The Big 12 Tournament edition of the Territorial Cup was equally competitive as the Arizona rivals’ regular-season meetings.

Earlier in the season, No. 20 Arizona won two of three games against No. 25 Arizona State in a hard-fought series in Tucson over the weekend of March 20-22, and the stakes were even higher on Thursday, as the teams met for a fourth time.

Both teams sent their best pitchers to the circle for this Big 12 quarterfinal matchup, and they both excelled under the bright lights of the postseason.

The Sun Devils handed the ball to senior right-hander Kenzie Brown, an All-Big 12 First Team selection for the second consecutive season and First-Team All-American selection in 2025.

Across the field, the Wildcats turned to senior right-hander Jalen Adams, who transferred from Iowa and earned All-Big 12 Second Team honors in 2026.

Brown and Adams went blow-for-blow in the circle, and the game entered the seventh inning tied 1-1.

The game’s decisive moment came in the seventh, when senior shortstop Brooklyn Ulrich launched a ball over the right field wall to break the tie, capping off a 3-for-3 night. Brown held off a furious rally in the bottom of the seventh, and ASU held on to beat Arizona 2-1 at Devon Park in Oklahoma City on Thursday, May 7. 

Brown finished the game with seven strikeouts and allowed just a single run on a home run by senior right fielder Grace Jenkins in the fourth inning.

Yet Brown’s toughest challenge was facing senior catcher Sydney Stewart, the Big 12 Player of the Year. However, Stewart went 0-for-4 against Brown, including the final at-bat of the game with the bases loaded.

Brown and Stewart will play together for the Portland Cascade in the Athletes United Softball League this summer. 

On the other side, Adams pitched brilliantly for the Wildcats, only allowing two runs and keeping the Sun Devils’ bats in check all night.

After allowing an early run in the second, Adams settled in and pitched five consecutive scoreless innings. However, on Thursday night, one mistake was the difference.

Ulrich led off the top of the seventh inning with a go-ahead home run to give ASU a 2-1 lead, but things got tense in the bottom half of the frame.

With Brown well over 100 pitches, Arizona managed two hits and a walk to load the bases with only one out. All of a sudden, the Wildcats had the tying and winning runs in scoring position.

However, Brown struck out sophomore second baseman Sereniti Trice and retired Stewart on a hard-hit fly ball to right field to send the Sun Devils to the Big 12 Tournament semifinal.

Offensively, ASU mostly struggled at the plate against Adams. However, Ulrich went 3-for-3 with the game-winning home run, and junior third baseman Emily Schepp, an Arizona transfer, went 2-for-3 against her former squad.

After the loss, the Wildcats wait and see where they land in the NCAA Tournament bracket, while the Sun Devils continue their journey in the Big 12 Tournament.

ASU battles No. 15 Oklahoma State on Friday, May 8, with an appearance in the Big 12 Championship game on the line. 

The Sun Devils took two of three against the Cowgirls when the teams met in Tempe over the weekend of March 13-15.