FULLERTON, Calif. – The No. 19 Arizona State University softball team fell in a pair of hard-fought contests to open the 2016 Judi Garman Classic in Fullerton, Calif. A fierce rally came just shy in a 10-8 barnburner against Long Beach State before the Devils dropped an extra-inning decision to host Cal State Fullerton, 3-2, in eight innings.
Kelsey Kessler was impressive in the circle for the Sun Devils, pitching four perfect innings of relief against LBSU and then shoving it for seven innings against the Titans before being ultimately undone by some defensive miscues behind her.
Nichole Chilson was 4-for-7 on the day with three RBI to lead the ASU offense.
The Devils return to the diamond tomorrow against Wisconsin at 8 p.m. PT.
Full recaps from Thursday’s action can be found below.
Cal State Fullerton 3, ASU 2 (8)
A gem of pitching effort from Kelsey Kessler was hurt by a pair of Sun Devil errors as ASU fell to the host Titans, 3-2, in eight innings.
Kessler pitched the entire game for ASU, striking out four and at one point accounting for seven outs on just 14 pitches. The junior allowed just one earned run on six hits – though she allowed just three hits in regulation. Unfortunately, the defensive miscues and ASU’s inability to get into a groove at the plate would prove to be the difference in the contest.
Leading 2-1, ASU gave up the tying run in the bottom of the sixth inning on an infield throwing error on a play at third base that allowed the runner to come home and draw things square at 2-2.
ASU had the go-ahead run at third base in the top of the seventh inning and Nichole Chilson ripped a liner that looked like it would get through the right side but an incredible diving grab from second baseman Raeanne Martinez robbed the lefty of the hit and kept the game even at 2-2.
Chilson would end up getting caught in a run down in the top of the eighth inning trying to score from third and ASU was unable to plate any runs with the international tiebreaker in effect.
A pair of infield singles from the Titans loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom half of the inning and Samantha Vandiver’s single to left field brought the winning run across for the walk-off victory.
The Titans got on the board in the second after Ariana Williams stole second and advanced to third after her slide kicked the ball out of the fielder’s glove. She would come home a batter later on a sacrifice fly by Sydney Colenzo.
The Devils responded by manufacturing a couple runs in the top of the fourth inning. Pinch runner Brynley Steele stole second and advanced to third on a single from Margaret Stahm. Her speed came in handy again as she slid safely into home on an infield fielder’s choice to square things at one run a piece.
A wild pitch would move the runners to second and third and pinch runner Breona Peralta came across on Taylor Becerra’s infield groundout for the first lead of the game for the Devils.
Long Beach State 10, ASU 8
Despite an impressive offensive effort of their own, the Sun Devil softball team was unable to overcome two big innings from the Long Beach State 49ers, dropping a 10-8 decision in the opener of the 2016 Judi Garman Classic.
LBSU put up a six-spot in the top of the first and followed that with a grand slam in the third inning to give the 49ers all the offense they would need.
The Devils had a season high 16 hits to make a game out of things, twice cutting the lead to two runs but were unable to get the hits they needed to fully overcome the deficit.
Kelsey Kessler came in in relief at the top of the fourth and pitched four perfect innings to keep the Sun Devils in the game. Kessler struck out six of the 12 batters she faced and didn’t allow a hit to leave the infield.
Nichole Chilson went 3-for-3 with a walk and three RBI to lead the Sun Devil offense while Jenn Soria went 3-for-5 on the afternoon.
Breanna Macha took the loss for ASU, dropping to 5-2 on the season. The 49er offense got on the sophomore early with a string of singles that was followed by a three run home run from Lauren MacLeod to give LBSU a 5-0 lead early. The 49ers would add another in the inning for a commanding 6-0 lead early.
ASU got two back in the bottom half of the inning on a two-out, two RBI Chilson double to make it a 6-2 game. Katee Aguirre would add another in the bottom of the second on a leadoff solo home run and Fa Leilua scored later in the inning to cut Long Beach State’s lead to 6-4.
LBSU responded in the top of the third, loading the bases with two out and ahead of Darian Tautalafua and the cleanup hitter did was she was supposed to do with a grand slam over the centerfield wall off of Dale Ryndak to put LBSU back on top 10-4.
ASU didn’t go quietly into the night, however, scoring three in the bottom half of the inning to get back within 10-7 and then adding another in the bottom of the sixth to make it a two-run ball game. That would be as close as ASU got, however, after going down in order in the bottom of the seventh.