(Photo: Tyler Rittenhouse/WCSN)
Before opening up the Littlewood Classic, Arizona State softball head coach Trisha Ford gave her players a sheet of paper with only times for this weekend’s games, not the name of the team they would be playing to further implement the approach.
This unique approach helped the Sun Devils get off on the right foot this weekend with a run-ruled 8-0 victory over North Dakota.
“Coach Ford actually gave us a paper with our game times on it, but it doesn’t tell us who we’re playing,” outfielder Morgan Howe said. “We go into every weekend, everyone’s the same no matter what jersey they’re wearing, who they are.”
With matchups against teams that don’t have as much national hype as some of the teams the Sun Devils will play later in the year, the team is taking an approach of playing to their best without worrying about who they’re playing for this weekend.
“For me, it’s this team understanding that no matter who we’re playing,” ASU head coach Trisha Ford said. “Whether it’s ranked not ranked I don’t really care, we’ve got to play our game. We’re continuing to really pound that thought.”
The approach began on a high note in the opening game of the tournament behind catcher Maddi Hackbarth, who went 2-for-3 with a two-run home run along with three RBI’s. Nicole Chilson finished the game 3-for-3 with a double and two RBI’s.
Hackbarth continued her tear to begin the season, as she tied the team lead in home runs with three and extended her team lead in RBI’s with 14. The hot start is something sophomore has been working toward since the end of last season.
“I came here to help this team out and to get better every day,” Hackbarth said. “The fact that I took all fall, worked my butt off to get to where I am now and it’s paying off it’s incredibly meaningful.”
ASU not only dominated on the offensive end with 10 hits on the night but pitched extremely well from the circle with Alyssa Loza pitching three shutout innings while allowing only one hit, followed by Dale Ryndak, who finished the final two innings without allowing a hit.
While the end result finished in the Sun Devils favor, the team began the game slowly after scoring in the first inning. ASU led 1-0 after the first two innings but found pay dirt again in the bottom of the third inning after only amounting three hits up to the point.
“At first, we had to make a few adjustments going through seeing a pitcher for the first round,” infielder Danielle Gibson said. “We had to work on having a plan when we’re up at bat and sticking to it.”
A leadoff walk by Taylor Becerra set the table for Hackbarth three batters later, as she knocked in two runs on her home run to extend the Sun Devil lead to 3-0.
ASU would score one more in the fourth inning before dropping four in the fifth to end the game behind the run rule.
The four runs in the fifth were in key part to a two-run home run by Gibson and pinch-hit singles from freshmen DeNae Chatman and Bella Loomis, who were later knocked in by a Chilson on a single and an error that allowed both runners to score.
After the victory, the Sun Devils now turn their focus to the remaining part of the Littlewood Classic with a doubleheader Saturday and one game Sunday.
