TEMPE – Despite an offensive surge, the No. 23 Arizona State softball team fell to No. 12 Tennessee in the continuation of a rain-delayed game on Tuesday at Farrington Stadium. ASU (4-2) produced five runs in the last three innings but ultimately lost 8-5.
The matchup was postponed on Monday night with Tennessee up four runs in the top of the fourth inning.
"I'm not satisfied and I know my team isn't either and I know my coach isn't," junior pitcher Madison Preston said. "We know we need to keep pushing and take the good and the bad from this weekend and apply it to the rest of the season."
Monday Night
Inning 1: ASU 0, UT 0
Cielo Meza opened the matchup with three strikeouts – all swinging, to get ASU offense at-bat quickly. Maddi Hackbarth and Bella Loomis both landed on base after Kindra Hackbarth popped up to shortstop in the leadoff position. M. Hackbarth and Loomis were both left on base.
Inning 2: ASU 0, UT 2
Tennessee's two runs were initiated by a hit by pitch and a wild pitch that allowed two runners to reach home with two outs. Meza remained unfazed and shutoff the Volunteers' scoring opportunities with her fourth strikeout of the game. In the middle of their lineup, ASU was three-and-out to conclude the second inning.
Inning 3: ASU 0, UT 4
After a two-run UT homerun, Madison Preston took the mound as relief for Meza. ASU had its best opportunity of the night to get on the board with Loomis and K. Hackbarth occupying second and third base. M. Hackbarth sent a sac-fly to right field that allowed Loomis to reach third. K. Hackbarth dove for home plate but was caught out on a throw from centerfield to catcher.
Preston threw one strikeout before officials called a rain delay. Both coaching staffs met and agreed to continue the game on Tuesday night.
Tuesday night
Inning 4: ASU 0, UT 4
Preston threw two back-to-back strikeouts to bring ASU to the plate for the first time of the continuation. With two outs, Kiara Kennedy reached first base on a fielder's choice but in the same play, Alynah Torres was forced out at second on a toss from the shortstop to second baseman.
Inning 5: ASU 2, UT 4
ASU defense continued to hold UT at four runs through the top of the fifth. ASU gained momentum at the bottom of the fifth with freshman Jazmine Hill's double to center field. Bases became loaded after Yannira Acuña was hit by a pitch and K. Hackbarth reached first base on an error. Hill reached home on a double play from a hit by Loomis in which K. Hackbarth was also forced out. A single to third base by M. Hackbarth opened the lane for Acuña to run home and score.
Inning 6: ASU 3, UT 4
The third-straight three-and-out from Preston brought ASU back on the offensive. Torres singled to left center where fellow freshman Savannah Morales took over as pinch runner. Morales stole second and advanced to third on a wild pitch. UT issued a base on balls to Kennedy, prompting a relief pitcher for the Volunteers. Kennedy stole second and Olivia Miller was sent in to pinch run. Jazmine Hill reached first base on a fielder's choice and Acuña's subsequent single to left center brought Morales home. Loomis struck out swinging to end the sixth inning.
Inning 7: ASU 5, UT 8
Desperate to separate the run differential, UT brought a pinch runner and pinch hitter into the lineup. A double to left field brought a UT runner home followed by a passed ball that allowed another runner to advance home from third. A homer to left center batted in two runs to extend the score to 8-3. Once again, ASU worked to get the bases loaded where pinch runner Mailey McLemore scored on a pitch that hit Kennedy. A fly out to center field from Hill advanced Tatnall to home as the final scorer of the night.
Notable Stats:
Up next:
ASU hosts the second of four home tournaments this weekend, Feb. 14-16, at Alberta B. Farrington Stadium. The Sun Devils play five games in three days as part of the Littlewood Classic. The four visiting teams include Kentucky, Detroit Mercy, Illinois State, and Boise State. Fans can follow @ASUSoftball on Twitter and @SunDevilSB on Instagram to keep up all season long with Sun Devil Softball.
The matchup was postponed on Monday night with Tennessee up four runs in the top of the fourth inning.
