ASU Softball: Sun Devils Sweep Pac-12 Opening Series

(Photo: Paige Cook/WCSN)

No. 24 ranked Arizona State softball (22-5, 3-0 Pac-12) opened Pac-12 play this weekend against the No. 23 ranked Oregon State Beavers (22-7, 0-3 Pac-12). The Sun Devils took care of business, sweeping the three-game series.

“I think, you know, today we showed some tenacity, some grits and punch back,” ASU head coach Trisha Ford told reporters. “…for me, it was a really good job of us getting punched and punching back…just [our] kind of showing what we’re made out of.”

Sunday’s afternoon tilt lasted three hours due to a thunder delay and an extra-inning needed to determine a victor. In the eighth frame, senior third basemen Bella Loomis approached the plate for just a second time – after a groundout to first in the seventh – this afternoon. Loomis saw a pitch she liked and sent it over the right-field wall, yielding a 9-6 Sun Devil victory.

“My approach was very simple, just get a good strike and a good pitch,” Loomis said about the game-winning at-bat. “I trust my teammates behind me so whatever happens, happens.”

Throughout the weekend, the bats stayed hot for the ASU, outscoring OSU 23-10. The nickname “Home Run U” could not have been more apparent this weekend, as eight balls left Farrington in favor of the Sun Devils. The long ball has been a key component of Arizona State’s game plan thus far and appears to be going nowhere.

“Nope. That’s what we do every year,” Ford said. “So, we’ll keep hitting it hard.”

Junior left fielder Jazmine Hill started the home run streak with a two-run shot over Oregon State’s sophomore left fielder Madison Simon. Hill’s strong start paid off, as she finished the afternoon going 2-for-3 with a walk and three RBIs.

“I think my biggest thing is just to keep staying aggressive. I had my timing down pretty well on [sophomore righty Tarni Stepto]. We watched a lot of film and we obviously saw her already. So, my thing was to make sure to stay calm and be aggressive.”

The score was stuck at 2-0 until thunder roared over Club Farrington. The thunder sent the game into a thirty-minute delay, which affected both sides differently.

When the delay began, Yanni Acuña was in the middle of an at-bat with runners on the corners and no outs. Once the delay passed, Acuña flew out to left, which scored sophomore third basemen Savannah Price. Price would be the only runner to cross the plate, which was underwhelming considering the situation Arizona State was in.

Before the fourth inning, Oregon State flipped a switch that dramatically changed their play. Freshmen first baseman Lici Campbell doubled down the right-field line, which scored freshmen pitch runner Erin Mendoza. Following the double, sophomore shortstop Grace Messmer homered to center field, tying the game at three.

Until this point, it was all ASU, but out of nowhere, OSU stormed back into this game. Whatever Oregon State head coach Laura Berg said to her squad during the delay, it worked.

“If I’m being honest with you, I felt like we didn’t come back ready,” Ford said about her team’s performance after the delay. “I think we allowed [Oregon State] back into the game. We got one run that inning, but I think we could have really kind of put them away.” 

The Sun Devils came up and went down in their half of the fourth, which allowed the Beavers’ hot bats to return to the plate. Despite a two-out situation, ASU allowed Mendoza to reach on a bunt. This sent junior designated hitter Frankie Hammoude to the plate. After taking a ball, Hammoude sent a ball out of Farrington, and in the process, put Oregon State up 5-3.

Arizona State would not score another run until the sixth inning, which is where they appeared to have dialed it in. The dugout, which is usually loud, became quieter. Senior designated hitter Jazmyn Rollin would restore the Sun Devils’ rhythm by doubling and driving home sophomore left fielder Emily Cazares.

Entering the seventh inning, ASU only trailed by a single run, but freshmen right-handed pitcher Mac Morgan gave up a solo shot to Simon. Morgan and the Sun Devils would retire the next three batters but now trailed by two runs.

With its back against the wall, Arizona State needed to reach home twice to extend the ball game. Senior catcher Jessica Puk relieved some of the stress by hitting a solo shot to open the inning, which was Puk’s first extra-base hit of the season. Oregon State would retire the next two batters and was a single out away from avoiding a sweep. Once again, the Beavers held the momentum.                                

Acuña would enter the box and restored some hope for ASU. Her single to right-field kept the Sun Devils’ hopes alive.

Hill would step into the box with Acuña, the tying run, on second and freshmen first baseman Cydney Sanders, the go-ahead run, on first. Hill doubled the right side of the field, which scored Acuña.

Arizona State was unable to get Sanders home, which would send the game to extras. It also risked the possibility of Oregon State’s bats coming back alive, potentially giving them a late lead.

In the eighth frame, the Beavers got a runner on first but failed to capitalize. Rollin would start the bottom half of the inning with a base hit but advanced to second on a pass ball. The winning run was now in scoring position and Loomis was up to bat. Loomis sent the Sun Devils home with a three-run blast. The home run marked a conclusion to one of the longer games of the season and ASU’s first sweep of Pac-12 play.

Next weekend, Ford and her squad will take a trip down south for a three-game series against the No. 20 ranked Arizona Wildcats (19-6, 0-2 Pac-12). The Wildcats are currently in the middle of a three-game series against the No. 3 ranked UCLA Bruins (24-3, 2-0 Pac-12). Arizona dropped Saturday and Sunday’s games with a score of 5-0 and 3-0, respectively.

The last time a dual in the desert took place, the Sun Devils took three games of the four games. The games were close, with two games being decided by one run.

“Well, next weekend is [Arizona]. So, I don’t know that you need any more motivation,” Ford said. “I’m excited for next weekend. It’ll be a hostile environment, but I kind of like that. I enjoy those and I think our players do too.”

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