TEMPE, Ariz. -- Five Sun Devils have earned National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-Region honors, the Association announced Thursday morning.
Sophomore Fa Leilua lead the way earning a First Team selection for the first time in her ASU playing career. Senior catcher Sashel Palacios earned her second career-NFCA Regional selection, this time with a Second Team honor. A trio of Sun Devils earned Third Team honors, including Breeana Macha, Taylor Becerra and Chelsea Gonzales.
Lealua has become a potent power threat for the Sun Devils as she currently leads the team with 13 long balls on the season. The slugging outfielder has really come to life through the later part of the season, hitting at least one long ball in four of her last six games. Leilua has also recorded eight hits in her last six games to close out the 2017 Regular season, including a three hit effort against UCLA on May 12.
Palacios earned her first-career All-Region nod, following a season in which she started every game behind the plate for the Sun Devils. The Chula Vista, Calif., native has tallied 129 hits in her 406 at-bats this season. Her 10 home runs this season out pace her seven-career long balls heading into the season.
Sophomore third baseman, Taylor Becerra, earned All-Region recognition following a season in which she started every game for the Sun Devils in the hot corner. Becerra maintained the team's second-highest batting average at .338, while adding 28 runs. The slugging infielder was also a fource on defense, where she recorded 39 putouts with just four errors all season.
Macha joined Becerra on the All-Region Third Team following a 2017 campaign that saw the Mesa, Ariz., native record 12 wins on the year in her 26 appearances. Macha allowed a career-low 56 runs in 2017, just 36 of those earned, en rout to a 2.22 season ERA.
Senior shortstop, Chelsea Gonzales, rounded out the Sun Devil Third Team honors. The slugging middle infielder has continued her climb in the ASU record books this season, moving into a tie for sixth in career-home runs (42) and a tie for sixth in career-RBI (179). This season, Gonzales has recorded a team-high .348 batting average. Her 11 home runs rank second on the team, while her 25 extra-base hits rank first among all Sun Devils.
The Sun Devils will be back in action tomorrow with their first game of postseason play in the 2017 Oxford Regional. ASU will begin their run with a 4 p.m. PT matchup against North Carolina. For the first time ever, ESPN will cover every game from all 16 regional sites. Fans can follow all of the action from the Sun Devils postseason run by following @ASUSoftball on Twitter.
Sophomore Fa Leilua lead the way earning a First Team selection for the first time in her ASU playing career. Senior catcher Sashel Palacios earned her second career-NFCA Regional selection, this time with a Second Team honor. A trio of Sun Devils earned Third Team honors, including Breeana Macha, Taylor Becerra and Chelsea Gonzales.
Lealua has become a potent power threat for the Sun Devils as she currently leads the team with 13 long balls on the season. The slugging outfielder has really come to life through the later part of the season, hitting at least one long ball in four of her last six games. Leilua has also recorded eight hits in her last six games to close out the 2017 Regular season, including a three hit effort against UCLA on May 12.
Palacios earned her first-career All-Region nod, following a season in which she started every game behind the plate for the Sun Devils. The Chula Vista, Calif., native has tallied 129 hits in her 406 at-bats this season. Her 10 home runs this season out pace her seven-career long balls heading into the season.
Sophomore third baseman, Taylor Becerra, earned All-Region recognition following a season in which she started every game for the Sun Devils in the hot corner. Becerra maintained the team's second-highest batting average at .338, while adding 28 runs. The slugging infielder was also a fource on defense, where she recorded 39 putouts with just four errors all season.
Macha joined Becerra on the All-Region Third Team following a 2017 campaign that saw the Mesa, Ariz., native record 12 wins on the year in her 26 appearances. Macha allowed a career-low 56 runs in 2017, just 36 of those earned, en rout to a 2.22 season ERA.
Senior shortstop, Chelsea Gonzales, rounded out the Sun Devil Third Team honors. The slugging middle infielder has continued her climb in the ASU record books this season, moving into a tie for sixth in career-home runs (42) and a tie for sixth in career-RBI (179). This season, Gonzales has recorded a team-high .348 batting average. Her 11 home runs rank second on the team, while her 25 extra-base hits rank first among all Sun Devils.
The Sun Devils will be back in action tomorrow with their first game of postseason play in the 2017 Oxford Regional. ASU will begin their run with a 4 p.m. PT matchup against North Carolina. For the first time ever, ESPN will cover every game from all 16 regional sites. Fans can follow all of the action from the Sun Devils postseason run by following @ASUSoftball on Twitter.