After Friday night's two-win performance to begin both the Kajikawa Classic and the 2017 season, ASU softball look to carry that momentum into another tough double-header on Saturday.
The Sun Devils accomplished that task with two freshman pitchers, Alyssa Loza and Giselle Juarez, leading the way.
However, the team veterans played a huge role in helping those young pitchers dominate in the circle.
Senior catcher Sashel Palacios has not only led the team with her bat but also with her leadership.
"That kid works every pitch and doesn’t take a pitch off," head coach Trisha Ford said. "The pitchers know that, and they know that if they’re around the zone, Sashel is working for them. I think there’s a huge amount of respect, but also comfort with her behind the plate.”
Outstanding pitching by Loza and Macha lead Sun Devils past Purdue
Though allowing seven hits may not seem like an idea performance, freshman pitcher Alyssa Loza bent but didn't break as the Sun Devils shut out the Purdue Boilermakers 3-0 in her college debut.
Loza pitched five innings, allowing no runs on seven hits while striking out five. But after striking out the side in the fifth inning, she allowed three straight base hits.
This forced junior right-hander Breanna Macha to enter the game in the sixth inning. Macha proceeded to work the team out of a bases-loaded jam with no outs.
"During that situation, I had to really take my own advice and take it one pitch at a time and get out of the inning,” Macha said.
Macha did just that as she escaped the inning allowing no runs and striking out two of the three batters she faced. She ended the game by throwing two innings, allowing just one hit while striking out three for the collected save.
The Sun Devils got on board in the third inning off of a fielding error made by second baseman Stephanie Ramsey of Purdue.
But it was the fourth inning when the offense really clicked, recording two runs on three hits. Redshirt junior Marisa Stankiewicz singled to right and drove in Chelsea Gonzalez.
Stankiewicz would then score off of Brianna Wise's sacrifice fly.
Redshirt first baseman Margaret Stahm made the diving play to end the game in the final inning, keeping the Devils undefeated going into game number two of their double header.
Sun Devil bats use fourth-inning magic to defeat University of San Diego
It was yet another freshman who took the mound for the Devils in game two of their double header.
Night games are the best games! Devils have taken the field for game 2 against San Diego pic.twitter.com/ruDYDPJVRw
— Sun Devil Softball (@ASUSoftball) February 11, 2017
This time, it was Giselle Juarez who went four innings, allowing two runs on four hits while striking out five as ASU defeated the San Diego Toreros 6-3.
In a rollercoaster game that consisted of two ties, ASU once again sparked their offense in the fourth inning. The Sun Devils scored four runs on five hits in the frame to take control of the game.
Senior catcher Sashel Palacios led the way with a two-run double pelted against the left-field wall. It was then that the ASU bats came alive.
“I think that as a senior, as a leader, I put a lot of pressure on myself to come out here and go 2-2,” catcher Sasha Palacios said. "I know that I can come through.”
Redshirt junior Margaret Stahm chimed in with some offense of her own as she singled to center field. Senior short stop Chelsea Gonzales joined the hit parade with a single to left of her own, extending the lead to 6-2.
Junior pitcher Dale Ryndak came in after her perfect game last night and pitching three innings, allowing just three hits on one run, striking out four, and leading the Sun Devils to a 6-3 finish.
Though Ryndak and Macha have both been leading the team with starting pitching, they were aware of the role they needed to fill tonight.
"Both of them came in and we’ve talked a little bit this preseason, that there are going to be times where they’re going to have to come in and close," Ford said. "We’re going to get those early on so that they can practice and get better and better at it.”
The Sun Devils are now 4-0 and look to continue their dominance as the tournament continues tomorrow in Tempe.
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