An offensive onslaught from the Baylor Bears led to a mercy-rule defeat for Arizona State on Senior Day.
A day of celebration for the Sun Devils (33-16, 13-8 Big 12) senior shortstop AJ Murphy and graduate student designated player Kelsey Hall ended in a sorrowing 12-3 loss. On the brink of being swept, the Bears (22-23, 8-10 Big 12) found a new gear offensively.
“We certainly did not envision senior day to end like this,” Bartlett said. “But those two have been loyal and tremendous Sun Devils.”
Senior day started with a bang for the Maroon and Gold. In the first, the reigning D1 Softball freshman of the week, right fielder Ashleigh Mejia, drove in two on a rope down the right field line.
In the bottom of the second, an unfavorable Sun Devil bounce turned into a wizardy play from Murphy to end the inning. Riding high off her momentum turning stop, Murphy led off the ensuing half inning with her fourth home run of the season. The solo shot was her first homer in over 70 at-bats.
“AJ is the strong and silent type,” Bartlett said. “She has such a short hub, she comes up and makes plays when we need her to, and she can drive the ball deep.”
Oppo Taco for @AnneMarieMurph9 😈 pic.twitter.com/gvWaOa3aJy
— Sun Devil Softball (@ASUSoftball) April 19, 2025
Following Murphy’s blast, the Bears promptly answered in the third. The Sun Devils called in senior right-handed pitcher Kenzie Brown to preserve the lead. Coming into the night, Brown had yet to allow a run in the nine innings she had pitched in the series. However, her spotless pitching streak came to an end on Saturday.
A couple of base knocks from Baylor, including an RBI triple from senior designated player Turiya Coleman, led to a tied ball game in the third.
The Bears continued to pile on in the fourth.
After delivering in the third, Coleman continued her success at the plate by giving the Bears the lead in the fourth. With the bases loaded, Coleman cleared the bases by virtue of a fielding error from Sun Devil freshman infielder Grace Molitor.
In a rare occurrence this season, the Sun Devils ace looked mortal. In just 1.2 frames, Brown allowed six runs on five hits.
Baylor’s run parade carried over into its next two offensive frames. Junior center fielder Brooklyn Carter legged out a two-run inside-the-park home run in the fifth. Then in the sixth, the Bears bashed two more runs, including an RBI double from senior second baseman Presleigh Pilon.
Through the three-game set, Pilon slashed for an astonishing .700 batting average.
Despite a shaky start in the circle for the Bears, freshman right-handed pitcher Sadie Ross came in out of the bullpen in relief and took over the game. Through five scoreless innings of work, Ross allowed just three hits while striking out four.
“These bats can get hot, and it can build momentum,” Bartlett said. “But it can also go away fast, and it did today.”
The absence of freshman third baseman Takyla Davis in Saturday’s game could be something to note going forward. In a shoulder brace and not in uniform, Davis missed just her third game of the season.
With five days of rest, the Sun Devils will look to regroup before heading to Lubbock for their final road trip of the season. As a consensus top 15 team all season, the No. 12 Texas Tech Red Raiders will be a difficult test for the Sun Devils, with the Big 12 tournament around the corner.
“They are an excellent ball club with a million-dollar arm,” Bartlett said. “We will have a few good days of practice, but most importantly, time to rest.”
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