ASU Softball: Sun Devils Improve to 2-0 in Tempe Regional

(Photo Courtesy/Sun Devil Athletics)

If anyone had questions regarding Arizona State Softball’s ability to score runs after Friday night’s 5-2 victory over the Cal State Fullerton Titans, the Sun Devils certainly put them to rest Saturday afternoon.

The No. 8 ranked Arizona State Sun Devils defeated the San Diego State Aztecs 11-8.

“Obviously, it was kind of a different kind of game [on Saturday],” ASU head coach Trisha Ford said. “We came out offensively with a great approach. We executed big time in the box.”

The high score of Saturday’s game was strange, but arguably stranger was Arizona State being the away team in the contest. Despite hosting the Tempe Regional, the Sun Devils were forced to walk past their dugout and head for the away team dugout and bullpen. Sun Devil Athletics explained to reporters this was done to give all teams the opportunity to bat second.

“It definitely changes your routine and it’s different,” Ford said. “But part of going through all of this is it’s going to be hard.”

Nonetheless, Arizona State batted in the top half of the first inning. Scoring came early and often for Arizona State. Junior center fielder Jazmine Hill’s first at-bat gave her an opportunity to score. Hill had runners in scoring position and made the most of the opportunity, getting a base hit to center, scoring junior shortstop Alynah Torres and freshman first baseman Cydney Sanders.

A single and a walk would load the bases for sophomore third baseman Savannah Price, who drove in Hill, and sophomore left fielder Emily Cazares. The Sun Devils quickly found themselves up by four runs with one man down.

Hill played a major role in Saturday’s contest, being responsible for five of the 11 runs. The California native went 3-for-5 on the day and drove in four runs. Her approach at the plate set the tone for Arizona State’s lineup.

However, ASU continued to add more damage to the scoreboard. A wild pitch by SDSU senior pitcher Maggie Balint would allow senior designated hitter Mailey McLemore to score. Following the pitch, San Diego State head coach Stacey Nuveman Deniz pulled Balint after throwing just 1/3 of an inning.

Replacing Balint was freshman southpaw Dee Dee Hernandez. Despite the pitching change, ASU continued to score runs, ending the inning with eight runs.

Despite facing a large deficit, SDSU’s bats came alive. Senior leadoff hitter Bella Espinoza would open the bottom half of the inning with a base hit. The Aztecs picked up an out at shortstop but would string together back-to-back base hits to load the bases for sophomore second baseman Jillian Celis.

Celis hit a blooper to shallow right field, allowing one run to cross the plate. The Sun Devils kept the deficit large until senior center fielder Alexa Schultz doubled down the right-field line, scoring three runs.

Ford’s squad allowed a total of five runners to score, nearly wiping away their eight-run lead.

Arizona State returned to the box in the top half of the second. The inning started off strong, with Hill leading off with a single to center field. Hill extended the single to a double by stealing second. However, Hernandez struck out three consecutive batters, ending the inning.

Unlike the Sun Devils, the Aztecs were able to add more runs to the scoreboard. Once again, Espinoza singled to center and later scored, cutting the deficit to two runs. Once Espinoza crossed the plate, Ford pulled junior pitcher Lindsay Lopez, replacing her with senior pitcher Marissa Schuld.

Espinoza was a major contributor to San Diego State’s game plan, going 3-for-4 on the afternoon and crossing the home plate three times.

Schuld inherited a bases-loaded situation but finished the second inning strong with a strikeout and a groundout to second base.

Unfortunately for Nuveman Deniz and her squad, the bats cooled off, and the comeback fell short. Loomis did some more damage with a leadoff double in the fifth inning and would be driven in by Acuña.

Acuña shined in Saturday’s game, hitting the ball in three of her five appearances. She also chipped in with two RBIs and a run.

The offensive explosions by both sides were the main story of today’s game, but Schuld’s pitching performance was a key contributor to ASU’s victory. Schuld pitched 5 2/3 innings, allowed five hits and five strikeouts.

Arizona State is now the only team that is undefeated in the Tempe Regional. They will play the winner of Game 5 on Sunday at 3:00 p.m. If the Sun Devils lose Game 6, they will play a seventh and final game afterward. Game 5 will be against San Diego and Cal State Fullerton, who defeated LSU in Game 4. Game 5 is slated to start on Saturday at 7:00 p.m.

“I just want a W. I don’t even care what it looks like,” Ford said. “I don’t care if it’s 20 to 22 as long as we have the 22; I don’t really care. So, we win and advance. That’s all I care about. We’ll worry about everything else afterward.”