Palm Springs, Calif.- The 19th-ranked Arizona State Softball team split the final day of the 2017 Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic hosted by the Big League Field of Dreams. ASU (11-2) started the final day off the Collegiate Classic with an 8-0 run-rule victory over the UC Santa Barbara Gauchos, but fell in the second game of the day to No. 14 Michigan, 3-0.
"I think even in the loss we had a lot of loud outs and did a good job of putting ourselves in a position to win," said head coach Trisha Ford. "That was a very good Michigan team and we were right there. We just have to figure out how to get a couple of those key hits, but the great thing is we get to play them again. This weekend I thought we saw a lot of growth. Our energy in the dougout was great for these last three games. There are a lot of things that we are building on that I was pleased with."
The Devils jumped on UCSB early by putting up seven-runs in the second inning and adding on one more in the third. Freshman Alyssa Loza had a stellar performance in the circle for the Sun Devils during game one, as she held the Gauchos scoreless for five innings, en rout to her third win of the season.
In game two of the double header, the Arizona State Sun Devils found themselves in yet another top-25 matchup, this time against No. 14 Michigan. Breanna Macha held the Wolverines to just six hits, and three earned runs, but unfortunately the ASU offense was unable to get going, resulting in a 3-0 Michigan win.
Game 1: ASU 8, UCSB 0 (5)
In the first game of the Sun Devils' final day of play in Palm Springs, ASU earned themselves a five-inning, run-rule victory over the UC Santa Barbara Gauchos.
Freshman Alyssa Loza had a dominate game in the circle as she held the Gauchos to a three-hit shut out to collect her third win as a Sun Devil. Loza threw a total of 61 pitches, 45 of those counting as strikes, and did not allow any walks in her five innings on the mound.
The Sun Devil offense was quiet in bottom half of the first inning, but came out hot in the bottom of the second as they put up seven runs in the frame. Sophomore, Fa Leilua, started the Sun Devil rally in the second when she hit a two-run bomb down the left field line. Skylar McCarty followed by hitting a bases-loaded single that scored Sashel Palacios and a throwing error by UCSB brought in Nichole Chilson which gave the Sun Devils a 4-0 lead.
Freshman Randi Farricker continued her breakout weekend in the second inning, launching a ball over the left field wall that would bring in three more for ASU extending the lead to 7-0 heading into the third.
In the home half of the third inning, Farricker connected again on a bases-loaded fielder's choice that would plate Marisa Stankiewicz closing out the Sun Devils' 8-0 victory.
Game 2: MICHIGAN 3, ASU 0
The Sun Devils finished Saturday's doubleheader with a tough, 3-0, loss to the 14th- ranked Michigan Wolverines.
Junior, Breanna Macha, had the ball for the Sun Devils in game two, and pitched The junior held the top-25 ranked team to only six hits, three earned runs, and only giving up one walk throughout the seven innings of play.
No. 14 Michigan came out early and scored one run in each the first and the second inning on singles poked through the infield giving them an early 2-0 lead. The Wolverines added on one more run in the fourth off of a homerun but Macha kept the Michigan offense quiet for the three-remaining innings.
Unfortunately, the ASU offense could not carry its momentum from game one into game two. The Sun Devils had three combined hits against the Wolverines, that included a double down the left field line by sophomore, Fa Leliua, but could not plate any runs resulting in a 3-0 Michigan victory.
The Sun Devils will be back in action Thursday, March 2nd as the take on the Michigan Wolverines for a rematch at the 2017 Judy Garman Classic in Fullerton, Calif. The first pitch for that contest is set for 3 p.m. AZT. Fans can follow all of the action from the 2017 Sun Devil softball season by following @ASUSoftball on Twitter.