(Photo by Marlee Smith/ WCSN)
After losing their first two games against No. 1 UCLA (35-1, 9-0 Pac-12), No. 21 Arizona State (25-14, 5-7 Pac-12) was looking for something positive in the midst of a five-game losing streak. The night started with the Sun Devils allowing a series high, three runs in the first inning.
Junior pitcher Samantha Mejia struggled and was pulled after just an inning and a third, after allowing eight runs. Coming in as Mejia’s relief was freshman Abby Andersen, who was able to put an end to a rough second inning that had UCLA up 11-0. Andersen then got tagged for five runs, also getting pulled after just one inning. Head coach Trisha Ford next called upon fellow freshman Mikayla Santa Cruz. Although Santa Cruz eventually got the Devils out of the inning, it wasn’t before UCLA put up five more making it, 16-0.
The Sun Devils got their first hit of the game in an eventful third inning, which included a two-run home run launched by designated player Alli Tatnall, ending ASU’s 30-inning scoreless drought. After the game, Tatnall gave an insight into her approach at the plate tonight.
“Every time I go up to bat, I focus on one side of the plate and just go at it,” Tatnall said.
UCLA had a moment of déjà vu as Kindra Hackbarth hit the second two-run home run of the inning, making it a 16-4 game. ASU scored one more in the fifth before being run ruled 16-5.
Despite the loss, ASU did show signs of improvement in today’s game. The Sun Devils managed to score runs against for the first time in five games, and broke the Bruins four-game shutout streak.
“We put up runs against UCLA and that’s big,” junior right fielder Kindra Hackbarth said. “We haven’t scored runs for a couple games now, so we take it as a positive.”
“Defensively, we gave them outs today; we can’t do that to UCLA, especially this year,” said head coach Trisha Ford. “And for me it’s knowing where we’re throwing the ball in certain situations.”
Recognizing this has been a rough stretch for the Devils, Ford remained optimistic about her team and the remainder of the season.
“You’re gonna see some good softball coming down the chute,” she said. “Don’t lose faith in us. We know what we need to do in order to get to where we need to get to and I think were gonna get there.”
