(Photo: Alli Cline/WCSN)
On a warm Sunday afternoon in Tempe, Arizona State stole the rubber match against Oregon State with some late inning luck by a score of 4-3.
ASU did not bring its best offensive game, putting up only seven hits in the game to the Beavers’ 11; however, that wouldn’t be a factor due to the strong pitching performance.
“Our pitchers did a nice job of managing their way through Oregon States lineup,” coach Craig Nicholson said.
Dale Ryndak would get the call to the circle for her second start in two days and did not disappoint. In 4 1/3 innings of work the freshman gave up just two runs.
Both runs came in the fourth inning on a RBI single from Alysha Everett which brought home two runs. Ryndak remained in the game heading into the fifth inning but gave up two one-out singles, so Nicholson made the call to bring in his other freshman pitcher, Breanna Macha.
Macha entered the game and did her job getting out of the inning, but gave up one run, which tied the game at 3.
The Sun Devils collected those first three runs on long balls from their two most powerful hitters. Bethany Kemp started it off with a solo shot in the second inning and Amber Freeman added on two more runs with a bomb of her own in the third. Both seniors picked up their 14th homeruns of the season.
Freeman was not necessarily happy with her performance this weekend but felt like she was able to turn it around today.
“I wanted to cut down my swing and hit the ball hard, and I was able to do that,” Freeman said.
The Sun Devil defense was arguably the most important facet in the game with multiple impressive plays in the field from Nikki Girard and Jennifer Soria. The great play was highly recognized by the pitching staff.
“I see the ball go out there and my heart drops for a split second,” Ryndak said. “But then your girls are right there to make the play.”
The game remained tied going into the seventh inning and in the top half of the inning Macha got in a bit of a jam, loading the bases with two outs. However she was able to escape the inning with no harm done and gave her offense a chance to end the game in the bottom of the seventh.
The Devils managed to do just that, but not in the prettiest fashion. Sierra Rodriguez started the inning off with a single up the middle putting the winning run on base. ASU then lucked out when Allie Butterfield dropped down a bunt and OSU pitcher Taylor Cotton couldn’t handle the ball making an error on the play.
Chelsea Gonzales then took to the plate and put a pitch in play and the Beavers continued to struggle. Second baseman Mikela Manewa threw the ball over shortstop McKenna Arriola’s head and the Sun Devils were able to come around to score on a walk-off error, 4-3.
Coach Nicholson was not happy with his team’s play and said there are a lot of improvements that need to be made next week.
“You take away from this game, there’s a lot of things we have to do better,” Nicholson said.
ASU picked up its 29th of the season and another Pac-12 series victory. The Sun Devils will get to stay in the desert for another weekend as Utah comes to town with the series starting April 24.
