2024 Softball Cumulative Statistics - Arizona State University Athletics (thesundevils.com)

I'll watch this for an hour and a half to see if Cal is going to come out strong. The pitching of ASU is the worst in the Pac Nine. Their two top starters have yielded 15 & 18 homeruns this season. Cal comes out and has Quiroga try to bunt? OMG. The lineup has changed with Diamond Holland playing for the initial time in eons. The coaching staff has moved Holly Medina into the DP spot instead of Alyssa Herrera or Kylie Todd. I do not like this move.

Did you see Tianna Bell's AB? This is the type of power that Cal should be trying to generate in Tempe, AZ. I'm disappointed in recent Cal play in the conference. It's time to step up and play to their ability.

Cal infield defense fails to make a bunt play at 1st base and throws the ball around the infield. Bears will not be in this game very long the way that they're playing. Three errors in the 2nd inning and Bears spot the Sun Devils a 3-0 lead.

Their starting pitcher Jones followed their coach from Ball State to Arizona State. Hitters are batting .302 against her with 15 homers. Cal is striking out and bunting? GO BEARS!

In reply to Schroeder71 Herrera has some great pop in her bat, but Medina is keyed in well at the plate - she's making the pitchers throw a ton of pitches, slap hitting a ton of balls foul until she gets a pitch she can slap drive for a hit. Watch for Medina to make a solid impact in this series and if she gets on base - watch out - Holly is super speedy. And if she gets an opportunity to play RF is super solid and has a very solid arm too. Love that Coach Spencer is finding a way to get Medina in these games!! Let's GO BEARS!!

I have nothing against Medina. I want players to produce and help the team. I hope that she can. Cal should be able to win this series against the Sun Devils and next weekend vs the Beavers.

ASU 3 Cal 0, T3

Horrific start to this game. We have 3 errors and 0 hits against the worse team in the conference. Time to fight. Let's go Bears!

In reply to Schroeder71 Just like that Holly Medina makes an outstanding highlight worthy diving catch to save a run and get the 3rd out in the 2nd inning! Super glad to see Medina get playing time and she's only a freshman - HUGE upside! That's a play that could really ignite the team! GO BEARS!!

In reply to Rugby Oski!

Rugby Oski! said:

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Just like that Holly Medina makes an outstanding highlight worthy diving catch to save a run and get the 3rd out in the 2nd inning! Super glad to see Medina get playing time and she's only a freshman - HUGE upside! That's a play that could really ignite the team! GO BEARS!!

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Strong 10 pitch AB too!

BOOM! Tianna Bell crushes a 3 run homer to center field. Tie ball game.

STAY HOT, T BELL! 🔥

Third homer in the last four games for @tiannabell_ and we're tied!

⬆️3 | No. 20 Cal 3, Arizona State 3#GoBears pic.twitter.com/84wHnUpvji

— Cal Softball (@CalSB) April 27, 2024

After four consecutive Ks Bears get back-to-back singles to bring back up Bell. Bang-three run dinger to CF and Cal is deadlocked 3-3. Thank goodness Kianna has come to play tonight. Three hits in a row is my expectation against this pitcher. Anders follows up with a single to RF. Let's keep the line moving...Pond hit the ball well her second time facing Jones so I think that the hitters should be ok now. Lay off of the outside pitches and put the ball in play. GO BEARS!

In reply to CalFanatic Absolutely! Fantastic AB by Medina to work the pitcher and make her throw a bunch so her teammates could see what the ASU pitcher has and time her up. Although it ended up as a strikeout (weird because she was called out for being out of the box when she fouled another pitch off) allowing her teammates to see so many pitches cued things up for a 2 our 3 run rally. Super productive out by Holly.

ASU with 2 homeruns in the 3rd to retake the lead. 5-3 Sun Devils.

I think we need a pitching change...Archer has given up 7 hits in 2.2 innings.

Sun Devils are pounding the ball vs Archer. Two HRs and a single in the B3rd. The second round-tripper was that batter's first of the season. Now a bad throw to 1st base by Haylei on a strike out. It should be an error. Then Quiroga throws out the runner at 3rd base but Anzaldo drops the ball. She's shaken up but the ump made the out call so that should be the 5th infield error. Cal cannot win playing like this. Haylei Archer needs to be taken out because it's the worst that I've seen her pitch recently.

Bottom of Cal's order has produced nothing. Medina attempts two bunts but cannot get it down in fair territory. Then she hits a chopper that a fast slap hitter should beat out but she's thrown out.

Bears have five hitters at the top of their order but then nothing from the bottom four spots. C'mon.

I'm going to watch the SF Giants game. Keep the faith. GO BEARS!

