No. 21 ASU softball knew Georgetown. The two teams had faced off just one night prior, and the Sun Devils mercy-ruled them in a 13-0 showdown.
Despite this, sophomore pitcher Dale Ryndak said the team was treating it like any other game.
“We just kind of go out and play our own game every time, it’s not necessarily who we’re playing,” she said.
She pitched well enough to lead ASU to an 8-3 victory, but wasn’t very pleased with her performance.
“Not a whole lot was working tonight,” Ryndak said.
She faced moderate pressure from the Bulldogs and didn’t have a single 1-2-3 inning. Instead, she dug deep into a lot of 3-2 counts and couldn’t throw as many strikes as she hoped.
“They didn’t swing a lot, so it’s difficult when you get behind and then they don’t swing,” she said.
ASU’s offense excelled early behind hustle plays and slight Georgetown miscues. There were four close plays on the bases in the bottom first. Each went ASU’s way, and it allowed them to open up a ditch for Georgetown before the Hoyas could even get their fifth hitter to the plate.
After freshman third baseman Taylor Becerra walked to lead off the bottom first, senior left fielder Abby Spiel hit the ball to short and outran the throw, advancing Becerra to second. The next batter, senior center fielder Jennifer Soria, grounded to short and legged out the double-play attempt. She then stole second.
It was her fifth steal of the season, and she’s only been thrown out once on the year. She’s not the only baserunner to experience success. Only one player on the team has been thrown out more than once, and three hitters have at least four stolen bases.
Soria, Spiel (seven steals in eight attempts on the year) and Avianna Davis (three for three) all stole a base today. Soria said that the team doesn’t necessarily train for stolen bases, but personnel helps them advance.
“Our dynamic in the lineup is different, we have a lot of speed this year so we’re utilizing that,” she said.
As Soria stole second, the ball bounced off the fielder’s glove and allowed freshman third baseman Taylor Becerra to score the first run of the game. ASU would add one more in the inning.
In the second, junior shortstop Chelsea Gonzales hit her seventh home run of the season to elevate ASU’s lead to 4-0.
Georgetown senior pitcher Samantha Giovanniello allowed five runs in two innings before being taken out for junior Delaney Osterday, who pitched on Friday and gave up 13 runs in four innings.
She threw better on Saturday, beginning with a scoreless inning and only giving up three runs in four innings of work.
Soria only had one at-bat against her and didn’t get on base.
“It wasn’t a whole lot that was different, just the outcome of us as hitters,” she said. “I wouldn’t say she was mixing up anything.”
As the game wore on, ASU coaches began subbing players into the game. 16 different players got a chance at the plate, and two others pinch ran.
Sophomore Breanna Macha came in to pitch the sixth and seventh innings, and ASU walked away with an 8-3 victory.
“It’s a win,” Ryndak said simply.
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