Seattle, Wash. -- The No. 24 Arizona State softball team fell, 8-4, to No. 4 Washington in the first of three games at Husky Softball Stadium Friday afternoon.
Following a scoreless first, the Huskies got their offense started in the home-half of the second, plating four runs on four-hits.
The Sun Devils looked to get something going in the top of the third when Bella Loomis laced a two-out double down the left-line, but the Huskies would buckle down to hold the visiting Sun Devils off the board again.
With neither team able to scratch in a run in the third, Washington broke through in the fourth with a solo-shot to left, making it a 5-0 game after four innings of play.
The Sun Devils battled back in the top of the fifth with a home run off the bat of junior Maddi Hackbarth who connected on her team-leading 17th- long ball of the season. Unfortunately the offense would be held there, sending the game to the home-half with Washington still working with a, 5-1, lead.
The Sun Devil bats came back to life again in the top of the sixth, with both Loomis and Skylar McCarty reaching on singles. The pair of runners would be moved over by a ground-out just one batter later.
With two out and two on, Jade Gortarez loaded the bases with a five-pitch walk, bringing the dangerous M. Hackbarth back to the plate representing the tying-run. The Oakdale, Calif., native came through again for ASU, slicing a three-RBI double into left to make it a 5-4 game heading to the home-half of the inning.
The Huskies would not go quietly, however, as the home-side would answer back with a three-run frame of their own to send the game to the seventh, with UW ahead, 8-4. With the Sun Devils unable to pull even in the top of the seventh, Washington would claim the game one victory.
The Sun Devils and Huskies are schedule to face off again in game two Saturday at 3:00 p.m. PT. Fans can follow all of the action from game two, as well as the rest of the 2019 regular season, by following @ASUSoftball on Twitter.
Following a scoreless first, the Huskies got their offense started in the home-half of the second, plating four runs on four-hits.
The Sun Devils looked to get something going in the top of the third when Bella Loomis laced a two-out double down the left-line, but the Huskies would buckle down to hold the visiting Sun Devils off the board again.
With neither team able to scratch in a run in the third, Washington broke through in the fourth with a solo-shot to left, making it a 5-0 game after four innings of play.
The Sun Devils battled back in the top of the fifth with a home run off the bat of junior Maddi Hackbarth who connected on her team-leading 17th- long ball of the season. Unfortunately the offense would be held there, sending the game to the home-half with Washington still working with a, 5-1, lead.
The Sun Devil bats came back to life again in the top of the sixth, with both Loomis and Skylar McCarty reaching on singles. The pair of runners would be moved over by a ground-out just one batter later.
With two out and two on, Jade Gortarez loaded the bases with a five-pitch walk, bringing the dangerous M. Hackbarth back to the plate representing the tying-run. The Oakdale, Calif., native came through again for ASU, slicing a three-RBI double into left to make it a 5-4 game heading to the home-half of the inning.
M6| @maddihack comes through again with yet another clutch at-bat! This time it is a three-RBI double to make this a 1?? run game! pic.twitter.com/IFYKUWKKn1
— Sun Devil Softball (@ASUSoftball) April 13, 2019
The Huskies would not go quietly, however, as the home-side would answer back with a three-run frame of their own to send the game to the seventh, with UW ahead, 8-4. With the Sun Devils unable to pull even in the top of the seventh, Washington would claim the game one victory.
The Sun Devils and Huskies are schedule to face off again in game two Saturday at 3:00 p.m. PT. Fans can follow all of the action from game two, as well as the rest of the 2019 regular season, by following @ASUSoftball on Twitter.