Tuscaloosa, Ala. – The Arizona State softball team fell, 7-4, to the No. 8 seeded Alabama Crimson Tide in the third game of the 2019 Tuscaloosa Regional Saturday afternoon.
Looking to measure up freshman pitcher Montana Fouts (16-4) in the top of the first, senior outfielder Morgan Howe worked a nine pitch at-bat that ended with a leadoff double to left. She would later be brought in by a two-run home run off the bat of Kindra Hackbarth to give ASU an early, 2-0, lead.
The Tide would respond in the home half of the inning, working a pair of runners into scoring position with nobody out. Alabama plated their first run of the game on a sacrifice fly, a ball that would have left the park if not for a great catch at the wall by Howe. The second run would tie things up with an RBI single through the right side, sending the game to the second with the score knotted at 2-2.
The Sun Devils answered back in the top of the second, bringing in two runs on two hits to retake the lead. Freshman Yannira Acunna got the inning started with a double, before being moved over by a chopper to first from Bella Loomis. Acunna would cross the plate on a throwing error by the catcher trying to catch Loomis stealing second, pushing the score to 3-2 in favor of the Sun Devils.
Later in the inning, Arizona State would add on with a single from senior Skylar McCarty, a hit that scored Loomis and pushed the lead to 4-2. With runners on the corners and two away, the Sun Devils tried to catch Alabama flat-footed on a delayed steal from Howe at third, but a very close call at first would halt the rally and ignite a spirited debate at home plate.
Meza worked through the bottom of the second, limiting the home-team to just one run, bringing the Sun Devils back to the plate in the top of the third, leading 4-3.
With the Sun Devils unable to add to their lead in the top of the third, eighth-seeded Alabama took their first lead of the game with a leadoff home run, and a bases clearing double with two outs to send the game to the fourth with ASU trailing, 7-4.
The Sun Devils threatened in the top of the fourth, working their third leadoff double of the game, but the offense would stall there, bringing the Tide back to the plate with a three-run lead.
With neither team able to get their offense going in the final four innings, the Tide would go on to secure a spot in Sunday's Regional Championship.
The Sun Devils will be back in action later this afternoon, and will take on the winner of Lipscomb and Alabama State. First pitch in game four of the Tuscaloosa Regional is set for 1:30 AZT. Fans can follow all of the action from the 2019 Tuscaloosa Regional by following @ASUSoftball on Twitter.
2019 TUSCALOOSA REGIONAL SCHEDULE
Game 1: Friday – Arizona State 4 vs. Lipscomb 3
Game 2: Friday – No. 8 Alabama 8. Alabama St. 2
Game 3: Saturday – Arizona State 4 vs. No. 8 Alabama 7
Game 4: Saturday – Lipscomb vs. Alabama State at 1:30 p.m. AZT
Game 5: Saturday – Winner Game 4 vs. Arizona State at 4:00 p.m. AZT TBA
Game 6: Sunday – Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 5 at 11 a.m. AZT TBA
Game 7: Sunday – Winner Game 6 vs. Loser Game 6 at 1:30 p.m. AZT TBA (if necessary)
Looking to measure up freshman pitcher Montana Fouts (16-4) in the top of the first, senior outfielder Morgan Howe worked a nine pitch at-bat that ended with a leadoff double to left. She would later be brought in by a two-run home run off the bat of Kindra Hackbarth to give ASU an early, 2-0, lead.
The Tide would respond in the home half of the inning, working a pair of runners into scoring position with nobody out. Alabama plated their first run of the game on a sacrifice fly, a ball that would have left the park if not for a great catch at the wall by Howe. The second run would tie things up with an RBI single through the right side, sending the game to the second with the score knotted at 2-2.
The Sun Devils answered back in the top of the second, bringing in two runs on two hits to retake the lead. Freshman Yannira Acunna got the inning started with a double, before being moved over by a chopper to first from Bella Loomis. Acunna would cross the plate on a throwing error by the catcher trying to catch Loomis stealing second, pushing the score to 3-2 in favor of the Sun Devils.
Later in the inning, Arizona State would add on with a single from senior Skylar McCarty, a hit that scored Loomis and pushed the lead to 4-2. With runners on the corners and two away, the Sun Devils tried to catch Alabama flat-footed on a delayed steal from Howe at third, but a very close call at first would halt the rally and ignite a spirited debate at home plate.
Meza worked through the bottom of the second, limiting the home-team to just one run, bringing the Sun Devils back to the plate in the top of the third, leading 4-3.
With the Sun Devils unable to add to their lead in the top of the third, eighth-seeded Alabama took their first lead of the game with a leadoff home run, and a bases clearing double with two outs to send the game to the fourth with ASU trailing, 7-4.
The Sun Devils threatened in the top of the fourth, working their third leadoff double of the game, but the offense would stall there, bringing the Tide back to the plate with a three-run lead.
With neither team able to get their offense going in the final four innings, the Tide would go on to secure a spot in Sunday's Regional Championship.
The Sun Devils will be back in action later this afternoon, and will take on the winner of Lipscomb and Alabama State. First pitch in game four of the Tuscaloosa Regional is set for 1:30 AZT. Fans can follow all of the action from the 2019 Tuscaloosa Regional by following @ASUSoftball on Twitter.
2019 TUSCALOOSA REGIONAL SCHEDULE
Game 1: Friday – Arizona State 4 vs. Lipscomb 3
Game 2: Friday – No. 8 Alabama 8. Alabama St. 2
Game 3: Saturday – Arizona State 4 vs. No. 8 Alabama 7
Game 4: Saturday – Lipscomb vs. Alabama State at 1:30 p.m. AZT
Game 5: Saturday – Winner Game 4 vs. Arizona State at 4:00 p.m. AZT TBA
Game 6: Sunday – Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 5 at 11 a.m. AZT TBA
Game 7: Sunday – Winner Game 6 vs. Loser Game 6 at 1:30 p.m. AZT TBA (if necessary)