Although No. 24 ASU softball found some confidence and production in the series, No. 4 Washington swept the Sun Devils this weekend in Seattle.
With the losses, ASU has now lost nine consecutive games – all against top-10 conference foes – and drops to 25-17 on the season and 5-10 in Pac-12 play. ASU lost 8-4 on Friday, 9-2 on Saturday and 6-0 on Sunday at Husky Softball Stadium.
Washington started well and found a groove offensively on Friday as it jumped out to an early advantage in the second inning. Then, Huskies freshman outfielder Madison Huskey hit a solo home run in the fourth to give the Huskies a 5-0 lead.
However, ASU found a spark when junior catcher Maddi Hackbarth hit her 17th home run on the season in the fifth inning. Then, in the sixth inning Hackbarth returned to the plate with junior infielder Jade Gortarez, senior outfielder Skylar McCarty and sophomore infielder Bella Loomis on base.
Hackbarth hit a bases-clearing double to cut the lead to 5-4. But then, the Huskies answered with a three-run home run from senior outfielder Amirah Milloy.
Washington started quickly on Saturday too, taking an early advantage with a home run blast from redshirt junior catcher Morganne Flores in the third inning. ASU responded with a two-run home run from Gortarez in the fourth inning to make the game 2-2.
But the Huskies answered again, and took control after a two-RBI triple from junior infielder Sis Bates and a three-run home run from freshman outfielder Sami Reynolds to take a 7-2 lead against the Sun Devils. After that, Washington added a run in the fifth and sixth innings.
It was all Washington in the series finale, as the Huskies shutout ASU. Washington hit three home runs, including a Flores home run in the first inning, another solo home run in the fourth from Huskey and another shot from Flores in the sixth: a two-run home run.
Washington has a two-headed monster at the mound with sophomore Gabbie Plain (15-1) and senior Taran Alvelo (18-4). Plain started on Friday and threw 11 strikeouts before Alvelo – who pitched a complete game on Saturday with 12 strikeouts – closed the game with two strikeouts in the seventh inning. Plain threw an 11-strikeout complete game in the series finale.
ASU finished with six runs on 10 hits in the series.
ASU will have a bye-week next weekend before it plays at Stanford the following weekend.
Reach the reporter at nahiatt@asu.edu or follow @NATE_HIATT on Twitter.
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