Arizona State softball smashes program home run records during NCAA Tournament
In the first at-bat of the fifth inning, Makenna Harper was on the brink of history.
With an 0-1 count, Harper then found the right pitch from Northwestern ace Danielle Williams to send the ball sky high to center field.
Harper’s home run set a new milestone for the program with the 100th of the season. Coming into Friday’s Super Regional, Arizona State had 98 on the year and was one shy of the program’s record set in 2008 during the Women’s College World Series title run.
Many facets have contributed to ASU’s success this season, but one that has kept this year’s team in the record books is the ability to hit the ball out of the park.
ASU went deep three times on Friday to secure the new school record of 101 home run and shatter the 14-year-old record. In the NCAA, ASU is in the top seven for home runs and averages 1.9 home runs per game.
“They do a good job of driving the ball. We don’t really go up to bat thinking about hitting a home run. We obviously go up there to do some damage,” ASU coach Trisha Ford said. Even with the loss of one of its best home run hitters in program history in catcher Maddi Hackbarth, ASU eclipsed its total of 95 home runs in the 2021 season.
Returners Alynah Torres, Jazmine Hill, and Yanni Acuña have steadily improved from last season’s totals. Torres is second in the team with 15 home runs, followed by Hill and Yanni Acuna with 14.
However, the single season individual record that Hackbarth and two other players shared was broken during the NCAA Regionals. True freshman Cydney Sanders surpassed Hackbarth, Cheyenne Coyle, and Kaitlin Cochran during the NCAA Regional Championship game with her 21st home run of the season.
Sanders was one of three freshmen named as a finalist for the 2022 Schutt Sports/NFCA Division I National Freshman of the Year the Association. The first baseman is just the pinnacle of ASU’s success with the longball as four other players have hit 13 or more home runs.
“I think it’s hats off to coach (Jeff) Harger and he’s done a lot of work with our hitters. Day in and day out they perform at a very high level. It’s him knowing his hitters and knowing what pitches work for them and knowing we’re not a cookie cutter team,” Ford said.
Past Super Regionals experience
Since the Super Regionals began in 2006, ASU has made nine appearances in that stage.
Here is how ASU has fared.
2006
ASU advanced in two wins over Florida State in the Tempe Super Regional.
2007
ASU battled through a 10-inning opener against LSU at the Tempe Super Regional with a 1-0 win and then won the next to advance.
2008
ASU defeated Northwestern in two games at the Tempe Super Regional to advance and eventually win the Women’s College World Series title.
2009
ASU shut out North Dakota State in both games to advance in the Tempe Super Regional.
2010
ASU fell in both games to Florida at the Gainesville Super Regional.
2011
ASU defeated Texas A&M in two games at the Tempe Super Regional and eventually went on to win the WCWS title.
2012
ASU fell in the first game of the Tempe Super Regional, but went on to defeat Louisiana Lafayette in the next two games.
2013
ASU defeated Kentucky in two games at the Tempe Super Regional.
2018
ASU defeated South Carolina in two games at the Tempe Super Regional.
Reach the reporter at jenna.ortiz@arizonarepublic.com or 602-647-4122. Follow her on Twitter @jennarortiz.
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: ASU softball smashes program home run records during NCAA Tournament
