Tuscaloosa, Ala. – The Arizona State Softball team (34-18) opened the 2019 Tuscaloosa Regional with a 4-3 win over Lipscomb Friday afternoon at Rhoads Stadium.
"The first one is always the hardest," head coach
Trisha Ford said of her team's win to open the Tuscaloosa Regional. "I thought early in the game it was neck and neck. We hit some balls hard, but they just weren't falling. The long ball has been a big part of our game this year, so it wasn't surprising to me to see that come into play. I thought Jade (Gortarez) had a great game offensively and defensively. We got it done and that is what you want to do in that first game."
In the circle, redshirt-junior
Cielo Meza made her 15th start in the circle, throwing five and two thirds innings, allowing just three runs on four hits while carding six strikeouts. She would be relieved by
Samantha Mejia in the sixth, and the junior would carry the Sun Devils the rest of the way allowing just
Meza enjoyed a strong start in the circle, retiring the Bison in order in the fist, bringing the Sun Devils to the plate with the score still reading 0-0. Unfortunately for the maroon and gold, the ASU offense would not be able to provide any early run support.
With neither team able to scratch in a run in either the second or third, it was Lipscomb who would strike first with a two-run shot with two out in the top of the fourth.
ASU would respond with their first run of the game with an RBI single off the bat of
Jade Gortarez that brought in
Kindra Hackbarth to make it a 2-1 game heading to the fifth.
After holding the Bison off the board in the top of the fifth, the ASU offense came to life in the home half of the frame. Freshman Yannira Acuna got things started with a solo shot to dead center, before
Kiara Kennedy followed with yet another solo shot just one pitch later. The pair of home runs pushed the Sun Devils' season total to 87 on the season, and more importantly, gave ASU their first lead in the game.
Lipscomb would not go quietly, however, as one-run home run with two outs would tie the game at 3-3.
Looking to regain the lead in the home half, Gortarez would come up with another big play, this time a leadoff homer to center to put ASU back in front, 4-3, with the game heading to the seventh.
"I thought towards the later part of the game we were able to settle in at swing at better pitches," Gortarez said of the team's approach at the plate. "Like coach said, the first one is always the hardest. You are dealing with nerves being in postseason. When we were able to settle down we made the adjustments we needed to."
Mejia, who ended the sixth with a strikeout, would go on to retire the final three Lipscomb players with a line out and a pair of ground outs, sending ASU to the winner's bracket game tomorrow morning.
"All of us at this point in the season have gone through these types of games," Ford added on the close nature of game one. "This was good for us to really check in and see what we have going on. This team is still young and I always tell them that pressure is a privilege. I thought the team did a heck of a job, but it was good for us to come out and play in a tight game. Lipscomb is a really good team. They are scrappy and I thought they did a great job, we were just able to get a few more hits."
The Sun Devils will be back in action tomorrow afternoon when the team faces No. 8 Alabama in the first of three games at Rhoads Stadium. The Crimson Tide will enter the game coming off a 8-2 win over Alabama State in the opening day of the Tuscaloosa Regional. Fans can follow all of the action from the 2019 Tuscaloosa Regional by following @ASUSoftball on Twitter.
TUSCALOOSA REGIONAL SCHEDULE:
Game 1:
Friday –
Arizona State 4 vs. Lipscomb 3
Game 2:
Friday –
No. 8 Alabama 8 vs. Alabama State 2
Game 3:
Saturday – Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2 at 11:00 a.m. AZT
TBA
Game 4:
Saturday – Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2 at 1:30 p.m. AZT
TBA
Game 5:
Saturday – Winner Game 4 vs. Loser Game 3 at 4:00 p.m. AZT
TBA
Game 6:
Sunday – Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 5 at 11 a.m. AZT
TBA
Game 7:
Sunday – Winner Game 6 vs. Loser Game 6 at 1:30 p.m. AZT
TBA (if necessary)
