ASU softball had another walk-off win in another unusual fashion.
On Friday, there was a walk-off wild pitch. On Saturday night? A walk-off hit by pitch.
This happened against University of San Diego, a game that was supposed to start at 3:45; however, ASU’s first game of the afternoon, against Portland State, didn’t begin until about 3:00 because of the 22-run parade of USD vs Maryland.
The late start had different effects on different aspects of ASU’s game.
Senior catcher Katee Aguirre said that waiting two hours for the start harmed the players and made them start a little slower. Sophomore pitcher Dale Ryndak, though, said that it didn’t effect her start; she just started bullpen a little later then normal.
Ryndak was very composed in the first game of the evening, coming against PSU. She threw six innings of one-run ball, giving up a home run and seven hits. Other than that, PSU was inefficient.
Ryndak said she’s working on new pitches, and they’re cleaner in the past. She talked about a backdoor pitch, and co-interim head coach and pitching coach Letty Olivarez added that she’s working high.
“(She’s) having more of an up-pitch to compliment her down and kind of throw batters off their game,” Olivarez said.
Junior shortstop Chelsea Gonzales put ASU on the board first with her 20th career home run. She wasn’t done — with runners on the corners in the third inning, she rocketed a double off the wall in left-center to drive home both.
She picked up two of ASU’s first three hits and knocked in the first two RBI.
“I’ve been struggling he past couple days, so i’ve been working on in practice just keeping my hands inside,” she said.
PSU couldn’t stop her. She hit a two-run home run in the same spot as her double, but higher.
Gonzales went 3-4 against PSU with two home runs and five RBI.
“She’s one of the hardest girls to pitch to in practice, she can reach both sides of the plate so easily,” Ryndak said.
ASU co-interim coach Letty Olivarez said that Gonzales will have “more of a power role,” but Gonzales disagreed.
“i wouldn’t say so,” Gonzales said. “Everybody on our team has power. I just think we’re going to be a really good hitting team.”
Gonzales continued her spectacular day against University of San Diego in the evening game.
Junior pitcher Megan Sabbatini wasn’t trying to touch her, pitching around in both of the first at bats. Gonzales drew a pair of walks before lining a base hit up the middle.
She came in to score on a sophomore third baseman Brynley Steelebases-clearing triple to increase the lead to 8-1.
Three batters later, junior catcher Sashel Palacios was hit by pitch, and Steele scored to win the game, mercy style. ASU won 9-1.
Gonzales remembered the result from last year, and smiled when asked if it was nice having USD pitch around her.
“Especially since they beat us last year,” she said. “(It’s) a lot of revenge, we take that personally.”
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