ASU Softball: No. 12 Sun Devils beat Cal in series opener

(Photo: Paige Cook/WCSN)

After a tough road series against No. 25 Stanford that saw No. 12 Arizona State team drop two of three games, it set its sights on winning back home. With a bounce-back mindset, the Sun Devils came home in a big way with a 9-3 win over fellow Pac-12 opponent, Cal.

“I think the mindset was that we have to bounce back,” senior left fielder Makenna Harper stated after the game. “This game is a game of failure, and we had a great winning streak, but at some point or another, you’re going to lose a ball game, so it’s kind of how are you going to bounce back from that, and I think our team handled it really very well.”

After totaling only six runs in three games against Stanford, Arizona State scored six in the second inning to get the night started — knocking out sophomore righty Sona Halajian. Halajian started against junior southpaw Lindsay Lopez for Arizona State.

The Golden Bears started the game by picking up one run off a single up the middle by freshman second baseman Acacia Anders who scored shortstop sophomore Tatum Anzaldo.

Walks were the story in the bottom of the second inning with five total, and two RBI walks leading to the six runs being scored. Senior catcher Jessica Puk reached on a fielder’s choice, scoring senior designated player Jazmyn Rollin. Senior third baseman Bella Loomis walked to score Harper, and senior second baseman Halle Harger crossed for the third run.

Halajian’s night ended after an RBI single from senior outfielder Yannira Acuña scored Puk. Freshman right-hander Annabel Teperson was brought in to relieve Halajians. Two more runs scored under Teperson — Loomis and Acuña.

Head coach Trisha Ford was proud of her team’s discipline at the plate that led to those six runs and knew walks were going to be a crucial part of the game.

“(Discipline) is something we work hard on throughout the whole year,” Ford stated. “Again, it is just that balance of being patient and waiting for our pitch, but also still being on the offense.”

“It was just this week of focusing on attacking pitches early, and today we knew with Cal coming in that we were gonna have to make sure we get a good pitch and make sure they brought it over the white, and so the walks was kind of part of our plan.”

The Sun Devils would tack on two more runs in the bottom of the fourth — Acuna scoring by way of a passed ball, and Harper singled to score freshman first baseman Cydney Sanders.

Cal tried to mount a comeback in the top of the fifth inning when their leadoff hitter, junior center fielder Amani Bradley got on base via a single to left field. Bradley was later brought around to score by junior third baseman Makena Smith when she hit an RBI single to center field. Lopez’s night came to an end just before this run; she went four and one-third innings, giving up three earned runs, four walks, and three strikeouts. Sophomore righty Marissa Schuld was called on to relieve Lopez with.

Sophomore shortstop Tatum Anzaldo reached on a fielder’s choice driving in sophomore first baseman Sophie Medellin to finish off the scoring in the fifth inning.

Senior Mailey McLemore tailed the only home run of the night in the bottom of the fifth inning after she was brought in to pinch-hit for Puk. McLemore stated after the game, she tried not to overthink the at-bat, but trust what she knows.

“Just doing what we do in practice and trust in myself with what I’ve done throughout the week. McLemore stated when asked about her performance in relief of Puk. “We prepare really well offensively against the pitchers that we see, so just trusting what we do and producing.”

With five games at hand in Farrington, the homestand is welcomed energy for the Sun Devils after the Stanford series.

“It’s definitely going to help, especially with the atmosphere that the fans provide for us,” McLemore said. “Then just being able to feel comfortable playing on our home field.”

Game two between the Sun Devils and the Golden Bears is Saturday, April 30, at 6 P.M.