Palm Springs, Calif -- The 19th- ranked Arizona State Softball Team split on their first day of play at the 2017 Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic Friday at the Big League Field of dreams.
ASU began the day wth their first top-25 matchup of the season against No. 18 Texas A&M. After eight scoreless innings, the Sun Devils cracked the scoreboard in the top of the ninth, plating their lone run on a bases loaded walk by senior Sashel Palacios. Unfortunantley the 18th- ranked Aggies came storming back in the home half of the frame plating the winning run on a double to center field that gave TAMU a 2-1 victory.
In the second game of the doubleheader against Notre Dame, ASU wasted no time plating the game's first run in the top of the first inning. The Irish responded, tying the game with a run of their own in the fourth, but a two-run fifth for ASU put the game on ice and sealed the Sun Devils' 10th-win of the season.
Game 1: TAMU 2, ASU 1
In the first game of the day for the Sun Devils in Palm Springs, ASU found themselves in the most tightly contested game of the season to this point.
Freshman Giselle Juarez led the Sun Devils in the circle, throwing 8 innings of scoreless softball. The Glendale, Ariz., native lit up the strike zone against the Aggies finishing the day with 118 total pitches thrown, with 84 strikes. Juarez allowed just two walks in the outing, while holding No. 18 Texas A&M to just six hits on the day.
The Sun Devils (9-2) scored the game's first run in the top of the ninth on a bases-loaded walk by Sashel Palacios. Following a walk by Miranda Farricker and a fielder's choice, Skylar McCarty singled to load the bases. After the walk, Texas A&M's Lexi Smith ended the inning with a strikeout.
Unfortunately for the Sun Devils, the one-run cushion would not be enough as the Aggies would come storming back in the bottom of the ninth to record a walk-off double that plated a pair of runners and handed ASU their second straight loss.
Game 2: ASU 3, ND 1
After being held without a run for eight innings against the Aggies in their first game of the day, the Sun Devils jumped out to an early 1-0 lead with a Margaret Stahm RBI single that plated Skylar McCarty in the first half inning of play.
With the lead in hand, junior Breanna Macha carried a no hit shutout into the fourth, before the Irish were able to scratch in a run off a groundout to second. The tie game would not last long, hoever, as the ASU offense jumped back out in front with a two run fifth, that selaed the Sun Devil win.
With the win, Macha improved to 3-1 on the season, and notched her fourth complete game. Friday's win also marked the second time this season that Macha has pitched six or more innings in a game and not issued a walk.
In the two games, McCarty extended her hit streak to 12 games, making her the only sun Devil to have recorded a hit in every single ASU game this season. Shortstop Chelsea Gonzales, along with catcher Sashel Palacios and second baseman Marisa Stankiewicz, all extended their reached safely streaks to 12 games, making it four Sun Devils to have reached base in every game this season for the Sun Devils.
Arizona State will be back in action tomorrow afternoon when they face the University of Texas. First pitch for Saturday's game is slated for 3:30 p.m. AZT. Fans can follow all of the action from the 2017 Sun Devil softball season by following @ASUSoftball on Twitter.
ASU began the day wth their first top-25 matchup of the season against No. 18 Texas A&M. After eight scoreless innings, the Sun Devils cracked the scoreboard in the top of the ninth, plating their lone run on a bases loaded walk by senior Sashel Palacios. Unfortunantley the 18th- ranked Aggies came storming back in the home half of the frame plating the winning run on a double to center field that gave TAMU a 2-1 victory.
In the second game of the doubleheader against Notre Dame, ASU wasted no time plating the game's first run in the top of the first inning. The Irish responded, tying the game with a run of their own in the fourth, but a two-run fifth for ASU put the game on ice and sealed the Sun Devils' 10th-win of the season.
Game 1: TAMU 2, ASU 1
In the first game of the day for the Sun Devils in Palm Springs, ASU found themselves in the most tightly contested game of the season to this point.
Freshman Giselle Juarez led the Sun Devils in the circle, throwing 8 innings of scoreless softball. The Glendale, Ariz., native lit up the strike zone against the Aggies finishing the day with 118 total pitches thrown, with 84 strikes. Juarez allowed just two walks in the outing, while holding No. 18 Texas A&M to just six hits on the day.
The Sun Devils (9-2) scored the game's first run in the top of the ninth on a bases-loaded walk by Sashel Palacios. Following a walk by Miranda Farricker and a fielder's choice, Skylar McCarty singled to load the bases. After the walk, Texas A&M's Lexi Smith ended the inning with a strikeout.
Unfortunately for the Sun Devils, the one-run cushion would not be enough as the Aggies would come storming back in the bottom of the ninth to record a walk-off double that plated a pair of runners and handed ASU their second straight loss.
Game 2: ASU 3, ND 1
After being held without a run for eight innings against the Aggies in their first game of the day, the Sun Devils jumped out to an early 1-0 lead with a Margaret Stahm RBI single that plated Skylar McCarty in the first half inning of play.
With the lead in hand, junior Breanna Macha carried a no hit shutout into the fourth, before the Irish were able to scratch in a run off a groundout to second. The tie game would not last long, hoever, as the ASU offense jumped back out in front with a two run fifth, that selaed the Sun Devil win.
With the win, Macha improved to 3-1 on the season, and notched her fourth complete game. Friday's win also marked the second time this season that Macha has pitched six or more innings in a game and not issued a walk.
In the two games, McCarty extended her hit streak to 12 games, making her the only sun Devil to have recorded a hit in every single ASU game this season. Shortstop Chelsea Gonzales, along with catcher Sashel Palacios and second baseman Marisa Stankiewicz, all extended their reached safely streaks to 12 games, making it four Sun Devils to have reached base in every game this season for the Sun Devils.
Arizona State will be back in action tomorrow afternoon when they face the University of Texas. First pitch for Saturday's game is slated for 3:30 p.m. AZT. Fans can follow all of the action from the 2017 Sun Devil softball season by following @ASUSoftball on Twitter.