Sun Devils close home schedule with win over Golden Bears
By Scott Mammoser
May 5, 2019
TEMPE, Ariz. – DeNae Chatman smacked home runs in both the first-and sixth innings of Arizona State’s 10-6 softball victory over California on Senior Day Sunday. ASU (30-18, 10-11 Pac-12) rebounded from a 8-3 loss to the Bears (27-27, 5-12) on Saturday and has now won five of six with one regular season series remaining.
“Looking at our season, Cal is that team,” ASU Coach Trisha Ford said. “They haven’t got a lot of wins, but they are a good team. We had a good three innings, we kind of fell asleep, and then we battled back.”
Chatman, the sophomore first baseman, produced a three-run home run in the bottom of the first, scoring Kindra Hackbarth and Morgan Howe. Kindra Hackbarth then drove home Howe and Kiara Kennedy in the second for the 5-0 lead. Kennedy’s sacrifice fly in the third scored Jade Gortarez, and Howe’s single sent Maddi Hackbarth across home plate.
The game was headed to a five-inning mercy run rule until Makena Smith’s two-run home run to left field in the top of the fourth put the Bears on the board. Kauren Espalin scored Sabrina Nunez with a single and two outs in the fifth. Then, in the pivotal moment of the game, ASU pitcher Cielo Meza struck out third baseman Karlee Sparacino with a full count and the bases loaded. Right fielder Mikayla Coelho added a two-run shot for Cal in the top of the sixth to end Meza’s day with four strikeouts, and Samantha Mejia replaced her on the mound.
With a double and one out, Kindra Hackbarth, who was 4-of-4 from the plate, scored leftfielder Skylar McCarty for a three-run lead. Chatman then sent her second of the afternoon and 12thof the season over the fences for the 10-5 advantage. Cal loaded the bases again in the seventh and scored one run.
Seniors Howe, McCarty and infielder Taylor Becerra were honored following the game.
“We just wanted to compete,” McCarty said. “Everyone was out here doing it for each other; it wasn’t just the three of us. The first thing that comes to mind was, ‘Not everyone gets to do this, not everyone gets to hear their fans chant their names during their last at bat; it was awesome.’”
Howe was 3-of 4 with a stolen base in the final home game of her career.
“It was an emotional game, but Coach Ford said it would be worse if you lose,” Howe added. “It was hard to keep the emotions down, like ‘This is my last….,’ and just play the game. It was a great day.”
The Sun Devils have one more regular season series, Thursday through Saturday at Oregon. Its current hot streak follows a nine-game losing skid, coming against Arizona, UCLA and Washington, all teams ranked in the top six of the nation.
“I don’t even know if I could put into words what those seniors meant to me, on all different levels,” Coach Ford said. “Taylor Becerra and Skylar helped with this transition, they were a part of some other coaches, and they welcomed me with open arms. They did a great job of staying true to their commitment to ASU. They are leaving this program as better people. Mo, I have known for a lot more years, and she played for me as a freshman at Fresno State. She called home her freshman year, and asked to be picked up, and her parents told her she made a commitment. Now today, we have a kid who played for me there and pa
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