For the second straight weekend, inclement weather played havoc with the ASU softball team's schedule.
ASU split two games in the rain-shortened Littlewood Classic Friday, defeating Illinois State 3-0 and losing to Iowa 0-2. Two Saturday games and one Sunday contest were canceled because of wet field conditions at Farrington Stadium.
Last weekend ASU (7-2) had four of its six games during the Kajikawa Classic canceled due to rain.
"The outfield just is done out there," ASU coach Linda Wells said. "They couldn't even squeegee it out it was too much. It was to your shoelaces.
"I think the players are doing ok with it, it's just disappointing. It's hard to control the weather."
Friday's games couldn't have happened without a late afternoon break in rainfall or expert execution from the stadium grounds crew. The crew removed the tarp covering the infield and rushed to get the field in playing condition minutes after the rain stopped.
The games both started an hour late because of the delay.
The Sun Devils did not allow the rain to affect their performance in the game against Illinois State (7-3).
Senior right-hander Desiree Serrano (3-0) pitched a complete game, allowing no runs, five hits and one walk. She also struck out 11 batters.
Wells said she was extremely pleased with Serrano's performance.
"I thought she maybe pitched one of the best games of her career," Wells said. "She got stronger as the game went on."
ASU had four hits against the Redbirds, but only needed a big swing from freshman second baseman Mindy Cowles to win it.
After freshman right fielder Bridgette Caron reached first base on an error in the bottom of the fourth, Cowles belted her team-leading sixth home run over the right field fence, giving the Sun Devils a 2-0 lead.
ASU tacked on one more run later that inning when sophomore first baseman Sharee Zaleski drove in senior left fielder Valerie Sevilla with a double.
Reach the reporter at jeremy.a.cluff@asu.edu.
|
