Opening Day 2017 featured 29 games and was full of surprises. These are the top five that stood out to Fastpitch News.
BYU
In game one, the Cougars from Provo, Utah, were impressive in the field and at the plate. BYU cruised to a 12-1 run-rule win in five innings over Nebraska. It was a rematch of the 2016 regional game that ended BYU’s season. The run-rule was the largest margin of victory in a season opener in program history.
The Cougars faced Oklahoma in game two and lost 7-1. Why is this important? Because, Oklahoma only out-hit BYU by one, 7-6.
From the circle: McKenna Bull got the win with seven strikeouts and one walk against the Huskers.
At the plate: The Cougars scored five runs in the second and third innings of game one. Freshman Rylee Jensen went 5 for 5 in her first five at-bats. Libby Sugg’s five runs batted in tied a career-high for a single game.
Pac-12
The Arizona State Sun Devils kicked off their 2017 season with a perfect game against Texas El Paso. Nichole Chilson hit a grand slam to help ASU to a 9-0 win. In game two, ASU defeated Virginia 4-1.
Oregon, playing in the Kajikawa Classic in Tempe, Ariz., won its first two games of the season against Virgina, 11-6 and Creighton, 8-0.
Oregon State started its season in Hawaii at the Paradise Classic. The Beavers downed Alabama-Birmingham 4-0 and Sacramento State 6-3.
Arizona got the come-from-behind win at its own Hillenbrand Classic in Tucson, 7-1 over Fordham.
Pitching goes the distance
Taran Alvelo, the Pac-12 2016 Co-Freshman of the Year, threw 10 innings in her season debut for the Washington Huskies. She threw 169 pitches, only giving up four hits and one run.
In Oklahoma’s loss to Auburn, Paige Lowary threw 168 pitches. Lowary gave up seven hits, three earned runs, and five walks while striking out 11.
Kendall Veach
The sophomore first baseman from Selma, Ala., appeared in 23 games last season for Auburn and only started once (19 at-bats, five hits, one double, five RBI). Due to an undisclosed sickness to Tannon Snow, Veach got the nod and made the most of her opportunity. In game one, she went 2-for-4 with two solo home runs, the second being the game-winning run. In game two, she was 1-for-4.
Katiyana Mauga
Arizona’s senior third baseman is chasing history this season. She hit her 68th career home run against Fordham, making her 19 shy of Stacie Chambers’ Arizona record and 27 shy of Lauren Chamberlain’s 95. Mauga is the only player in NCAA history to hit at least 20 or more home runs in each of her first three seasons.
*Honorable mentions: USF freshman Bethaney Keen’s two-run walk-off homer downed Illinois State 5-4 in the USF-Wilson DeMarini Classic.
