{"id":199215,"date":"2026-03-11T02:10:07","date_gmt":"2026-03-11T02:10:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/199215\/"},"modified":"2026-03-11T02:10:07","modified_gmt":"2026-03-11T02:10:07","slug":"back-in-the-915-el-paso-natives-power-no-25-rv-softball-at-utep","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/199215\/","title":{"rendered":"Back in the 915: El Paso natives power No. 25\/RV Softball at UTEP"},"content":{"rendered":"

EL PASO, Texas \u2013 There\u2019s just something about playing an athletic event in front of your friends and families that brings out the best attributes in someone. Yazzy Avila<\/a> and Sydney Saenz<\/a> were overwhelmed with that something during Tuesday afternoon\u2019s 10-1 Sun Devil victory over UTEP in El Paso.<\/p>\n

Avila, who went to high school 34 miles from the UTEP campus at Pebble Hills, and Saenz, who prepped at Americans High School just 25 miles from Helen of Troy Field, combined to go 4-for-4 with two home runs, three RBI, two runs scored, one hit by pitch, one stolen base and one sacrifice bunt throughout the contest. Saenz\u2019 home run marked the first of her career, while Avila\u2019s was her first since March 2025 against Wisconsin.<\/p>\n

After each team traded zeros in the run column throughout the first inning, Avila, the Sun Devils\u2019 energizer bunny, brought the energy into the Arizona State dugout with a one-out solo home run to centerfield. The long ball sparked a three-run frame as Emily Schepp<\/a> connected for a two-out, two-run double to score Yannixa Acu\u00f1a<\/a> and Brooklyn Ulrich<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Three frames later, Avila struck, again, with a two-out, run-scoring single to left field to score Samantha Swan<\/a>, who hit a two-run home run during the top of the third.<\/p>\n

With a 6-1 lead to start the top of the seventh, Saenz, who was hit with a pitch during her first at bat in the fifth, sent the second pitch of her second plate appearance through the 20 mile per hour winds and over the left field fence for her first career home run.<\/p>\n

The home run \u2013 like Avila\u2019s earlier in the game \u2013 lit a fuse on a multi-run inning for the Arizona State offense as the Sun Devils went on to score three more runs to push their run total to double figures. \u00a0<\/p>\n

FROM HEAD COACH MEGAN BARTLETT<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sure those two home runs meant the world to both Sydney and Yazzy. They have such lovely families and – geographically – close enough that we see them a lot, but there\u2019s just something special about showing out like that in your hometown. I\u2019m super proud of the whole team, but I\u2019m really happy for Yazzy and Sydney.\u201d<\/p>\n

FROM REDSHIRT JUNIOR INFIELDER YAZZY AVILA<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cHonestly, I just wanted to come out swinging aggressively for the team and everything. I love this team, so as soon as I went to the plate, I was like, \u2018Alright, I\u2019m going to be aggressive. I didn\u2019t want to be passive or anything,\u2019 so yeah, I just wanted to be aggressive in the moment.\u201d<\/p>\n

FROM SENIOR OUTFIELDER SYDNEY SAENZ<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cOh, this game was so awesome. I\u2019m so glad we were able to travel out there. Some friends and happy aren\u2019t able to get to come out to our games at ASU, so for them to be able to come out here and watch a game means a lot to me.\u201d<\/p>\n

GAME NOTES<\/p>\n

Arizona State senior right-handed pitcher Kenzie Brown<\/a> started Tuesday\u2019s non-conference matchup and struck out all six batters in her two innings of work.<\/p>\n

With her first strikeout, Brown extended her streak of consecutive pitching appearances with at least one strikeout to 45 straight games.<\/p>\n

Overall, Brown has struck out at least one batter in 82 of her 85 career pitching appearances over her three seasons in Tempe.<\/p>\n

When including a three-home run game against Utah on Sunday, March 8, the Sun Devil offense has now slugged five home runs over its last two games, marking the most in back-to-back games since having six against Wisconsin (3) and California Baptist (3) on Saturday, Feb. 28.
\nAs a result of being hit by a pitch with one out in the top of the fifth, Sydney Saenz<\/a>, an El Paso, Texas native, successfully reached base for the first time since drawing a walk against Portland State on Feb. 14, 2026.<\/p>\n

After the Sun Devils were hit by at least one pitch if 17 of their first 20 games of the season, Saenz\u2019 hit by pitch is the first by an ASU batter since Saturday, Feb. 28 against Wisconsin, a span of five games.<\/p>\n

UP NEXT<\/p>\n

Arizona State (20-6, 0-3) will now return back to Tempe, where the Sun Devils will take on No. 21\/15 Oklahoma State (17-7, 1-2) for a three-game Big 12 Conference series that is slated to begin on Friday, March 13 (6 p.m. MST\/ESPN+).<\/p>\n

FOLLOW US<\/p>\n

For the latest information on the team, follow @SunDevilSoftball on X<\/a>, Facebook<\/a> and Instagram<\/a>. General athletic news can also be found at @TheSunDevils on X<\/a>, Instagram<\/a> and Facebook<\/a>.<\/p>\n