(Photo: Sun Devil Athletics)
Getting to pitch in a softball game for the storied Arizona State softball team on your birthday is awesome. Pitching the first extra-inning no-hitter in the program’s history on your birthday is something out of a movie script.
ASU freshman Breanna Macha was dazzling on Friday night in the second game of ASU’s doubleheader to open the Louisville Slugger Invitational, allowing the No. 21 Sun Devils (13-6) to defeat the Binghamton Bearcats (3-4) 1-0 in eight innings.
Macha finished with a final line of eight innings, seven strikeouts, and six walks while tossing 123 pitches.
The performance was easily her greatest so far as a Sun Devil, one that proves that the four-time state title winner from Red Mountain High School in Mesa has what it takes to be a collegiate star.
Despite the obvious pressure of having a no-hitter working and not having any margin of error whatsoever on the scoreboard, Macha attempted to keep her emotions to a minimum.
“I was just saying, ‘It’s another game, just gotta compete like any other one’,” Macha said.
Despite an emotional win, Macha does admit that the team is far from reaching its ceiling in terms of playing ability.
“We all know this isn’t ASU softball, just going for eight innings with nothing, but I guess we can build off of it,” Macha said. “We really need to come back out here and compete like how we know how to compete.”
Coming off of a hard-fought 7-5 loss earlier on Friday to the No. 3 Michigan Wolverines, ASU Head Coach Craig Nicholson praised Macha for giving the Devils this kind of performance in a game like this.
“I thought she was outstanding tonight. She kept the ball on the corners of the plate, and kept them off balance.” Nicholson said. “It’s a win we had to have, coming off of the first game. It’s big to find a way to win a game like that.”
The other hero of the night is the player with the only tally in the RBI column, senior outfielder Sierra Rodriguez.
With the international tiebreaker in effect and Raianna Dobbs standing on third after a Jennifer Soria sacrifice bunt, Rodriguez chopped a grounder over the second base bag to score Dobbs.
Rodriguez praised her teammates postgame for setting up her success.
“Jen put us in that spot so that I could win the game, that was crucial for her to get the bunt down.” Rodriguez said. “It kind of made my job a little easier.”
One possible storyline for the coming days and games is that sophomore shortstop Chelsea Gonzales was lifted for a pinch runner in the seventh inning after fouling a ball off of her toe earlier in her at-bat. Nicholson had no clear idea postgame of what to expect of the injury.
“We’re going to get X-Rays and see what’s going on there.” Nicholson said. “But she’s in some pain right now, so we’ll see what happens.”
The Devils will have a rematch with Binghamton on Saturday as well as a battle with Toledo, before wrapping up the weekend with a Sunday matinee against Michigan. They then head out on the road to play in the Judi Garman Classic in Fullerton, CA next week, and start Pac-12 play on the road against Washington the following weekend.
Rodriguez enjoys the comforts of home, but is looking forward to the coming weeks
“We’ve been talking about it all week, we’re really excited to pack our bags and start heading out,” she said.
You can reach the author on Twitter @bobbykraus22
