(Photo: Addie Russ/WCSN)
TEMPE – ASU Softball played a scrimmage on Thursday night, but not just any ordinary scrimmage. This one was Maroon vs. Gold, or in other words, ASU vs. ASU. The scrimmage created an opportunity for players to compete against their own teammates while giving the coaching staff a closer look at the roster ahead of the spring.
On the chilly Thursday night, Team Maroon went home with bragging rights as it defeated Team Gold 7-0. The matchup served as a starting point for a Sun Devil team that is looking to repeat its success from last season.
The game started off with an early run from Maroon, hitting a single, later leading to the first run of the game via third-year infielder Tiare Ho-Ching. The second inning saw first-year outfielder Taylor Dolecki hit a home run, increasing the lead by two.
The Gold team had a plethora of opportunities, including leaving the bases loaded multiple times late in the game. .e., Team Gold didn’t struggle to put players on base, rather to hit with runners in scoring position.
While much of Team Gold’s performance is seen as a negative, the one bright spot was its ability to get out of a jam–leaving runners stranded multiple times throughout the game.
Team Maroon’s offensive plays consistently tested Gold’s defense. In the sixth inning, Team Maroon had Team Gold’s pitchers on their heels, scoring three runs. The Maroon team found multiple ways to score, utilizing small-ball along with an ability to hit home runs.
Assistant coach Hailey Decker praised both teams for the way that they played together. She specifically mentioned how well they played ‘plus defense,’ which is where they made more plus plays rather than negative plays or errors.
“One team swung the bat really well, capitalizing on runners in scoring position,” Decker said. “The other team needed to get hot a little bit faster.”
Decker mentioned a few players that stood out to her most, including Tia Milloy, who had multiple defensive plays and swung the bat well; Willa Ford and Sophie Hernandez, who were great defensive allies.
The ASU Softball coaching staff grew from four members to seven this year, with Decker saying it will take them to “post-season longevity.” As for the rest of the team, chemistry is a big part of that rebuilding process, especially with the younger players; they hope to develop their skills every day.
“Combined with how young we are and how vibrant we are,” Decker said. “ We will make for a pretty lethal team in the spring.”
