ASU Softball: GCU tops Sun Devils in fall ball with 7-5 win

(Photo via Alyssa Buruato/WCSN)

The GCU Lopes are coming off a strong season (39-15, 19-5 WAC), which saw the Lopes secure their third WAC conference championship. GCU made a 20-win improvement under new coach Shanon Hays, the largest improvement of tournament qualifying teams in the NCAA. GCU then competed in their first NCAA tournament but fell to the UCLA Bruins and the Ole Miss Rebels.

The Arizona State Sun Devils are coming off an equally successful 2022 campaign (43-11, 20-4 Pac-12). ASU won the Pac-12 Championship, exceeding expectations with a marquee series win over UCLA, which brought a Regional and Super Regional to Tempe. The Sun Devils would go on to lose in the desert to Northwestern and just fall just one game short of a trip to the College Softball World Series.

ASU suffered another disappointing loss against the Lopes, losing 7-5. Head coach Megan Bartlett expressed that they didn’t win but they also lost attitude.

“We need to come out with a little bit more energy and swag out of our veteran players,” Bartlett said. “Just a little more vision and group identity in who we are.”

A Lot of question marks surround ASU leading into the 2023 season. Shortly after the Sun Devils fell to the Wildcats, head coach Trisha Ford agreed to terms with Texas A&M to become the Aggies new head coach. Along with Ford ASU lost assistant coach Jeff Harger and six key players. With notable losses in the starting rotation.

“As far as how the rotation is gonna work, I have to be completely honest, five really talented pitchers, and they’re not even all healthy right now,” Bartlett said. “I can’t look into a crystal ball but they all do something a little different and they spin the ball really, really well.”

ASU’s pitching struggle was prevalent on Wednesday, as graduate pitcher Marissa Schuld gave up five earned runs off two homers from GCU’s junior infielder CC Wong. A third home run came in the bottom of the 6th from Kinsey Koeltzow to seal the game for the Lopes. The Sun Devil’s offense was a similar story. A two-run shot from senior outfielder Jazmine Hill opened the scoring for ASU and Gianna Boccagno sent one over the fence in the top of the fifth, which gave the Sun Devils a lifeline. However, the lifeline proved to be too short to overcome the Lopes.

“I think the style of coaching, um, is a little bit different,” Bartlett said. “And they’re trying to figure out they’re, they’re, they’re more worried about what I’m expecting of them than just organically being themselves, and coming together as a group.”

It would be disingenuous to say that ASU seemed surprised by GCU’s talent. However, Bartlett did continue to look within on reasons for the Sun Devil’s loss.

“I wholeheartedly believe in that, your clubhouse and your culture and your energy matters,” Bartlett said. “If we are supporting each other and locked in and at the same time; holding the standard for each other. That’ll be a big part of our success.”

ASU has just one outing in Tempe against Phoenix College before they return to the field against GCU I’, which Bartlett said she is looking forward to the next meeting. The Sun Devils and Lopes will spar again at 6 p.m. on Oct. 26th in Tempe.