Box Score

TEMPE, Ariz. (2/27/14) - The University of Detroit Mercy softball team kept close to the Arizona State Sun Devils, the No. 3 ranked team in the National Fastball Coaches Association (NFCA) Poll, on Thursday evening in the first game of the Louisville Slugger Invitational as Arizona State won 6-4 over the Titans.

Arizona jumped out with three runs in the bottom of the third and added a fourth in the home half of the fourth inning to take a 4-0 lead.

The Titans started to rally in the top of the fifth as they plated four runs to tie the game. Detroit had three-straight singles to start the inning, but a double play left the Titans with senior Hannah Klenk on third and junior Kat Hoffman on second with redshirt junior Kayla Kostich coming to the plate. Kostich cashed in both runners with a drive to right field to cut the deficit to 4-2. Sophomore Christa McGahuey followed with a walk to keep the threat alive and force a pitching change for the No. 3 ranked Sun Devils. The next batter was senior Katelyn Steffel who singled to center, but it was an error in center field on the play that brought Kostich around to score as Detroit inched closer, 4-3, and the bases still loaded.

The fourth and tying run did come home, but it was a painful RBI as junior Sam Henderson was hit by a pitch that brought in McGahuey and knotted the game at 4-all.

The Sun Devils would pull ahead with a run in the bottom of the fifth and added an insurance marker in the bottom of the sixth to finish with the 6-4 final.

Senior Julia Maksym was in the circle for Detroit and pitched six innings allowing six earned runs, while scattering 10 hits.

Steffel finished 3-for-4, while Karyn McCarty was 2-for-3 with a walk and a stolen base.

The Titans had nine hits on the night and played flawless in the field.

Detroit continue play at the Louisville Slugger Invitational on Friday as UDM faces the No. 19 ranked Minnesota Golden Gophers with first pitch scheduled for Noon (ET).