In a wild turn of events in the 5th, Anzaldo appeared to be out by a large margin (a familiar scenario this season, isn't it?) attempting to score on an Anders single.

However, her aggressive slide dislodged the glove of the Sun Devils catcher, allowing her to score.

Tatum's heroics might have single-handedly turned the tide of the game. Following that play, Cal capitalized on a wild pitch and a laser over the left-field fence by Butler to tie the game.

7-7. The Bear will not quit.

NEW BALLGAME!! 💥

Elon Butler laces her 14th of the year over the wall in left and we're tied, 7-7!#GoBears pic.twitter.com/mNGX7B2P6m

— Cal Softball (@CalSB) April 27, 2024

Shocky's favorite Bear gives Cal the lead!

8-7 Cal on Hererra's pinch hit rbi double.

Medina follows with great bat control and puts the slap into play, gives Cal the 9-7 lead.

Just as the case was with Anzaldo, Coach Spencer sends Anders home on a single and it isn't close. Thrown out at home to end the 6th. 9-7 Cal

From my count, that is the 5th time I can recall during Pac-12 play. A clear piece of coaching/strategy we need to improve on.

Bears have rallied for a 9-7 lead. Kaylee Pond just came through with a clutch two out hit but Acacia Anders was thrown out at home plate. Is third base coach, Chelsea Spencer, attempting to set a record for runners thrown out at home. She is as bad as I have seen. Sad.

Top of the 7th, Holly Medina beats out a high chopper to SS. Lagi Quiroga hits the next pitch over the CF for a two run bomb and a 11-7 score. Anzaldo & Bell keep the train running with two singles, bringing up Acacia Anders with two outs and two on.

Beautiful play by Bell to scoop Orange's throw out of the dirt. Saves a run and heads Cal to the plate in the 7th.

Great job, Tianna!

Cal adds two insurance runs on a long homerun by Lagi. Third of the game for the Bears.

https://bearinsider.com/forums/2/topics/110786/replies/2328236

Medina honestly gave some of the most productive AB's of the game. The well placed slap to score a run, the single leading to Quiroga's homer. She has great bat control. Exited to see her grow. She's going to be a starter one day in the OF.

How do we fix the base running issues? It's consistent. It's ruined our chances to win some close games. I worry about this. Aggression is good. However, there are some very consistent issues in judging when to send a runner home. Oregon game…Stanford (twice), twice today…

Kaylee Pond and Holly Medina helped the offense produce 11 runs on 15 hits. Mika Lee got a bunt single and Alyssa Herrera got a key PH double for Diamond Holland. I think that Herrera should be in the lineup.

Lack of fundamentals on infield defense, chronic base running errors and too much bunting are issues for this season's team (IMO). The Bears give away outs on both offense and defense consistently.

RugbyOski-SFG walked off, 3-0!

Tonight, Cal faces RHP Marissa Schuld (Arizona transfer). She possesses a 4.83 ERA, 3.06 BA% against & has yielded 18 HRs. She throws change ups to every batter and struck out Elon Butler on three of them. Tatum Anzaldo rapped a double to left center and ended up scoring because the catcher could not hold onto the ball. She could have been out at home (again) but scored.

Randi Roelling appears shaky (double & HBP) plus Cal's infield defense (SS Acacia Anders) has committed two errors in the B1st. One unearned run is in and the bases are loaded. RR walks in another run.

This game will be similar to last night's affair. Bears will have to outscore the Sun Devils to triumph. ASU has only won two conference games so Cal should be able to handle this opponent.

Kaylee Pond answers my call with an immediate homerun to tie things up, 2-2. Alyssa Herrera hit a rope to LF that was caught. Holly Medina tried to bunt for a hit but was thrown out. Mika Lee follows with another HR to centerfield. Bears lead 3-2. Cal has three hits and they've all been for extra-bases. Quiroga out again on a change-up.

LHP Roelling retires Arizona State in the second with only one baserunner (walk). Schuld retires three of Cal's best hitters [Anzaldo, Bell & Anders] in order. She got two of 'em on off speed pitches. It appears that her first pitch is often the change-up. RR is settling in and retires three in a row, too, in the B3rd Cal's freshman southpaw looks good and retires the side in order again.

Cal retired in the T4th on two fly balls to LF and a ground out to 2B. Kaylee Pond ripped a double to the CF fence.

Lagi Quiroga crushes a HR in the top of the 5th. Tatum Anzaldo hits a frozen rope to RF for a single and steals second base. Mika Lee bunted into an out, Tianna Bell popped up a 1st pitch change-up and Acacia Anders grounds out weakly again to second base. The hitters that can handled this pitcher are doing it. The rest are not contributing much to the offense. Both Anzaldo & Pond have two hits plus Lee + Quiroga have solo HRs. Nobody else has a base hit.

