TEMPE, Ariz. – In their first match of the 2018 season, Sun Devil softball dropped a close duel with Tennessee, 7-4, on Thursday night at Farrington Stadium.
"I thought we had a lot of grit tonight," said head coach Trisha Ford. "We fought back and we had base runners on in every inning but one. I thought G (Juarez) threw a heck of a game tonight. She had two bad pitches and they took advantage of it. I am excited. Macha came in and they are a great combo together. There were a lot of good things tonight. They got the big hit tonight, and we didn't when we needed it."
Sophomore G Juarez started in the circle for the Devils. The lefty made quick work of the Vols in the top of the first inning, striking out the side in 12 pitches. Juarez ended the night with a solid five innings of work, striking out seven with six earned runs.
With a quiet first inning for both teams, Tennessee (1-0) got the scoring started in the top of the second inning with a long ball to left field. Freshman Ashley Morgan was the first base runner of the evening, reaching off a walk. Abby Lockman took one for the team with a hit-by-pitch, and Scarlet McSwain capitalized on the Devils' miscues with a two-run shot.
Down but definitely not out, the Devils scratched back to tie up the game in the home half of the inning. Marisa Stankiewicz laced a hit up the middle for a single, and Fresno State transfer Maddi Hackbarth clobbered the second pitch over the center field wall for a two-run home run in her first at-bat as a Sun Devil.
With the score still in Tennessee's favor, 3-2, Skylar McCarty and Kindra Hackbarth both reached with hits of their own, as McCarty nailed a double to the wall in center and K. Hackbarth notched a single. Enter Jade Gortarez, whose single allowed K. Hackbarth to score from third, knotting the game up at three apiece.
The Vols came back with tenacity in the their half of the fourth frame. Tennessee put up two more runs to stake a 5-3 lead over the Devils through a double and another home run, making the game a battle of the long balls.
Tacking on one more in the fifth, Amanda Ayala worked a one-out walk and then stole second but to put a runner in scoring position. Meghan Gregg stepped up and hit a double to left, extending the Tennessee lead to 6-3.
The Devils offense reawakened in the bottom half of the frame. Morgan Howe got things started with a leadoff single up the middle, and Fa Leilua followed with the exact same placement. Two RBI in her Devils debut wasn't enough for M. Hackbarth, as her single through the left side allowed a run to score from third, again chipping away at the Vols' lead, 6-4.
Breanna Macha took over pitching duties for ASU in the sixth, striking out the side while allowing a two-out single that would be stranded at first.
Tennessee sealed their win with a run in the top of the seventh to bring the score to the final 7-4.
The Sun Devils will be back in action at 2 p.m. as they take on the Purdue Boilermakers at Tempe Sports Complex. Fans can follow the action at Tempe Sports Complex using live stats, here.
Follow The Rest of the Weekend Action:
vs. Purdue: STATS
vs. Nebraska: WATCH I STATS
vs. Notre Dame: WATCH I STATS
vs. Indiana: WATCH I STATS
vs. Saint Mary's: WATCH I STATS
"I thought we had a lot of grit tonight," said head coach Trisha Ford. "We fought back and we had base runners on in every inning but one. I thought G (Juarez) threw a heck of a game tonight. She had two bad pitches and they took advantage of it. I am excited. Macha came in and they are a great combo together. There were a lot of good things tonight. They got the big hit tonight, and we didn't when we needed it."
Sophomore G Juarez started in the circle for the Devils. The lefty made quick work of the Vols in the top of the first inning, striking out the side in 12 pitches. Juarez ended the night with a solid five innings of work, striking out seven with six earned runs.
With a quiet first inning for both teams, Tennessee (1-0) got the scoring started in the top of the second inning with a long ball to left field. Freshman Ashley Morgan was the first base runner of the evening, reaching off a walk. Abby Lockman took one for the team with a hit-by-pitch, and Scarlet McSwain capitalized on the Devils' miscues with a two-run shot.
Down but definitely not out, the Devils scratched back to tie up the game in the home half of the inning. Marisa Stankiewicz laced a hit up the middle for a single, and Fresno State transfer Maddi Hackbarth clobbered the second pitch over the center field wall for a two-run home run in her first at-bat as a Sun Devil.
B2 | First at-bat as a Devil? First DINGER ??@maddihack goes YARD to centerfield to bring the Devils within striking distance! pic.twitter.com/ysx8tGSvG1
— Sun Devil Softball (@ASUSoftball) February 9, 2018
With the score still in Tennessee's favor, 3-2, Skylar McCarty and Kindra Hackbarth both reached with hits of their own, as McCarty nailed a double to the wall in center and K. Hackbarth notched a single. Enter Jade Gortarez, whose single allowed K. Hackbarth to score from third, knotting the game up at three apiece.
B2 | Devs claw back to tie the ball game!
— Sun Devil Softball (@ASUSoftball) February 9, 2018
?? @SkylarMcCarty Double
?? @kindiboo Single
?? @TaylorBecerra Fielder's Choice
?? @jade_g_15 Single pic.twitter.com/kmpe5fqjVJ
The Vols came back with tenacity in the their half of the fourth frame. Tennessee put up two more runs to stake a 5-3 lead over the Devils through a double and another home run, making the game a battle of the long balls.
Tacking on one more in the fifth, Amanda Ayala worked a one-out walk and then stole second but to put a runner in scoring position. Meghan Gregg stepped up and hit a double to left, extending the Tennessee lead to 6-3.
The Devils offense reawakened in the bottom half of the frame. Morgan Howe got things started with a leadoff single up the middle, and Fa Leilua followed with the exact same placement. Two RBI in her Devils debut wasn't enough for M. Hackbarth, as her single through the left side allowed a run to score from third, again chipping away at the Vols' lead, 6-4.
Breanna Macha took over pitching duties for ASU in the sixth, striking out the side while allowing a two-out single that would be stranded at first.
T6 | Another day, another K.@BreannaMacha comes in to replace G in the top of the sixth inning, racking up three strikeouts ?? pic.twitter.com/YNgPfF3Qep
— Sun Devil Softball (@ASUSoftball) February 9, 2018
Tennessee sealed their win with a run in the top of the seventh to bring the score to the final 7-4.
The Sun Devils will be back in action at 2 p.m. as they take on the Purdue Boilermakers at Tempe Sports Complex. Fans can follow the action at Tempe Sports Complex using live stats, here.
Follow The Rest of the Weekend Action:
vs. Purdue: STATS
vs. Nebraska: WATCH I STATS
vs. Notre Dame: WATCH I STATS
vs. Indiana: WATCH I STATS
vs. Saint Mary's: WATCH I STATS