TEMPE, Ariz. -- The 23rd- ranked Arizona State softball team picked their first win over a top-10 team this season, with a , 9-8, come from behind walk-off win over No. 10 Utah Friday night at Farrington Stadium.
"We have been talking about this being our process," head coach Trisha Ford said. "This team can do whatever they put their minds to and we really got in the box and battled every pitch. We just never said die. As cliché as that sounds, we just saw tonight what that looks like."
The never say die Devils found themselves in a slugfest, trailing the Utes, 8-5, into the final half inning, but an inspired effort from ASU, capped by a three run homer from freshman Emma Ramelot, saw the home-side erase the deficit and clinch their first win over a top-25 team this season.
"Obviously we haven't been home for a while," Ford added. "Some of the players were saying before the game how nice it was to finally be home. All of this is going to make us better. If we look at things that way, it only helps us. With postseason the way it is, eventually we will have to play on the road so we have got to figure that out. I think this year we are battle tested. I can't wait to come out tomorrow."
Defense ruled the first to innings of the game, as neither team was able to scratch in a run. The Utes, however, broke the game open in the fourth, plating four runs on five hits and an error. The Sun Devils countered with a pair of runs of their own as Taylor Becerra and Skylar McCarty would cross the plate courtesy of an RBI single from Chelsea Gonzales and a throwing error by the Utah infield.
Following back-to-back scoreless frames, both offenses exploded for three runs each in the sixth. Freshman Brianna Wise brought in all three runs for the Sun Devils, lifting her second collegiate home run to right field to make it a 7-5 game heading to the seventh.
The Sun Devils claimed two quick outs and looked to be sailing along in the top of the frame, before Utah would send a solo shot over the wall in right to extend their lead to 8-5.
But the never say die Devils chipped away and never rolled over. Becerra got the rally going, leading off the bottom of the seventh with a single through the middle, but was quickly moved over by a single from McCarty, her second hit of the night. Palacios, representing the tying run, looped a single into shallow left loading the bases with nobody out.
The late game heroics hit a snag as the following two batters recorded outs, one a shallow popup to be followed by a fielder's choice, bringing freshman Emma Ramelot to the plate with two away. The Riverside, Calif., native wasted no time, as she crushed the first pitch she saw over the fence in straightaway center to win the game in walk-off fashion.
With the win, ASU improved to 18-2 at home, and 6-7 in Pac-12 play. The win also marked the first win over a top ten opponent since defeating No. 8 Tennessee on Feb., 12, 2016. The Sun Devils will be back in action tomorrow afternoon for game two of the three-game series. First pitch for Saturday's game is slated for 4 p.m. and will be televised on the Pac-12 Network with Kenzie Fowler and Ann Schatz on the call.
"We have been talking about this being our process," head coach Trisha Ford said. "This team can do whatever they put their minds to and we really got in the box and battled every pitch. We just never said die. As cliché as that sounds, we just saw tonight what that looks like."
The never say die Devils found themselves in a slugfest, trailing the Utes, 8-5, into the final half inning, but an inspired effort from ASU, capped by a three run homer from freshman Emma Ramelot, saw the home-side erase the deficit and clinch their first win over a top-25 team this season.
"Obviously we haven't been home for a while," Ford added. "Some of the players were saying before the game how nice it was to finally be home. All of this is going to make us better. If we look at things that way, it only helps us. With postseason the way it is, eventually we will have to play on the road so we have got to figure that out. I think this year we are battle tested. I can't wait to come out tomorrow."
Defense ruled the first to innings of the game, as neither team was able to scratch in a run. The Utes, however, broke the game open in the fourth, plating four runs on five hits and an error. The Sun Devils countered with a pair of runs of their own as Taylor Becerra and Skylar McCarty would cross the plate courtesy of an RBI single from Chelsea Gonzales and a throwing error by the Utah infield.
Following back-to-back scoreless frames, both offenses exploded for three runs each in the sixth. Freshman Brianna Wise brought in all three runs for the Sun Devils, lifting her second collegiate home run to right field to make it a 7-5 game heading to the seventh.
The Sun Devils claimed two quick outs and looked to be sailing along in the top of the frame, before Utah would send a solo shot over the wall in right to extend their lead to 8-5.
But the never say die Devils chipped away and never rolled over. Becerra got the rally going, leading off the bottom of the seventh with a single through the middle, but was quickly moved over by a single from McCarty, her second hit of the night. Palacios, representing the tying run, looped a single into shallow left loading the bases with nobody out.
The late game heroics hit a snag as the following two batters recorded outs, one a shallow popup to be followed by a fielder's choice, bringing freshman Emma Ramelot to the plate with two away. The Riverside, Calif., native wasted no time, as she crushed the first pitch she saw over the fence in straightaway center to win the game in walk-off fashion.
With the win, ASU improved to 18-2 at home, and 6-7 in Pac-12 play. The win also marked the first win over a top ten opponent since defeating No. 8 Tennessee on Feb., 12, 2016. The Sun Devils will be back in action tomorrow afternoon for game two of the three-game series. First pitch for Saturday's game is slated for 4 p.m. and will be televised on the Pac-12 Network with Kenzie Fowler and Ann Schatz on the call.