Bears have only six hits after six innings against Marissa Schuld. I'm surprised that only four hitters out of nine have been able to produce a base hit. If I'm ASU, I pitch her again tomorrow. Lissy hits a dinger to RCF to make the score 4-3 Cal heading into the seventh inning.

Bears need some insurance. Nothing generated by the top of the order. Anzaldo pops a bunt up to the pitcher.
B7th is coming up.

Always important to take care of your Freshman in the circle…two errors by Anders leads to 2 unearned runs in the 1st inning.

With our talent we can beat anyone…as long as we don't beat ourselves. That I am sure of.

Pond and Lee answer with solo homers. The latter being called by the umpire, after originally being a double. Way to fight back!

POND BOMB! 💥@PondKaylee goes deep to right! Her fifth of the year. #GoBears pic.twitter.com/ldzSZfahIg

— Cal Softball (@CalSB) April 28, 2024

Incredible heads-up play from Shocky's favorite player. Herrera sprints back to 3B to cover the open base on a sac bunt.

Bell throws out the runner to secure the double play. Herrera makes the tag.

Cal up 3-2 heading into the 5th

ROLL IT. 🤙

It's a 5-4-2 double play! #GoBears pic.twitter.com/96UeJhZVJ3

— Cal Softball (@CalSB) April 28, 2024

In reply to CalFanatic Bears are flexing their muscles!

Cal up 4-3. 3 outs to go…9-1-2 for ASU

Bummer. ASU with the pinch hit homerun to tie it in the 7th

Back to back home runs. ASU walks it off and wins 5-4 in the 7th

Schuld pinch hits and hits her initial round-tripper off the top of the score board to deadlock the game 4-4. Lead-off hitter Leclair walks off the ASU victory with a homerun to RF. Cal deserves to lose the game because they only generated six hits off of one of weakest pitchers in the Pac 9. Schuld deserves the win. It also shows that Randi Roelling can not be trusted for a complete game with back-to-back bombs to begin the B7th. She got zero outs.

I'm bummed with the way Chelsea handled this.
Roelling was rolling in innings 2 thru 5. She had a tougher 6th, with longer at-bats and gave up a home run. Cal didn't have anyone warming up, even though it was now a one-run game. I think Roelling was fading. I think we should have had somebody ready. After that first home run in the top of the 7th, it would have been nice to be able to pull Roelling. She pitched well for most of the game -- but she was fading and three of the last four batters she faced hit home runs. Kind of absurd to second guess, but that's what I'm doing.

In reply to WhatABonanza

WhatABonanza said:

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I'm bummed with the way Chelsea handled this.
Roelling was rolling in innings 2 thru 5. She had a tougher 6th, with longer at-bats and gave up a home run. Cal didn't have anyone warming up, even though it was now a one-run game. I think Roelling was fading. I think we should have had somebody ready. After that first home run in the top of the 7th, it would have been nice to be able to pull Roelling. She pitched well for most of the game -- but she was fading and three of the last four batters she faced hit home runs. Kind of absurd to second guess, but that's what I'm doing.

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We saw this same exact scenario play out against Utah late in the game. I was surprised to see Randi pitch the 7th. She was fading (after a great game) and we have 4 arms. Why not Orange? Why not give your senior the ball?

I just don't feel like we are learning from past mistakes in the season. And it's not the players, it's the coaches. Same base running errors. Same questionable decisions in the circle. I wish we were doing a better job managing this very talented Freshman. I fear her confidence is shot.

Oh well. Congratulations to ASU. Tomorrow is a new day! Go Bears!

Cal needs to take their second conference series this afternoon. If Bears fold and lose to bottom-feeder ASU, the rest of the season does not look bright. The Sun Devils would have half their conference wins vs the Bears. IMO, this is a ***must win*** this afternoon. The one positive constant has been three home runs but negative constants outnumber with infield errors, poor base running and too many failed bunt attempts. Cal's pitching certainly is not a strength at this point in the season, either.

The new hitting coach seems to have done a good job but the pitching coach, the infield defense coach, the third base coach, etc are not achieving acceptable results.

It seems like our coach is the equivalent of a basketball coach who is a great recruiter, but not so much with the Xs and Os. I love her as our coach, but am bummed even more then CF/S71. She's cost us +/- 5 more wins this year. BUT her great recruiting puts us in the driver's seat for a Regional. As long as we don't get sent to Oklahoma again, I like our chances to get to the 3 game series part.