ASU Softball: Arizona rides strong offense to 4-1 victory over Sun Devils

(Photo: Troy Tauscher/WCSN)

After a walkoff win the day prior, Arizona State failed to come back from an early deficit for a second time in Game 2 against the Arizona Wildcats on Saturday, losing 4-1.

After a defensive battle on Friday, Arizona’s offense was in good form throughout the game. The Wildcats recorded five hits and six baserunners in the first three innings, but Macha and co. left them all stranded.

As the game went on, the Devils’ flirtations with danger did eventually begin to cost them runs. After getting two runners on base again, an RBI single from Carli Campbell got the Wildcats on the board. They would tack on two more runs that same inning. ASU also picked up its first and only score in the fourth, with a solo home run from Morgan Howe.

“It’s whoever makes the adjustments first,” Howe said. “They were figuring it out, kind of stringing together two hits or three hits and couldn’t get it across. Because they were making their adjustments early, they ended up being able to push through.”

Besides Howe’s dinger, Arizona starter Alyssa Denham threw an unspectacular but sufficient seven innings. While she walked four she gave only two hits and the one earned run. Denham didn’t throw much in terms of heat, but had great control of the ball. Both how and designated player Denae Chatman mentioned staying behind the ball as a key when facing such pitchers.

“In this level, in this conference, we’re very used to seeing mid-high 60s,” Howe said. “She wasn’t blowing it by us. Let the ball come in, let the ball come to you then drive it.

The Sun Devils went aggressively after early pitches, but Arizona’s defense played a clean game with the exception of a sixth-inning error.

In the fifth, ASU starter Breanna Macha walked two batters with two outs, and a throwing error by Marisa Stankiewicz let Arizona add another run. On their side of that frame, the Devils missed out on their best chance at a comeback. Some crafty baserunning gave ASU two runners in scoring position, but Arizona got out of it after Howe grounded out to second.

The Devils would threaten once again in the sixth off an error and walk, but once again proved unable to close the deficit. Between the two sides, 16 runners were left stranded over the course of the game.

ASU coach Trisha Ford felt like her senior righty threw a strong game, focusing on the lack of run support as a key issue from Saturday’s loss.

“It was ‘The next pitch, the next at-bat I’ll take care of it’,” Ford said. “There’s not always going to be a next at-bat, and that’s what I told them. It shouldn’t take us three innings to get through our lineup.”

Macha gave up eight hits, three earned runs and three walks while recording four strikeouts in a complete seven innings. For her, the fact that the offense didn’t quite have it is just part of the game.

“It’s part of the game,” Macha said. “Hits are going to come, hits are going to go. Our biggest thing is just staying consistent, getting up there every inning and battling.”

One difference for Macha was her partner in the battery. Transfer Maddi Hackbarth started the previous 42 games behind the plate, but it was freshman Rylee Maston who took up the mask Saturday. She was hit by a pitch and recorded four putouts before Hackbarth stepped back in after five innings.

“I pulled her aside and I just said ‘Rylee I was really proud of you. You got a great opportunity in a tough spot’,” Ford said. “I thought she handled it tremendously. It was very seamless. You didn’t know she was even behind there.”

The decisive game of the series is set for Sunday at 5 p.m. With the rivalry series on the line, both sides are likely to put their strongest on the field. For ASU, that means Giselle “G” Juarez will be out, with Macha and the rest of the staff ready behind her.

“G will be ready for tomorrow, so will Bree for that matter,” Ford said. “I really, truly think she threw a really good game. I’m very confident either one of them can go after it tomorrow.”

The Devils will certainly go after it in full, having not won the cup since 2015. With some lessons from their losses, both sides will need to be at the top of their game for the rubber match on Sunday evening.