ASU Softball: No. 5 Sun Devils win Pac-12 title in Seattle

(Photo Courtesy/Sun Devil Athletics)

After a big series win against No. 6 UCLA, No. 5 Arizona State softball headed to No. 12 Washington for a three-game series this past weekend with hopes of becoming Pac-12 Champions.

The Sun Devils needed to win two games against the Huskies to win the Pac-12 title outright.

Game 1:

Thursday night saw the series get started in the least desirable way, with Arizona State dropping game one 3-1.

Working deep into counts and forcing Washington’s fifth-year righty Gabbie Plain to show all her pitches, the Sun Devils only recorded one run in the fourth inning. Senior right fielder Yanni Acuña drew an opening walk, and freshman first baseman Cydney Sanders hit a ball deep into right field, allowing Acuña to score from first base.

Washington broke through on junior southpaw Lindsay Lopez in the fifth inning scoring three runs to edge out Arizona State’s one. After allowing a double, two singles, and a hit by pitch to score the Huskies first run in the home half of the fifth, senior right-hander Marissa Schuld was brought in to relieve Lopez. With the bases loaded, Schuld generated a double play by throwing out the runner at home and then getting the out at first base.

Senior right fielder Madison Husky picked up the scoring again for the Huskies as she singled to score two runs giving the Huskies a 3-1 win over the Sun Devils in game one.

Game 2:

Needing to win the next two games if they wanted to secure the Pac-12 title outright, the Sun Devils got the ball rolling in game two Friday night with an 8-4 win.

The action started in the third inning when junior shortstop Alynah Torres homered to left field. Washington came back with a home run of their own in the bottom of the third, knotting the game back up at 1-1.

Going back to work in the top of the fourth inning, senior Mailey McLemore singled to left field, scoring junior designated player Jazmyn Rollin and sophomore Emilly Cazares – both had reached due to a walk.

The Huskies took the lead back in the sixth inning when junior centerfielder Jadelyn Allchin hit a three-run home run.

Needing one run to tie the game in the seventh, the Sun Devils scored five. Grad student catcher Jessica Puk got things started with an RBI single, and Acuña kept it going with another RBI single. Sanders hit a three-run home run to left field, giving the Sun Devils an 8-4 victory over the Huskies and becoming, at minimum, co-Pac-12 Champions for the first time since 2011.

Game 3:

With the title now secured, the Sun Devils looked to win it outright Saturday as another win over Washington not only secured the series win but would set the Sun Devils atop the pile as the sole Pac-12 Champions.

For the second time in this series, the third inning was the bringer of runs for Arizona State. Sanders got things started with the long ball – a three-run RBI home run scoring Acuña, and junior Jordyn Vanhook, was brought in to pinch-run for Torres. Junior center fielder Jazmine Hill followed suit with her own solo home run.

Sanders, who has been impressive all year, wasn’t done with the long ball yet, as she hit another home run – this time a solo shot – in the top of the fifth. The Huskies closed the gap to four in the bottom of the firth with a solo home run, courtesy of fellow freshman Olivia Johnson.

“(Sanders) is just locked in.” Head coach Trisha Ford Told Sun Devil Athletics. “She has a different kind of focus. If you have a conversation with Syd, she 100% believes that she is supposed to get a hit every time. We joke about it, but that is what we love about her. I recruit insides, and I think Cyd has some of the best insides. When you combine that with talent and her work ethic, the sky is the limit for her. She had another monster weekend for us.”

The Huskies tried to mount a comeback in the bottom of the seventh, loading the bases but only scored one run.

With the 5-2 win Saturday, the Sun Devil secured the Pac-12 title outright.

“They deserved it,” Ford said. “They have grinded their tails off the whole season, and obviously, it is a huge honor to be a Pac-12 Champion. Whether it be co-champion or outright. They wanted it signed, sealed, and delivered. For me, I was just really happy for them to be able to come out today and execute. It was a big game for Washington. A lot of emotion with Gabbie Plain being honored, but our energy was unmatched.”