ASU softball overpowers Seton Hall in mercy win

Updated Mar. 5, 2020 2:14 a.m. ET

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TEMPE, Ariz. -- Cheyenne Coyle hit a three-run home run -- one of her two long balls on the night -- and ASU scored four runs in the bottom of the second inning, which was more than enough insurance as Alexis Cooper pitched a one-hit complete game in a 12-1 victory over Seton Hall on Friday.

The Sun Devils (13-0) had a season-high four home runs in the game, three of which came in the fourth inning in the team's highest-scoring outing this season. Seven ASU players logged at least one hit, and a total of nine reached base in the contest.

Cooper (1-0) retired the side in the first inning with only four pitches. She built off that momentum, going on to pitch a complete game in five innings of one-hit ball with one strikeout and no earned runs allowed.

Cheyenne Coyle scored one of her three runs on the evening on a passed ball in the first, but Seton Hall (3-5) answered with an unearned run of its own in the top of the second to even things up.

Alix Johnson made a remarkable diving grab in center field on a line drive quickly slicing away from her to keep a runner from scoring from third in the inning, the play of the game on defense for ASU.

The Sun Devils answered the the Pirates' run with a four-run second inning that saw Bethany Kemp score on a Sashel Palacious double prior to Coyle's first homer of the night, a three-run shot to left that put ASU up 5-1.

Cooper locked in at that point, retiring nine of the next 11 batters, with the only two base runners reaching on a walk and a defensive miscue.

The bats came alive again for ASU in the bottom of the fourth inning, as the Sun Devils plated seven runs and hit three home runs. Coyle and Johnson began the inning with back-to-back solo shots, with Coyle's plunking off the gymnastics building well behind the outfield wall.

ASU freshman Chelsea Gonzalez put the icing on the cake with her first career grand slam, putting the Sun Devils up 12-1.

Coyle finished the game with three hits, three runs scored and four RBIs. She now has a team-best five home runs on the season.