For new head coach Trisha Ford, the season couldn’t have started off any better.
After questions surrounded coach Ford’s team entering the 2017 season, they silenced all the critics with two solid games.
In the first game, junior Dale Ryndak pitched a perfect game while Chelsea Gonzales continued her strong hitting performance from last season as ASU cruised to an 8-0 victory over UTEP. In the second game, Breanna Macha dominated from the mound for ASU as they were able to get the victory over UVA 4-1.
For ASU, this was a solid night. Playing two games back-to-back is never easy, but ASU was able to get reliable pitching in both games while also having strong offensive production. The top two players of the night has to be the two pitchers, Ryndak and Macha.
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Ryndak pitched a perfect game, the first since 2012 and only the sixth in ASU history, and she was able to locate her pitches while still bringing the speed that makes her special. Ryndak racked up six strikeouts over the course of the night and forced five ground outs. She found her form early and made her case for being ASU’s go-to pitcher moving forward.
For Breanna Macha, she had a solid night despite not pitching quite as well as her predecessor. She ran into trouble early as UVA’s McKall Miller was able to steal a home run from her, but she stayed true to her game and pitched lights-out the remainder of the game. Even though she didn’t record a strikeout, Macha proved that she can be a dominant pitcher as well, not allowing UVA to take advantage of their four opportunities with a runner in scoring position.
In the batters box, the Sun Devils seemed comfortable from the get-go. Hitting .311 combined between the two games, ASU was able to take advantage of every opportunity they had. A grand slam in the first game and a two-run home run in the second game is what really opened it up for the Sun Devils. Making sure that they don’t rely too heavily on the long ball will be important for ASU the remainder of the Kajikawa Classic.
Next: What Does 2017 Have In Store For ASU Baseball?
Next for ASU, they will face both Purdue and the University of San Diego on day two of the Kajikawa Classic. First pitch for their game against Purdue is slated for 4:00 p.m. MST and their game against the University of San Diego is scheduled to begin after the conclusion of the first game. Both games will be available to watch by stream as they look to continue their strong start to the 2017 season.