TEMPE, Ariz. -- The seventh-ranked Arizona State softball team run-ruled the UCLA Bruins for the second straight night Friday, earning senior pitcher Hillary Bach her 82nd career victory with a 9-1 win in five innings.
Making her 101st career appearance, Bach moved into second place on ASU's all-time wins list to help the Devils improve to 34-4 overall and 6-1 in Pac-12 play. The Bruins are now 25-9 on the season and 2-3 in conference action. The right-hander threw 65 pitches on the night, finishing with two strikeouts and no walks.
Arizona State struck first with a home run off the bat of Elizabeth Caporuscio in the second inning. The four-bagger was Caporusio’s 12th of the season, tying the freshman for 18th in single-season home runs in ASU history. The Sun Devils tacked on another run when pinch-runner Kayla Ketchum scored on a sacrifice fly from Talor Haro to make it 2-0.
The Devils didn't let up in the third, as Katelyn Boyd walked, stole second and scored on two consecutive wild pitches. The stolen base was Boyd’s 17th of the year, tying her for 16th on ASU's single-season stolen-bases list.
ASU went on to score three more runs in the inning for a 6-0 lead, all off of a well-placed double from Lucy Aubrecht that ricocheted off of the center-field wall.
The Bruins tallied their only run of the night on a home run to center field from Andrea Harrison, her eighth of the year, in the top of the fourth.
ASU's Annie Lockwood responded in the bottom of the frame by knocking in two runs with her sixth double of the season, extending the lead to 8-1. Lockwood then capped off the night with a single in the following inning that plated Bailey Wigness to make it 9-1.
Ally Carda took the loss for UCLA, dropping to 11-3 for the season.
Saturday's series finale is scheduled for noon Arizona time and can be seen live on FOX Sports Arizona.
