TEMPE ? The No. 21 Arizona State softball rallied from a one-run deficit twice to pick up a walk-off victory over Texas Tech, 4-3, to clinch the series on Friday at Farrington Stadium.
The Sun Devils (24-9) lived and died by the long ball, hitting three homers and about 10 balls to the warning track. Chelsea Gonzales went 2-for-3 with a solo home run that tied the game in the sixth before knocking the game-winning sacrifice fly in the seventh.
The walk-off was only made possible by the pinch hitting heroics of Brynley Steele, who hit a leadoff homer on a full count in the bottom of the seventh to tie the game at 3-3.
Kelsey Kessler (11-5) earned the win after coming in on relief. The RHP allowed four hits, three earned runs, two walks and struck out four batter sin three innings of work. Breanna Macha started the game and allowed two hits, one walk and struck out one Red Raider though four innings.
Nichole Chilson got it done both at the plate and in the field on the evening. The sophomore made an incredible diving catch to end the top of the second inning, laying out in the dirt in foul territory to make the catch of the season so far. The right fielder followed that up about three minutes later with a leadoff solo home run in the bottom of the inning to get ASU on the board, 1-0.
The Red Raiders tied it at one run apiece in the top of the fifth after Brooke Scott walked and advanced to second on a Jordan Bettiol single. Kiani Ramsey singled to score Scott from second.
TTU added another run in the top of the sixth on a solo shot off the bat of Jessica Hartwell to jump to a 2-1 advantage.
Gonzales responded with her team-leading ninth home run of the season to tie the game at two runs in the bottom frame.
A Red Raider walk started the seventh inning. Camaury Washington came in to pinch run and took second on a sac bunt. Bettiol hit a single to advance the runner, before Ramsey hit a sacrifice fly to center to put Texas Tech back on top, 3-2, heading to the seventh.
Steele led off the bottom frame for ASU and delivered a pinch solo shot ? her second of the season ? to tie the contest at three. Abby Spiel was hit by a pitch and Taylor Becerra singled with no outs. Soria laid down a perfect bunt to advance the runners into scoring position. Gonzales followed to end the game on a sac fly to center field which allowed Spiel to score the winning run.
The Sun Devil will try for the sweep in the series finale tomorrow at 11 a.m. PT at Farrington Stadium.?