"I'm not satisfied and I know my team isn't either and I know my coach isn't," junior pitcher Madison Preston said. "We know we need to keep pushing and take the good and the bad from this weekend and apply it to the rest of the season."
Monday Night
Inning 1: ASU 0, UT 0
Cielo Meza opened the matchup with three strikeouts – all swinging, to get ASU offense at-bat quickly. Maddi Hackbarth and Bella Loomis both landed on base after Kindra Hackbarth popped up to shortstop in the leadoff position. M. Hackbarth and Loomis were both left on base.
Inning 2: ASU 0, UT 2
Tennessee's two runs were initiated by a hit by pitch and a wild pitch that allowed two runners to reach home with two outs. Meza remained unfazed and shutoff the Volunteers' scoring opportunities with her fourth strikeout of the game. In the middle of their lineup, ASU was three-and-out to conclude the second inning.
Inning 3: ASU 0, UT 4
After a two-run UT homerun, Madison Preston took the mound as relief for Meza. ASU had its best opportunity of the night to get on the board with Loomis and K. Hackbarth occupying second and third base. M. Hackbarth sent a sac-fly to right field that allowed Loomis to reach third. K. Hackbarth dove for home plate but was caught out on a throw from centerfield to catcher.
Preston threw one strikeout before officials called a rain delay. Both coaching staffs met and agreed to continue the game on Tuesday night.
Tuesday night
Inning 4: ASU 0, UT 4
Preston threw two back-to-back strikeouts to bring ASU to the plate for the first time of the continuation. With two outs, Kiara Kennedy reached first base on a fielder's choice but in the same play, Alynah Torres was forced out at second on a toss from the shortstop to second baseman.
Inning 5: ASU 2, UT 4
ASU defense continued to hold UT at four runs through the top of the fifth. ASU gained momentum at the bottom of the fifth with freshman Jazmine Hill's double to center field. Bases became loaded after Yannira Acuña was hit by a pitch and K. Hackbarth reached first base on an error. Hill reached home on a double play from a hit by Loomis in which K. Hackbarth was also forced out. A single to third base by M. Hackbarth opened the lane for Acuña to run home and score.
Inning 6: ASU 3, UT 4
The third-straight three-and-out from Preston brought ASU back on the offensive. Torres singled to left center where fellow freshman Savannah Morales took over as pinch runner. Morales stole second and advanced to third on a wild pitch. UT issued a base on balls to Kennedy, prompting a relief pitcher for the Volunteers. Kennedy stole second and Olivia Miller was sent in to pinch run. Jazmine Hill reached first base on a fielder's choice and Acuña's subsequent single to left center brought Morales home. Loomis struck out swinging to end the sixth inning.
Inning 7: ASU 5, UT 8
Desperate to separate the run differential, UT brought a pinch runner and pinch hitter into the lineup. A double to left field brought a UT runner home followed by a passed ball that allowed another runner to advance home from third. A homer to left center batted in two runs to extend the score to 8-3. Once again, ASU worked to get the bases loaded where pinch runner Mailey McLemore scored on a pitch that hit Kennedy. A fly out to center field from Hill advanced Tatnall to home as the final scorer of the night.
Notable Stats:
- As a relief pitcher, Madison Preston pitched four innings and allowed only two hits and threw seven strikeouts, a season high.
- Torres concluded the Kajikawa Classic with a .429 batting average, second to Kindra Hackbarth (.476) with three homeruns in her first three collegiate games.
- Fellow freshman starter Jazmine Hill boasts the third-highest batting average with .389 in 18 at-bats.
Up next:
ASU hosts the second of four home tournaments this weekend, Feb. 14-16, at Alberta B. Farrington Stadium. The Sun Devils play five games in three days as part of the Littlewood Classic. The four visiting teams include Kentucky, Detroit Mercy, Illinois State, and Boise State. Fans can follow @ASUSoftball on Twitter and @SunDevilSB on Instagram to keep up all season long with Sun Devil Softball.