May 16, 2009
TEMPE, Ariz. – It was a rollercoaster of a day Saturday as the No. 10 ASU Softball team fell in Game Three of the Tempe Regional 10-2 in five innings against LSU before storming back to win Game 6 7-0 against Cal State Fullerton. Megan Elliott took the loss in Game Three against LSU while Hillary Bach was incredible in Game 6, picking up her 11th complete game shutout on the season. ASU is now 41-17 on the season as they head into the Championship Series tomorrow against LSU.
Game Three saw pitching troubles plague the Sun Devils as they gave up grand slams to the LSU Tigers in the first and second innings, as well as a two RBI hit from Ashley Applegate to push LSU ahead 10-0 after two. ASU put a small rally together in the third with back-to-back singles from Jessica Mapes and Kaitin Cochran coming home with a two RBI single from Kaylyn Castillo. That was all ASU could muster though, as LSU held on the end the game early in five with the run rule in effect.
Game six on the night held a different story for the Sun Devils as Hillary Bach took the start for the Sun Devils and never backed down. A State took it to the Titans in the second with a lead-off walk to Krista Donnenwirth coming home from a Katie Crabb double who came home with a Kaylyn Castillo double. A throwing error and a fielder’s choice scored Katelyn Boyd to give ASU the 3-0 lead after two.
Another single for Kaitlin Cochran in the fifth came home with an RBI hit from Ashley Muenz to add another before ASU added three more in the sixth with Nikole Afusia leading off with her first career double to right center, a walk brought up Jessica Mapes who then extended her hitting streak to 12 games with a single and an error to score two. Krista Donnenwirth added to the hit fest in the inning with another double to score Mapes and make it 7-0 after six.
Hillary Bach kicked into high gear for the game, who allowed only six hits and struck out five on the night en route to her 11th complete game shutout on the season and pushing her record to 26-9 on the year.
ASU will now look to keep their season going as they set to take on LSU in the Championship series. Game six will be at 2:30 p.m. tomorrow against the Tigers, where if ASU were to win Game six, they’ll force a Game seven at 5 p.m. All games will be aired live on ESPNU in Tempe at Farrington Stadium.