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ASU Softball: Nine-run second surges Devils past Beavers

By Sam Ficarro

TEMPE, AZ - OCTOBER 10: Arizona State Sun Devils mascot Sparky spikes the pitchfork at center field after the college football game against the Colorado Buffaloes at Sun Devil Stadium on October 10, 2015 in Tempe, Arizona. The Arizona State Sun Devils beat the Colorado Buffaloes 48-23. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images)
TEMPE, AZ - OCTOBER 10: Arizona State Sun Devils mascot Sparky spikes the pitchfork at center field after the college football game against the Colorado Buffaloes at Sun Devil Stadium on October 10, 2015 in Tempe, Arizona. The Arizona State Sun Devils beat the Colorado Buffaloes 48-23. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images) /
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ASU softball finished the first weekend of Pac-12 play with a series victory versus Oregon State, winning the rubber game 12-4.

After losing the series opener 5-1 Friday, Arizona State got to face Oregon State pitcher Mariah Mazon for the second time this weekend.

Mazon, who threw a complete game allowing just one run on five hits Friday, retired the first four batters of the game. Then, the flood gates opened.

Catcher Maddi Hackbarth worked a great at-bat before crushing a 3-2 pitch over the wall in right center for her 11th home run of the season to cut the Oregon State lead to one.

That blast would jumpstart the Sun Devils offense, finishing the frame scoring nine runs on eight hits, a walk and hit by pitch. First baseman DeNae Chatman had a triple and a two-run double in the inning as the team was just feeding off each other.

“The last two nights it’s been with two outs,” outfielder Skylar McCarty said. “We’re seeing good pitches and we’re making good contact and we are believing in ourselves.”

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Abby Andersen started again for the Sun Devils after getting the loss Friday night allowing five runs (three earned) on six hits and five walks.

Andersen worked through some control issues in the first inning allowing two runs on three hits and one error.

The freshman would go on to settle down before getting pulled in the fourth inning, finishing the afternoon allowing four runs (two earned) on eight hits, four walks and three strikeouts.

Samantha Mejia finished the game throwing 1.2 innings allowing no runs on two hits, walking one and striking out two Beavers.

Andersen, who improved her record to 8-4 on the season, said the key for her is just to stay composed during the game.

“My plan today was to go in more relaxed to approach it in a more experienced way. After that first inning, I think it was just settling in,” Andersen said. “My plan was to be that way from the beginning, but I’m glad I did it in the second inning. I was more relaxed.”

Arizona State’s offensive moniker this season is “pass the bat” and they’ve done just that this weekend scoring 18 runs, including 13 in one inning, Saturday and scoring nine runs in the second inning Sunday.

“We’re capable of putting up crooked numbers a lot frequently at any point in time. I’m very confident that a lead is not safe with our offense,” head coach Trisha Ford said. “Our offense is winning us these games. They’re putting up some big runs and it’s just hard from an opponent’s standpoint to keep facing our lineup.”

Next. ASU Softball: Sun Devils beat Oregon State, Coach Ford picks up win No. 100. dark

Arizona State improves to 22-8 (2-1 Pac-12) as they’ll stay in Tempe to host Utah for a three-game series beginning Friday before entering the Pac-12 gauntlet against Arizona, UCLA and Washington in consecutive weeks.

All quotes in this article were obtained firsthand by Devils in Detail unless otherwise noted.