Baton Rouge, La. – Arizona State scored five unearned runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to rally for a 5-2 victory over the Nebraska softball team on Friday in a game that saw two weather delays in Baton Rouge, La.
The first bout of inclement weather delayed the start of the game for one hour. Nebraska had just scored the game’s first run to take a 1-0 lead in the top of the sixth inning before lightning was spotted, delaying the game for another 57 minutes. Nebraska came right back to take a 2-0 lead following the delay, only to see Arizona State score five times in the bottom of the frame.
With the win, the 23rd-ranked Sun Devils (35-20) advanced to play the winner of Friday’s second game between LSU and Texas Southern. With the loss, Nebraska (34-22) will play an elimination game on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. against the loser of the LSU-Texas Southern contest.
While there was plenty of offense late, runs were at a premium prior to the second weather delay.
Arizona State loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the first inning on three walks, including one intentional walk. But Emily Lockman recorded a key strikeout of Haley Steele – the Sun Devils’ RBI leader – before coaxing a ground out to third.
The Sun Devils loaded the bases again with one out in the fifth on three consecutive walks, but Lockman once again escaped the jam without any damage.
Nebraska didn’t get its first runner to second base until the top of the sixth. Freshman Laura Barrow led off with a single before junior Kiki Stokes followed with her second single of the game. A wild pitch moved both runners into scoring position, before junior Alicia Armstrong brought Barrow home with a sacrifice fly to left field. Stokes still stood at second base with two outs and following the 57-minute weather delay, senior Steph Pasquale grounded an RBI single up the middle to score Stokes and give Nebraska a 2-0 lead.
In the bottom of the frame, Lockman recorded a quick out before issuing a walk. Elizabeth Caporuscio then hit a ground ball to short. Armstrong bobbled the ball and still had a chance to throw out the runner at second, but her throw sailed into right field allow a run to score and Caporuscio to advance to third base. Nebraska still led 2-1 and Lockman then recorded the second out. A hit batter and a walk then loaded the bases, before Arizona State broke through with a three-run double and an RBI single to take a 5-2 lead.
Nebraska got a leadoff single from sophomore Cassie McClure to start the bottom of the seventh inning, but a fielder’s choice and a double play ended the comeback effort.
The Huskers out-hit the Sun Devils, 6-4, but Arizona State drew 10 walks and was hit by a pitch. Lockman (18-13) took the loss, but did not allow an earned run and surrendered just three hits in 5.2 innings. McClure recorded the final out of the bottom of the sixth inning after allowing an infield single.
Offensively, Stokes was 2-for-3 and scored a run, while Armstrong and Pasquale each produced an RBI.