Softball takes tough loss to Arizona
It wasn’t in the cards for the seventh-ranked Sun Devil Softball Team as they fell in a tough 14-2 (5) loss to the third-ranked Arizona Wildcats Saturday afternoon in Tempe. Sam Parlich took the loss for ASU who fall to 32-6 overall and 1-2 in Pac-10 play as UA wins the State Farm Territorial Cup points for softball.
ASU went with freshman Sam Parlich again for the start, after her lights-out performance last night against the Wildcats, but it wasn’t in the cards for the rookie as the UA offense apparently needed a catharsis of firepower after being shutdown the night before. The nefarious ‘Cats were quiet through two complete before they pounced on Parlich in the third, exploding for four runs off five hits.
ASU’s offense was the polar opposite though as they looked lethargic through most of the game and unable to answer the ‘Cats who came out in the fourth inning to face Megan Elliott, posting six runs on three hits and a costly Sun Devil error to push the lead to 10-0.
The day wasn’t over though as UA kept swinging away into the fifth inning adding four more runs with a home run and a throwing error to cement a definitive 14-0 lead. The Sun Devils finally shook off their languished bats in the bottom of the inning as Mandy Urfer knocked a single up the middle before Lesley Rogers dug into take Kenzie Fowler deep to center field for two runs.
The effort wasn’t enough though as Fowler closed out the win for her 20th on the year closing out ASU in five innings and dropping Sam Parlich to 6-3 on the year.
Video and interviews to come.
The Sun Devils will return to action next week as they take to the road to face the UCLA Bruins in Westwood, Calif. next Friday through Sunday.