FULLERTON, Calif. -- The fifth-ranked Arizona State softball team opened its first road swing of the year at the Judi Garman Classic by splitting its two games on the opening day Thursday.
The Sun Devils (26-3) opened the day with a 3-0 win over BYU but followed that with a 9-2 loss to No. 10 Louisiana-Lafayette.
Katelyn Boyd made up some ground in the ASU record books by notching a homer in the game against ULL. It was her 58th career home run, putting her just two shy of second in school history in the category and three hits shy of third in hits with 266.
Hillary Bach notched the early win, giving her 78 career victories. She needs just one more to tie for third on ASU's career list with 79.
The third inning proved all ASU would need for a 3-0 win over BYU, which dropped to 13-8 on the year. The Sun Devils put up three runs on two hits in the frame to complete the scoring for the game. Alix Johnson went on to finish 2 for 3 at the plate with one run scored, one RBI and two stolen bases.
Both squads held each other off of the board through two complete innings as ASU recorded its first hit of the game in the bottom of the third. Bailey Wigness reached via walk setting up Boyd for an RBI triple in the next at-bat. Johnson plated Boyd on a single up the middle, then two batters later Elizabeth Caporuscio brought home Johnson on a sacrifice fly to center to put ASU up 3-0 after three.
Hillary Bach held the defense strong the remainder of the way, going the distance and striking out six to improve to 12-0 on the year. Caroline Umphlett drops to 5-2 after taking the loss for BYU in 3.2 innings pitched.
No. 10 ULL got on the board first with a two-run homer in the third by Nerissa Myers that brought home Natalie Fernandez, who had reached on an infield single two batters earlier. The Ragin’ Cajuns made it 5-0 by scoring three runs on two hits in the top of the fourth. Sarah Draheim hit the second homer for ULL, another two-run shot.
ASU brought in Mackenzie Popescue in the fifth to replace Dallas Escobedo who left after four innings and recorded three strikeouts. Escobedo took the loss for ASU, falling to 9-2, while Jordan Wallace picked up the win to improve to 12-0 on the year.
ULL tallied another run in the sixth on an RBI double from Myers that plated Erikka Murphy. A single through the left side by Mattelaine Haack scored Murphy and gave ULL the 8-0 lead.
Boyd responded by hitting her 58th career homer in the bottom of the six, a long drive to left. Johnson followed with a triple to left and then scored on an Amber Freeman single to make it 8-2.
The Ragin’ Cajins put up one more run before all was said and done, with Brianna Cherry scoring in the seventh to make it 9-2.
