cowgirls took their first lead of the game in the top of the fifth inning following an RBI single from Lexi McDonald, however, ASU answered with home runs in the bottom of the fifth and sixth innings to secure the 5-4 win.
Preslee Downing started for the Cowgirls and pitched only two innings before RyLee Crandall (6-2) entered in relief in the third inning and took her second loss of the season. The Sun Devils sent out Meika Lauppe (8-2), who pitched a complete game and earned her eighth win of the season, including her second straight victory over the Cowgirls.
The series finale is scheduled for 3 p.m. CT tomorrow on ESPN+.
