(Photo: Nicholas Badders/WCSN)
With a day full of emotions, the No. 8 Arizona State softball team conquered their final regular season game at Farrington Stadium Sunday afternoon. With another game consisting of two errors, the Sun Devils assembled their offense to sweep Stanford with a 3-2 win.
Stanford pitcher Nikki Bauer not only caused problems for the Sun Devil squad in Sunday’s game, but on Friday night as well.
Bauer had a strong showing in the beginning of the game but began to struggle in the final two innings.
A majority of the Sun Devils were able to make contact with Bauer’s pitches, but nothing decent enough to get any base hits until the third inning.
“I think we went back to not focusing in the batter’s box and I think it showed,” said head coach Trisha Ford.
In the celebrations of senior day, Dale Ryndak got the start for ASU, her first start since April 14 against Oregon.
Arden Pettit stabbed first at the Sun Devils as she hit a double to left field and Teaghan Cowles was able to tag up at third before running down to home plate to give a 1-0 lead in the first inning.
Ryndak allowed 2 runs including a solo home run from junior Lauren Frost, her first of the season, that exited the fence to the right of centerfield in the second inning.
G Juarez then relieved Ryndak of her duties in the beginning of the third inning. Juarez held down the fort to keep ASU in the game.
Skylar McCarty gave the Sun Devils a glimmer of hope in the fifth inning as she hit her third home run of the season that was crushed into deep left center field, cutting the Stanford lead to 2-1.
Stanford threatened once again in the following inning with a single from Molly Fowkes. Juarez and the Sun Devil defense didn’t allow Stanford to gain a larger lead.
“It was just fighting for our seniors, we want to have them end on a good note here and that’s all we asked for,” said Juarez.
Things seemed hopeless for the Sun Devils after two batters hit pop flies following Morgan Howe’s single to left field.
However, DeNae Chatman came in clutch once again against Stanford as she hit another two-run home run to give the Sun Devils a 3-2 lead. Chatman’s home run landed in almost the exact same spot as McCarty’s.
Brynley Steele concluded the inning when she struck out swinging.
Juarez came back out to take ASU to victory. Despite eliminating two batters, Ford had something else in mind.
Senior pitcher Breanna Macha walked out into the circle to close out the game for the Sun Devils.
“I didn’t know if I was going to go in or not,” said Macha. “It was exciting. It just shows the confidence she (Ford) has in me to just go out there and throw.”
Macha walked a batter before striking out her final batter of the regular season at Farrington.
“When she came out I was so freaking happy, it gave me chills and I am glad she got the last out here,” said Juarez. “That’s what she works for.”
“I think it was a respect thing,” said Ford. “That kid’s thrown a lot of innings, she’s worn the maroon and gold with such grace, pride, she bleeds it and I thought she deserved it.”
The 3-2 win over Stanford was a special one for the team. The senior day was wrapped up with a tribute to the seniors for their time as Sun Devils.
Nichole Chilson, Kwyn Cooper, Breanna Macha, Dale Ryndak, Marisa Stankiewicz and Brynley Steele received flowers from the coaching staff and ovations from the crowd as they walked across Farrington Stadium one more time.
“I think this was a big series, there’s still a lot of movement in the conference standings and I think for us we need to win the games that we need to win,” said Ford.
Even though regular season play has concluded at Farrington Stadium, the Sun Devils still march on with the season. They travel to Los Angeles to compete with the No. 1 team in the nation, UCLA, this upcoming weekend.
