TEMPE, Ariz. - In front of a season-high 1,532 fans, the No. 13 Sun Devil softball team (23-3, 1-0 Pac-12) knocked off the top-ranked Washington Huskies, handing them their first loss of the season Saturday evening at Farrington Stadium.
"I am just proud of how we played," head coach Trisha Ford said. "This game was more about how we played and how we executed. G (Juarez) threw lights out today. I am just really proud of her. This win is more about us, and what we are doing in our bubble. We were ready to go in the first inning and that ended up being what counted tonight. I am just really happy for our team."
The win over the No. 1 Huskies marks the second year in a row the Sun Devils beat a top-10 team at home (April 21, 2017 against No. 10 Utah). The last time Arizona State beat a top-5 team was also in April 2017 when the Sun Devils took down their in-state rivals, the then-No. 3 Arizona Wildcats.
Sophomore pitcher G Juarez was on fire in the circle, striking out 11 Husky batters and not allowing any runs. It marks the eighth time this season the lefty has struck out double-digit batters in a single game and her seventh-straight shutout victory.
The Sun Devils put up their two runs early thanks to first baseman Danielle Gibson's two-RBI double in the bottom of the first inning. The freshman went two-for-three at the plate, also singling in the bottom of the fourth. Morgan Howe also went two-for-three for the Sun Devils, her ninth multi-hit game of the season.
While the rest of the game remained scoreless, the Sun Devils still put up four hits against Washington's Gabbie Plain. Prior to tonight's match-up the freshman pitcher hadn't given up that many hits since Feb. 24 against Texas A&M. That game also marks the last time Plain gave up a run.
Up next the Sun Devils continue the first conference series of the season against the Huskies, playing game two on Sunday, March 18 at 2 p.m. local time. The game will be broadcasted live on the Pac-12 Network with Daron Sutton and Natasha Watley on the call. Fans can follow all of the action from the 2018 Sun Devil softball season by following @ASUSoftball on Twitter.
"I am just proud of how we played," head coach Trisha Ford said. "This game was more about how we played and how we executed. G (Juarez) threw lights out today. I am just really proud of her. This win is more about us, and what we are doing in our bubble. We were ready to go in the first inning and that ended up being what counted tonight. I am just really happy for our team."
The win over the No. 1 Huskies marks the second year in a row the Sun Devils beat a top-10 team at home (April 21, 2017 against No. 10 Utah). The last time Arizona State beat a top-5 team was also in April 2017 when the Sun Devils took down their in-state rivals, the then-No. 3 Arizona Wildcats.
DEVILS. DUB. pic.twitter.com/frSJeeNxMM
— Sun Devil Softball (@ASUSoftball) March 18, 2018
Sophomore pitcher G Juarez was on fire in the circle, striking out 11 Husky batters and not allowing any runs. It marks the eighth time this season the lefty has struck out double-digit batters in a single game and her seventh-straight shutout victory.
The Sun Devils put up their two runs early thanks to first baseman Danielle Gibson's two-RBI double in the bottom of the first inning. The freshman went two-for-three at the plate, also singling in the bottom of the fourth. Morgan Howe also went two-for-three for the Sun Devils, her ninth multi-hit game of the season.
B1 | @danielleeee41 ropes a ??-RBI double to center to make this a 2-0 ASU lead heading to the second.
— Sun Devil Softball (@ASUSoftball) March 18, 2018
Tune in to @Pac12Network to watch live. pic.twitter.com/IyOd3SIfad
While the rest of the game remained scoreless, the Sun Devils still put up four hits against Washington's Gabbie Plain. Prior to tonight's match-up the freshman pitcher hadn't given up that many hits since Feb. 24 against Texas A&M. That game also marks the last time Plain gave up a run.
Up next the Sun Devils continue the first conference series of the season against the Huskies, playing game two on Sunday, March 18 at 2 p.m. local time. The game will be broadcasted live on the Pac-12 Network with Daron Sutton and Natasha Watley on the call. Fans can follow all of the action from the 2018 Sun Devil softball season by following @ASUSoftball on Twitter.