Tempe, AZ– Despite a strong pitching performance by Kenzie Brown, who tallied nine strikeouts over four innings, Arizona State Softball fell to Oklahoma State 4-0 on Wednesday night at Farrington Stadium in a non-conference matchup.
Brown, who left the game after four innings with the Sun Devils trailing 1-0, allowed just one run on three hits. She dominated the Cowgirls with nine strikeouts. However, Oklahoma State capitalized on a pair of unearned runs in the fifth inning, and then added another run in the seventh with just one hit.
The Sun Devil pitching staff showed resilience, limiting Oklahoma State to a mere 1-for-18 performance with runners on base, despite allowing the leadoff batter to reach in six of the seven innings.
Arizona State had several opportunities but couldn’t convert. In the second inning, they had two runners on base but were thwarted by a double play. Later, in the fourth inning, they had runners on the corners, only to be unable to capitalize. Oklahoma State’s defense continued to shine, as they turned double plays in both the sixth and seventh innings, ultimately finishing the game with three double plays.
Notable Highlights:
- With her nine strikeouts, Brown now leads the Big 12 with 167 strikeouts on the season.
- This marks the 12th time this season that Brown has allowed two or fewer runs in a game with at least four innings pitched.
- Yannixa Acuña and Tiare Ho-Ching each extended their hitting streaks to six games, with a hit apiece in the contest.
Quotable:
Megan Bartlett, Arizona State Head Coach:
On Kenzie Brown’s performance against a challenging Oklahoma State lineup: “She’s a warrior, she really is. I can’t say enough good things about Kenzie Brown. She has so many ways to keep hitters off balance, and she’s just a tremendous competitor.”
On the importance of moving forward and refocusing for Big 12 play: “It’s crucial. While Oklahoma State is a great opponent, this is a non-conference game. Now, we need to focus on the upcoming series against Kansas. Our team has set high expectations for themselves, and it’s time to rise to the occasion, with big moments ahead. This is the stage they’ve wanted, and now it’s time to show what we’re made of.”
Up Next:
Arizona State will open a series against Kansas on Friday at 6 p.m. at Farrington Stadium.
