TEMPE, Ariz. ? Christin Crocker hit two home runs Friday to lead the University of South Alabama softball team to a 4-2 win over New Mexico State in the first of two games at the Arizona State Wilson/DeMarini Invitational.

NMSU (15-4) put the first run on the board in the first after Tiare Jennings homered to right center, but Crocker answered in the third inning with her first career home run that soared twenty feet past the center -field fence.

The Aggies came back with their second run of the game in the third after Kylie Randall singled to left field to bring home Shaleese Javillo with an unearned run.

With two outs in the fourth Arizona native Kelsey Volz singled to right field to score Marissa Boyd and Julie Morton to put the Jaguars in front 3-2. Crocker stepped up again later in the inning and collected her second home run for what would be USA’s final run of the game.

“We had great pitching and great defense. I’m really proud of our kids,” said head coach Becky Clark. “This was a great team that we just beat. New Mexico State had some good offensive numbers and I thought Beth [Pilgrim] did a great job keeping them in check.”

Crocker went 3-for-4 against NMSU, while Pilgrim (5-5) went the distance and struck out seven batters along the way.

“The kids stepped up when they needed to and we got the job done offensively as well. It was a great way to start the tournament.”

Jennings finished as the top hitter for the Aggies, going 2-for-3. Kim Watson pitched the entire game for NMSU, allowing eight hits.

In the night game against tournament host Arizona State (15-4), both teams used home runs to plate their first runs of the game. For ASU, Kaitlin Cochran homered to left center in the first. Tara Donaldson put up the Jags’ first run in the second inning, also to left center.

The Sun Devils came back in the third to score five runs and extend to a 6-1 lead. After Lesley Rogers singled to the left side to bring home Clarissa Andorfer-Lopez. Katelyn Boyd cleared the bases with a grand slam.

USA (6-10-1) fought back in the bottom of the inning when Donaldson’s single brought home Katie McGuire. Kalin Lasseter homered to right center to score Haley Hopkins and Carolina Mendoza, closing the gap to 6-5.

Mandy Urfer scored in the fourth off Jessica Mapes’ double to right center to push the lead to 7-5 lead. ASU then broke open the game in the fifth, scoring 13 runs to end the contest. Shannon Smith came in to pitch after Cochran scored on a bases-loaded walk to Krista Donnenwirth, bringing the score to 8-5.

Six ASU players scored before Cochran’s three-run homer to center brought in Rogers and Kaylyn Castillo. Up 16-5 and with no outs USA brought in Haley Hopkins to relieve Smith, who faced eight batters. 

The Sun Devils scored four more unearned runs to cap the 20-5 decision.

Three ASU players went 2-for-4, while Cochran was 2-for-2 with two home runs. She also scored four runs. Hillary Back finished the game with two strikeouts in five innings pitched.

On the second day of the Wilson/DeMarini Invitational, the Jags will have a noon matchup against Southern Utah followed by a 2 p.m. game against Utah State.

For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).