Sun Devils down No. 7 Huskies in final game of weekend series

(Photo via Sam Polgreen/WCSN)

This weekend, ASU softball traded the warm, sunny Tempe weather for the cold, rainy Seattle atmosphere. After an intense weekend of conference play battling No. 7 Washington and the unpredictable weather, the Sun Devils came into Sunday’s game looking to avoid getting swept in their first Pac-12 Conference series.

They managed to make a huge comeback win from their earlier losses against the Huskies. ASU (15-9, 1-2 Pac-12) defeated Washington (18-3, 2-1) with a final score of 9-3 after a long third game.

The Huskies’ defensive prowess was on display during the series’ final game. The team’s fielding was efficient and fluid, resulting in quick outs and minimal scoring opportunities for the Sun Devils at the beginning of the game.

The Sun Devils’ long and miscalculated throws resulted in an early scoring opportunity for the Huskies. The Huskies scored a run in the first inning after a poor throw to third base to prevent a steal, which allowed the Husky runner to steal home. Although it was just the beginning of play, it seemed as if the Sun Devils were in for a repeat of their previous two games, but the team pulled it together and got right back on track.

While that was the end of the Devils’ defensive struggles, the team had trouble making contact with the ball in the game’s early innings as well. But ASU took advantage of every opportunity when bat barrels found the ball.

An RBI single in the second got the scoring started for ASU. Then, senior infielder Kayla Lissy hit an RBI double in the third inning to send graduate outfielder Kelsey Hall all the way home to take the lead for the first time in the game. Windle extended the lead with a drive to left-center field that scored two more runs. The Sun Devil baserunners were very aggressive, and they capitalized on scoring position opportunities with their speed when stealing bases and running on hits.

In the fourth inning, with bases loaded, and no outs, graduate infielder Jordyn VanHook stepped up to bat. She hit a solid line drive to left field, allowing graduate utility Audrey LeClair to touch the plate and extend the Sun Devil lead. VanHook got the Devils’ momentum going, but sophomore outfielder Yannixa Acuña continued that momentum with a sacrifice fly that allowed Hall to score.

After a lengthy hour-long rain delay, Sophomore infielder Tanya Windle got the bats going again in the sixth with a double to left center. Her hit was a two-run RBI that allowed the sophomore infielder Ayden Allen and Acuña, to score and rack up two runs. Graduate utility Mackenzie Macfarlane hit one far out to right field for a sacrifice fly that allowed Windle to round third and head home for another run. Three hits and three runs scored in the sixth inning gave the Devils a huge seven-run lead over the Huskies that they never squandered.

The Huskies were aggressive at the plate to begin, but graduate right-handed pitcher Marissa Schuld surprised the ranked team with her pitching, as she did not appear in the first two games. Within the first three innings, Schuld held her ground and only allowed one run. When the Huskies did manage to make contact with Schuld’s pitches, the Sun Devil defense had her back, and they made the plays that translated into outs to leave Husky baserunners stranded.

Schuld found herself in a sticky situation in the fourth inning with the bases loaded. However, Lissy’s infield catch ended the inning and confirmed the Devils’ infield synchronization and teamwork with the graduate pitcher.

Schuld stayed in for the entirety of the game, while the Sun Devils saw the Huskies’ entire pitching staff in the circle.

Leading off the Huskies was graduate righty Brooke Nelson, who pitched the first two innings. Then, the Huskies brought in sophomore right-handed pitcher Ruby Meylan in an attempt to keep the Devils at bay. Still, Meylan struggled in the circle despite her stellar performance earlier in the series and gave up multiple runs to the Sun Devils.

Freshman righty Sidne Peters came in during the fourth inning as another hope for the team, but she, too, was unsuccessful. Finally, senior lefty Lindsay Lopez looked to shut down her former team’s outstanding offensive play, but she could not seal the deal and close the game out for the Huskies.

The Huskies’ last scoring attempt came from junior infielder Rylee Holtorf in the seventh. In a last-ditch effort, she knocked a leadoff home run over the wall in an attempt to start a final rally. Once again, ASU’s infield managed to keep the door shut, sealing the deal for the Sun Devils.

With the win, the Sun Devils take a bit of momentum back home with them for an upcoming midweek matchup against crosstown rival GCU and a weekend series against Oregon State.