(Photo: Michael Baron/WCSN)
The No. 21 Arizona State softball team dropped the final game of a three-game series to the Oregon State Beavers 5-4 Monday in Tempe. The loss snapped a four-game winning streak and an eight-game win streak at Farrington Stadium.
“Taking the first two was huge for us,” ASU softball head coach Trisha Ford said. “Today…we left a lot of runners on in critical situations so I think that nipped us in the butt, where early on in the series, we were getting those clutch hits in those situations.”
The Sun Devils held a 4-2 lead after four innings of play, but the Beavers scored one run in each top half of the fifth, sixth and seventh frames to win the series finale. ASU would strand eight runners on base.
“We’ve just got to figure out how to put the third game together,” Ford said. “I think it’s just us figuring out how we, Arizona State softball, put together three complete games against the same opponent.”
How we got There
The Beavers jumped on the scoreboard first when freshman Alyssa Pelegrin hit a two-run single to center field in the top of the first inning.
ASU tied the game in the bottom half of the third after a Brianna Wise solo home run and an error by the Oregon State defense, which allowed Taylor Becerra to score.
The Sun Devils took the lead for the first time Monday in the bottom of the fourth inning when senior catcher Sashel Palacios hit a two-run homer to center field.
“All the hard work is starting to pay off,” Palacios said. “I’ve been putting in a lot of work for many years, and it’s finally starting to kind of click for me.”
However, the 4-2 lead would not hold up as a sacrifice fly and two RBI doubles over the next three innings gave Oregon State three runs as they went on to win the game, 5-4.
“I think we just missed a lot of opportunities,” Becerra said. “We had bases loaded a couple times…but small things, little details that we didn’t pick up on.”
With the loss, the Devils fall to 23-9 on the season while the Beavers improve their record to 16-13.
Junior pitcher Dale Ryndak took the loss for the Sun Devils, as her record now stands at 6-2. Oregon State’s Nerissa Eason (7-8) earned the win and is one away from evening up her 2017 record.
One positive takeaway from the series was the offensive production, as ASU outscored Oregon State 23-5 in the series. The Sun Devils also recorded two shutouts as well.
What’s Next for ASU
The Sun Devils prepare for more Pac-12 Conference play as they travel to Eugene, Oregon to face the Oregon Ducks in a three-game series beginning Friday.
