(Photo via Danielle Trujillo/WCSN)
After a tough 10-5 loss to BYU in its home opener Thursday night, Arizona State Softball looked to bounce back in their second game of the Littlewood Classic tournament against Portland State Friday at Farrington Stadium.
The Sun Devils hoped to take advantage of the Vikings who had lost a tough game to BYU via a walk-off home run earlier in the day. ASU (5-2) went on to hand PSU (2-5) their second loss of the day with an 8-0 run-rule finish in five innings.
“We kind of just had a team talk before the game today and we just got together and we were like, look, that was not us yesterday, we know better. We could do better,” senior infielder Jordyn VanHook said. “I think we definitely took that loss personally against BYU, and we carried it on to today’s game and played as a team. It was great to see all of us contribute in some way.”
Starting on the mound for her third game this season was freshman right-handed pitcher Kylee Magee, who retired the first three batters with consecutive ground balls, allowing her defense to do the work.
The Sun Devils offense also showed up early in the game. ASU gained an early lead in the bottom of the first inning after a no-doubt leadoff home run over the center-field wall from graduate outfielder Yannira Acuña. Acuña’s fourth home run of the season gave ASU the early edge over Portland 1-0. ASU then expanded their lead in the second inning, with senior outfielder Makenna Harper reaching first base after Vikings redshirt senior infielder Olivia Dean bobbled the ball. Harper advanced to scoring position on a passed ball and was brought in on a double from VanHook.
Vanhook scored thanks to another double from graduate infielder Alexa Milius, making the score 3-0 in favor of the Sun Devils. Portland State, however, shut down the next three batters to end ASU’s second-inning run.
The Vikings’ bats were initially silenced by Magee who retired the first six batters. Portland State managed to get a runner on in the top of the third inning off the bat of Dean, who hit a chopper to the pitching circle but was safe at first thanks to her speed. Dean’s speed, however, proved ineffective when junior catcher Sara Kinch caught her stealing second, erasing Dean’s presence on the bases.
The Vikings tested the Sun Devils’ defense in the top of the fourth inning after Magee issued a walk to the first batter and allowed a single to PSU senior infielder Emily Johansen. With runners on first and second base, junior outfielder Logan Riggenbach hit a chopper to junior infielder Savannah Price, who threw the ball to third to get the lead runner out, keeping runners at first and second.
After a passed ball and another walk, Magee found herself with the bases loaded and just one out on the board. With PSU freshman outfielder Trinity Holden at the plate, Magee responded to the Vikings’ pressure and managed to strike out Holden. She forced a grounder from the next batter to get herself out of the jam, holding the Vikings scoreless in the fourth. Despite the pressure, Magee said she had full confidence in her defense.
“Honestly, I was just trusting my defense behind me, and I feel like I have been in that situation so many times to where I do not think it phases me as much as it should,” Magee said.
Keeping the offense rolling, Vanhook hit a home run over the left-field wall off junior righty Allicitie Frost, making the score 4-0. Frost was then replaced by sophomore righty Annie Lemos after a single from Milius in the next at-bat. Lemos brought in relief for the Vikings, forcing the Sun Devils into consecutive pop-ups to end the fourth inning.
Heading into the fifth, Magee only allowed a single to junior outfielder Alexa Cepeda and forced the Vikings to keep the ball on the dirt, producing three more ground balls to quickly end the inning. Magee only permitted three hits on the night and four strikeouts, pitching a five-inning shutout.
“Kylee has a fantastic rise ball and a devastating changeup, and I thought she did a really nice job tonight throwing a ton of rise balls inside, so she just tied those hitters up on their hands,” head coach Megan Bartlett said. “Anytime you can get a pitcher at this level to roll you a ground ball, absolutely, let’s get it.”
Friday night’s game only lasted five innings after VanHook’s bat continued to stay hot. The Devils loaded up the bases for VanHook thanks to a single from Acuña, a hit-by-pitch and a walk from Lemos. VanHook hit a base-clearing three RBI double. It was followed by another double from Milius that scored VanHook for ASU’s eigth run, ending the game.
On the night, VanHook went 3-for-3 at the plate with a home run, two doubles and a career-high five RBIs. Continuing her hot streak from San Diego, she said she felt confident in her at-bats.
“I’ve just been working really hard this offseason,” VanHook said. “Yes, I did not get as much playing time in my previous three years, but right now, I am just focused on making the most of my opportunities. I am not really trying to think much of it, just taking it day by day and just continuing this path that I am going on.”
Bartlett credits VanHook’s Friday night performance to her hard work and determination in the offseason.
“It fills me with joy literally every time she gets a hit or she’s standing on first base with this giant smile on her face,” Bartlett said. “Jordyn is goodness. She waited her turn. She worked hard, and she kept her head down in the coaching change and she was like, ‘I want you to know I want to be here, and I want to be a Sun Devil.’”
The Sun Devils will have to rest up and recover quickly heading into Saturday. For them day three of the Littlewood Classic includes a doubleheader tomorrow against Illinois State and DePaul.
When asked about the strategy for the back-to-back games Bartlett’s response was simple.
“Hit a bunch of dingers and strike a lot of people out.”
