ASU Softball: No. 16 Sun Devils fall to No. 7 Florida and Notre Dame

Game One vs. No. 7 Florida

The Sun Devils battled against another top-10 team in Florida. It was a pitchers duel for most of the contest between Madison Preston and Natalie Lugo. But Arizona State’s (12-3) one bad inning was the difference in the 4-1 loss to Florida (15-1).

After getting the first two outs in the sixth inning, an error by Bella Loomis opened the door for the Gators. Four straight hits including singles by Hannah Adams and Kendyl Lindaman that brought in three runs. Up to that point, Preston had allowed three hits.

The first Florida run came the inning before, but this time it was created by Preston’s free passes. Preston walked four batters and hit another pair. In the fifth inning she walked two and hit a batter leading to the run.

The Sun Devils responded in the fifth inning thanks to a single from Loomis to tie the game. MaKenna Harper and Kindra Hackbarth had walked and got hit by a pitch themselves to put Loomis in that position.

Opportunities presented themselves to the Sun Devils after the sixth inning as well on offense. Arizona State loaded the bases in the sixth with one out but came up with nothing. Hackbarth and Loomis started the seventh reaching base for Maddi Hackbarth, she’d line into a double play that ended the rally.

Game Two vs. Notre Dame

The Sun Devil mistakes carried into the second game. Notre Dame (10-4) took advantage of the miscues to best Arizona State (12-4) 7-3.

Cielo Meza walked and hit two of the first three batters of the game. They’d both later score after a double and a groundout. After two singles to start the second inning, Halle Harger committed an error that led to Notre Dame’s third run of the game.

Samantha Mejia replaced Meza in the circle early on. She had the same issues. Two straight walks follow by a wild pitch created an easy sacrifice fly for the Fighting Irish to start the fourth. A Abby Sweet double plated two more runs.

Notre Dame added another run in the seventh after a pair of Sun Devil errors in the seventh.

Arizona State’s bats were quiet until the fourth inning. Maddi Hackbarth blasted her third home run of the season after Jazmine Hill got the Sun Devils’ first hit of the game. They added another run after a Notre Dame error. The Sun Devils left three runners on base after the fourth inning.

The Sun Devils will try to bounce back on Sunday in their Mary Nutter Classic finale against Cal State Fullerton.