After blowing eight and four run leads to rival UA, the ASU softball team could have come out with a defeatist attitude.
Instead, ASU (43-9, 14-7 Pac-12) turned the tables on the Wildcats (30-23, 7-14 Pac-12), rallying from three runs down in the seventh inning, to salvage the final game of the series.
No. 3 ASU avoided a disastrous series sweep with a four-run seventh inning, capped off by sophomore outfielder Elizabeth Caporuscio’s go-ahead two-run single.
“The series was kind of weird,” Caporuscio said. “The fact that we were ahead and they came back amazed me. But we proved that we can come back too today.”
ASU looked like it was going to get swept on Sunday. The Sun Devils trailed 6-3 entering the final inning, and had just one hit in the last three innings combined.
Yet, ASU loaded the bases with one out. Sophomore designated player Nikki Girard then lined a double to deep left, plating two runs.
Caporuscio followed with the go-ahead hit, leaving most of the 2,549 fans in attendance at Rita Hillenbrand Stadium in Tucson disappointed.
“I just wanted to win,” Caporuscio said. “I’m sick of losing to them, especially them, our rivals. I’m glad, I’m happy I got a hit to help my team.”
As evident by the series’ gameplay, it was not over until all 21 outs were recorded. UA loaded the bases in the bottom of the seventh off junior pitcher Mackenzie Popescue.
Popescue appeared in similar high-pressure circumstances earlier in the series, and she didn’t deliver.
In Friday’s game, UA sophomore outfielder Hallie Wilson hit a walk-off single off Popescue.
On Saturday, ASU led by a run in the sixth inning when UA freshman outfielder Mandie Perez hit a three-run home run off Popescue. It was only the fifth home run Popescue had given up this season.
However, Sunday marked a new day and a new opportunity.
Popescue relieved struggling junior pitcher Dallas Escobedo in the third inning, after Escobedo had given up six runs.
This time, Popescue closed the door on the Wildcats, pitching 4.1 scoreless innings to earn the win.
ASU gave up 22 runs in the series. Prior to the UA series, the most ASU allowed in a series was 15 runs.
The defense also struggled, committing five errors which led to six unearned runs.
“We got to pitch better, hit better, and we got to play better defense,” ASU coach Clint Myers said. “It was not a good showing. However, we did manage a win.”
Kemp OK after collision at first
Sophomore first baseman Bethany Kemp is fine after taking one for the team. In Saturday’s game, Wilson’s arm collided with Kemp’s jaw on a collision at first base.
Kemp collapsed to the ground and a runner scored after noticing Kemp was on the ground.
“She got a sore jaw, but she’s a tough kid,” Myers said. She was back in the lineup and she wants to play. She’s worked really hard to get to that spot and she’s going to stay in the lineup as long as she possibly can.”
Reach the reporter at Justin.Janssen@asu.edu or follow him on Twitter @JJanssen11
