As just a freshman, Arizona State outfielder Ashleigh Mejia has waited for her first signature moment in a Sun Devil uniform. It came in the bottom of the seventh against BYU on Saturday, as she stepped into the box with a chance to save her team in its last gasp down a run late.
With one swing of the bat, Mejia smacked a game-tying solo home run over the center field wall to send the game into extra innings.
In the eighth, the Sun Devils (17-7) sealed a 5-4 victory over BYU (15-6). Sophomore catcher Samantha Swan hustled home to beat out a groundball to first base to score the winning run for ASU, and complete the late comeback started by Mejia’s homer.
“This [game] is up there,” Mejia said, deciding whether the win was one of the craziest of her career. “I’m just blessed enough to be in this opportunity. I feel like a lot of times this season I’ve been in that position.”
Similar to Friday night’s game, BYU broke the deadlock early through a single by freshman catcher Ilove’a Brittingham, which allowed junior utility player Lily Owens to score.
Graduate outfielder Kelsey Hall responded with her second home run of the weekend. Her shot over to center field marked her seventh homer of the season and put the Sun Devils up 2-1.
Two errors by the Cougars in the following inning allowed the Maroon and Gold to extend their lead. With the bases loaded, a wild pitch allowed senior utility player AJ Murphy to take home, as the Sun Devils took a 3-1 advantage after two innings.
But BYU responded quickly. Junior shortstop Hailey Morrow doubled to center field which put another run on the board for the Cougars, cutting the lead to one.
For the first time since Feb. 18, a loss to GCU, senior right-handed pitcher Kenzie Brown gave up more than a single run (3) in an outing. Despite this, Brown did not allow any runs or hits from the fourth to the sixth inning.
Her streak of scoreless frames ended late, as ASU failed to close out the victory deep in the seventh inning. With two outs gone and the game on the line, Owens homered over center field to give the Cougars a 4-3 lead. For the first time since the first inning, BYU took the lead.
Needing a run, the Sun Devils responded in a massive way with Mejia’s solo home run. The freshman’s fifth home run of the season tied the game and sent it into extra innings.
“I always tell the team and myself, ‘It’s not over until it’s over,’” Mejia said on bouncing back in the seventh inning. “I just had that fight to win and we all had it. It’s something we are doing a good job at as a team.”
More drama came with the Sun Devils needing one run to seal a walk-off win. Swan began the chaotic inning with a double to center field. Murphy laid down a sacrificed bunt to allow Swan to advance to third, putting ASU within reaching distance of the victory.
It set up freshman infielder Tiare Ho-Ching, who hit a groundball to first base, which allowed Swan to make a break for home and slide in to score the winning run. Initially ruled out, the umpires overturned the call after a review and confirmed the win for the Sun Devils.
The back-and-forth contest saw four lead changes in its eight innings. The close win provides the Devils with some confidence after winning its first Big 12 series.
“Big 12 teams should be scared of us,” Mejia said. “We’re coming to win. We’re coming to make the postseason and I feel like this made a very big statement by winning our first conference series. It shows ASU is on the up and coming.”
Next up, the Maroon and Gold will travel to Florida for a non-conference doubleheader against Stetson on March 12.
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