TEMPE, Ariz. – No. 14 Arizona State softball dropped a tough matchup with No. 4 Florida, 7-2, on Friday evening at Farrington Stadium. The game was the second for the Sun Devils in the 14th annual Littlewood Classic, honoring the legendary head coach, Mary Littlewood.
"I thought in the batter's box we did a heck of a job," head coach Trisha Ford said. "I really thought Kindra (Hackbarth) and Morgan (Howe) had fantastic days at the plate. They both came out ready to go. I thought Abby Andersen did really well in her first collegiate-start. She handled it really well. Mikayla came in and played really well, and Cielo Meza came in and did really well also. We just walked too many batters and I think that kind of stung us."
The night began with a first pitch from Mary Littlewood, who served as the head coach for Sun Devil softball for 21 years, and is one of just two coaches in program history to reach the 500-win plateau. She led the squad to back-to-back AIAW National Championships and compiled a career record of 551-222-1 in her time in Maroon and Gold.
Florida got on the board first in the matchup, using a leadoff solo-shot to take a 1-0 lead. The Gators followed by loading the bases with two outs, but starting pitcher Abby Andersen made a clutch play on a comebacker straight to the circle to set the opposition down with limited damage.
With a 2-2 count, and also in the leadoff spot, Kindra Hackbarth sent her pitch over the right field wall just inside the lines for a home run, her first of the season. The longball tied the game at one and electrified the crowd of 1,244 at Farrington, a season-high for the Sun Devils in the top-15 matchup.
The Gators put up another run in the top of the second frame with an RBI single, but Andersen again limited the damage working out of the inning with Florida leading, 2-1.
Taylor Becerra saved the Sun Devils from a bigger deficit in the top of the third, as Florida put two base runners on with two outs. The third baseman ranged to her right to snag a ground ball and dove back to her left to tag the base for a force out, setting the Gators down scoreless for the first time on the evening.
K. Hackbarth stepped into the box in the home half of the third for her second at bat, this time putting aside the power she showed in the first inning for speed. The junior placed a bunt just out in front of home plate and legged out a single, and Skylar McCarty got the job done with a sacrifice bunt to move K. Hackbarth into scoring position.
Morgan Howe came through with the equalizer for the Sun Devils, powering a double off the left field wall to plate K. Hackbarth from second to tie things up, 2-2.
Florida delivered the third lead change of the game in the fourth inning. The Gators' leadoff batter used another solo-shot to secure a one-run lead in the top of the frame, but new pitcher Mikayla Santa Cruz shut the Gators down by inducing two outs to limit the damage to one run with the Sun Devils trailing 3-2.
Florida put up three runs in their half of the fifth frame, prompting Cielo Meza to take over pitching duties for ASU. The visitors tacked on one more run in the inning, but Becerra again showed off her defensive prowess by reaching into foul territory on the third baseline to snag a foul ball for out number three.
Meza came back out for a second inning of work in the sixth, setting Florida down scoreless for the second time on the evening using two strike outs and a fly out to head into stretch time at Farrington. She returned in the seventh to again set the Gators down in order in part by more heads up defensive play by the Sun Devils.
The redshirt junior induced a quick foul out, but walked the second batter to put a runner on. The Florida cleanup hitter sent a line drive straight to Jade Gortarez at shortstop, with Gortarez snagging the liner and throwing over to first to catch the baserunner, effectively ending the threat.
Gortarez led off the final inning with a walk. Bella Loomis sent a fly ball to the warning track in right field, but the Gator tracked it down for out number two. Florida induced a ground out to end the inning and secure a 7-2 victory over ASU.
The Sun Devils are back in action tomorrow for day three of the 2019 Littlewood Classic. First pitch against Central Michigan is set for 2 p.m. MST, and fans can keep up with the action by following @ASUSoftball on Twitter.
"I thought in the batter's box we did a heck of a job," head coach Trisha Ford said. "I really thought Kindra (Hackbarth) and Morgan (Howe) had fantastic days at the plate. They both came out ready to go. I thought Abby Andersen did really well in her first collegiate-start. She handled it really well. Mikayla came in and played really well, and Cielo Meza came in and did really well also. We just walked too many batters and I think that kind of stung us."
The night began with a first pitch from Mary Littlewood, who served as the head coach for Sun Devil softball for 21 years, and is one of just two coaches in program history to reach the 500-win plateau. She led the squad to back-to-back AIAW National Championships and compiled a career record of 551-222-1 in her time in Maroon and Gold.
Florida got on the board first in the matchup, using a leadoff solo-shot to take a 1-0 lead. The Gators followed by loading the bases with two outs, but starting pitcher Abby Andersen made a clutch play on a comebacker straight to the circle to set the opposition down with limited damage.
With a 2-2 count, and also in the leadoff spot, Kindra Hackbarth sent her pitch over the right field wall just inside the lines for a home run, her first of the season. The longball tied the game at one and electrified the crowd of 1,244 at Farrington, a season-high for the Sun Devils in the top-15 matchup.
The Gators put up another run in the top of the second frame with an RBI single, but Andersen again limited the damage working out of the inning with Florida leading, 2-1.
Taylor Becerra saved the Sun Devils from a bigger deficit in the top of the third, as Florida put two base runners on with two outs. The third baseman ranged to her right to snag a ground ball and dove back to her left to tag the base for a force out, setting the Gators down scoreless for the first time on the evening.
K. Hackbarth stepped into the box in the home half of the third for her second at bat, this time putting aside the power she showed in the first inning for speed. The junior placed a bunt just out in front of home plate and legged out a single, and Skylar McCarty got the job done with a sacrifice bunt to move K. Hackbarth into scoring position.
Morgan Howe came through with the equalizer for the Sun Devils, powering a double off the left field wall to plate K. Hackbarth from second to tie things up, 2-2.
Florida delivered the third lead change of the game in the fourth inning. The Gators' leadoff batter used another solo-shot to secure a one-run lead in the top of the frame, but new pitcher Mikayla Santa Cruz shut the Gators down by inducing two outs to limit the damage to one run with the Sun Devils trailing 3-2.
Florida put up three runs in their half of the fifth frame, prompting Cielo Meza to take over pitching duties for ASU. The visitors tacked on one more run in the inning, but Becerra again showed off her defensive prowess by reaching into foul territory on the third baseline to snag a foul ball for out number three.
Meza came back out for a second inning of work in the sixth, setting Florida down scoreless for the second time on the evening using two strike outs and a fly out to head into stretch time at Farrington. She returned in the seventh to again set the Gators down in order in part by more heads up defensive play by the Sun Devils.
The redshirt junior induced a quick foul out, but walked the second batter to put a runner on. The Florida cleanup hitter sent a line drive straight to Jade Gortarez at shortstop, with Gortarez snagging the liner and throwing over to first to catch the baserunner, effectively ending the threat.
Gortarez led off the final inning with a walk. Bella Loomis sent a fly ball to the warning track in right field, but the Gator tracked it down for out number two. Florida induced a ground out to end the inning and secure a 7-2 victory over ASU.
The Sun Devils are back in action tomorrow for day three of the 2019 Littlewood Classic. First pitch against Central Michigan is set for 2 p.m. MST, and fans can keep up with the action by following @ASUSoftball on Twitter.