(Photo via Marina Williams/WCSN)
TEMPE – The Sun Devils found themselves lucky enough to avoid a series sweep against Oregon State with a victory in the closing game on Sunday afternoon.
Following two straight disappointing performances from its pitching staff, Arizona State (17-11, 2-4 Pac-12 Conference) received a dominant display by starting graduate right-handed pitcher Marissa Schuld. The Oregon State (14-15, 3-3 Pac-12 conference) offense that had scored double-digit runs the night before was held scoreless through four and a half innings through Schuld’s emphasis on weak contact. Out of the Beavers’ first eighteen at-bats, only three resulted in hits while thirteen ended in either a groundout or flyout.
Despite the strong play in the circle, senior right-handed pitcher Logan Hulon for Oregon State matched Schuld’s prowess by keeping ASU’s offense silent through four innings as well. The Sun Devils had a chance to break through early after a hit-by-pitch, a single, and a wild pitch put runners on second and third base with one out in the bottom of the third inning. However, graduate center fielder Kelsey Hall’s fly-out to left field turned into a stunning double play when freshman left fielder Jada Lewis was tagged out at third base.
The contest remained a scoreless deadlock until the bottom of the fifth inning when Arizona State leaned on its favorite form of offensive pressure: the two-out rally. Senior catcher Sara Kinch managed a lead-off single, and after two subsequent outs, graduate utility player Audrey LeClair drew a four-pitch walk. In the heat of the moment, head coach Megan Bartlett brought in graduate infielder Jordyn VanHook to pinch-hit for Hall.
On the very first pitch she saw, VanHook crushed a ball into the left centerfield gap where it would eventually meet the wall. Kinch scored easily before an errant throw to home allowed LeClair to cross the plate to put the Sun Devils up 2-0.
“Everyone was so excited, jumping up and down screaming,” freshman second baseman Libby Walsh said. “I think then we knew we were going to win the game.”
ASU did it all over again the very next half-inning to add needed insurance to its lead. A walk to freshman utility Samantha Swan, along with Kinch’s second hit of the game, had runners on the corners for Walsh. After battling to force six pitches in the at-bat, the freshman second baseman drove the seventh over the left centerfield wall for her second home run of the season.
“I think in those moments, we really just preach keeping it simple and continuing to play Arizona State softball,” assistant coach Hailey Decker said. “They know they’re prepared for that moment and you love to see the success.”
Although Schuld’s shutout bid ended in the top of the seventh on a sacrifice fly, the starting pitcher managed a complete game and cemented her team’s 5-1 win. Even with the in-conference series versus the Beavers not playing out as they had hoped, the Sun Devils snagged a much-needed win thanks to positives on both sides of the ball.
Arizona State travels to Eugene for a three-game series against the No. 24-ranked Oregon Ducks next weekend and won’t return to Farrington Stadium until April 12.
“We’re going to remind ourselves to play and believe in each other and believe in ourselves because when we do, we win big,” Walsh said.
