BATON ROUGE, La.– ASU wasn’t supposed to be there. Not one game away from a Super Regional.
But there the Sun Devils were, two outs from moving on.
With one out in the seventh inning, LSU outfielder Bailey Landry sent the game to extra innings with an RBI double, and in the ninth, shortstop Bianka Bell delivered a walk-off single, giving the Tigers (48-12) a 4-3 victory, eliminating the Sun Devils (36-22) from the postseason and ending the career of five senior starters.
LSU spoiled a brilliant performance by ASU freshman Breanna Macha, who threw 385 pitches in the Baton Rouge regional. Macha shut out LSU on Saturday, but lost both games on a 203-pitch Sunday.
"It just sucks, but being able to play with Amber (Freeman) and all the seniors – this last game definitely meant a lot more," Macha said. "(LSU) played a really great game as well. It's just how it goes."
Macha (18-13) pitched 8.2 innings and allowed 13 hits, four runs (three earned) in addition to two walks and two strikeouts against the fifth-seeded Tigers, who entered regional play with numerous offensive program records.
LSU opened the second game of the doubleheader with a two-run first inning, an early danger sign given the Sun Devils didn't score in the first game. Macha settled in though with a game that she'll remember for quite some time.
"I thought she was really outstanding all weekend," ASU coach Craig Nicholson said. "I know she was getting tied at the end of that game, but she wouldn't admit it. We felt like that was the best opportunity to win, and that she was still making pitches and still doing a good job of getting outs."
ASU softball press conference after losing to LSU from The State Press on Vimeo.
Video by Justin Janssen | Sports Reporter
The Tigers started freshman Allie Walljasper after fellow freshman Carley Hoover (16-5) allowed just one run in two complete games against ASU. The Sun Devils struggled against Hoover, but the bats were able to provide a little more offense against Walljasper, getting to her in the third inning.
Sophomore catcher Sashel Palacios, who had been dropped from sixth to eighth in the lineup before the first day, led off with a double, and the Sun Devils tied the game on sophomore shortstop Chelsea Gonzales' RBI single to right.
Senior left fielder Elizabeth Caporuscio made the unsung play of the day for ASU. After a strikeout from Macha, LSU still had the bases loaded in the fifth when Caporuscio gunned Emily Griggs, who tried to score on a fly ball.
In the seventh inning, ASU might have thought it had the game in control when senior third baseman Haley Steele reached on a bizarre fielder's choice.
Bell, whose error on a hard-hit chopper that hit her in the face jump-started the inning, trapped a ball to her but then the Tigers threw around the bases, not sure where to go next. Senior designated player/catcher Amber Freeman stayed put at first and ended up being the one forced out, but Gonzales was able to score from third and ASU took its first lead of the day.
The bottom of the frame proved excruciating. Griggs led off with a single, advanced on a bunt and then scored on the double from Landry. LSU advanced her to third, but could not win it at this point. In addition to pitching an outstanding weekend, Macha also fielded her position well, snaring line drives and defending comebackers.
The ninth started eerily similarly to the seventh – a single and a successful bunt. LSU fans celebrated when thought it Landry hit a ball to the right side of the diamond. It struck outfielder A.J. Andrews, though, and Andrews was called out while the lead runner had to go back to second base.
But it only delayed the inevitable, a Bell walk-off in the very next at-bat.
LSU moves on to face either Arizona or Minnesota in a Super Regional.
Reach the reporter at jmjanss1@asu.edu or follow @jjanssen11 on Twitter
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