(Photo: Troy Tauscher/WCSN)
After two big wins, the Arizona State Sun Devils may not have been expecting to a need a nine-run inning to come back against the Utah Utes, but they needed and made one happen in an 18-17 victory on Sunday.
Things went wrong quickly for the Devils as they found themselves down 13-5 at one point, in danger of being run-ruled. Entering the bottom of the seventh, the Devils trailed 17-9. Maddi Hackbarth smacked her third home run of the game over the left field wall and started the comeback. Following her big hit was another three-run home run hit by her sister, Kindra. It was déjà vu since the sisters already homered in the same inning earlier in the day. The sisters finished with five total homers.
Trailing 17-15 with two outs, junior Alli Tatnall stepped up, and what followed was a plate appearance she’ll never forget. Tatnall drove a bases-clearing triple to left field, completing a nine-run comeback.
“It’s great to have all the hard work pay off,” Tatnall said. “Not just for me but for everyone. Everyone has been fighting and working hard.”
Tatnall is not a regular starter in the ASU lineup, but she is one of the team’s biggest sources of energy off the bench. Her clinching hit is a sign that commitment paying off.
“Whether it be in the bullpens, baserunning, hitting-wise, she has just done a great job for us,” ASU head coach Trisha Ford said. “You know, the game knows. I’m just really happy for her and I hope she enjoys this.”
Overall, this game was a true slugfest; both teams combined had 35 runs on 32 hits, hitting 10 home runs. Maddi Hackbarth’s timely home runs completed a monster weekend, where she totaled five home runs and nine RBI. Hackbarth currently leads the team with 16 long balls
“Each one of those brings a certain amount of energy,” Hackbarth said. “I’m happy I can be a part of that.”
While the Sun Devils have the joy of a huge comeback, there still needs to be a conversation about why the comeback was necessary. ASU’s top two pitchers in Samantha Mejia and Abby Andersen gave up eight earned runs each. Utah put up runs in every inning of the game, and the 17 they picked up was the most by an ASU opponent all season.
“In the circle, I think that we gotta improve,” Ford said. “I think that’s the biggest takeaway from today.”
With the win, ASU completed a sweep of the Utes and now has their win streak at five games. Their next challenge will be one of the fiercest of the season in the No.11 Arizona Wildcats, not only because of the long history of the rivalry but because Arizona is one of the few teams in the nation whose bats are as hot as the Devils. With one less home run in two fewer games, the Wildcats are barely ahead of the Devils in home runs per game.
The series between them will start on Friday at 5 p.m. in Tucson
