OKLAHOMA CITY -- The sixth-ranked Arizona State softball team saw their season come to a close with a, 2-0, loss to defending National Champion Oklahoma Saturday afternoon at ASA Stadium.
"I don't think I could be more proud of them as a group," head coach Trisha Ford said. "I think we had contributions from freshmen all the way up to fifth-year seniors. They left everything they had on the field today and that's all I could ask for."
Sophomore G Juarez made her 32nd- start in the circle, throwing four innings where she allowed just one run, before handing the game over to senior Breanna Macha who closed out the final three frames.
Following a quiet first two innings of play, Oklahoma jumped out in front with a leadoff home run by NCAA home run leader, Jocelyn Alo, to carry a 1-0 lead into the fourth inning of play.
"They're good hitters," Juarez said of the Oklahoma offense. "They made adjustments and that's a good scoring team. At the end of the day I've got to tip my hat. She did her job on my mistake."
With two more scoreless frames in the fourth and fifth, The Sooners added another run with an RBI-single in the sixth to pull the score to 2-0.
The offense showed a lot of fight, working the winning run to the on-deck circle, but the would-be rally was turned away by the Sooner defense to bring the 2018 Sun Devil softball season to a close.
"I just want to thank the seniors," Ford added. "They helped build this. They brought ASU softball back to where it belongs. And I just thank them for setting the standard, hanging tight with us and just doing a heck of a job and competing and showing the young ones what it looks like to be an ASU softball player."
With the loss, ASU's second season under head coach Trisha Ford came to a close. On the year, ASU amassed a 48-13 record that included a 16-8 mark in Pac-12 play. The Devils scored 315 runs on 453 hits, representing the most runs for a Sun Devil offense in the last three seasons.
ASU was even more dominant in the circle, with the four-player staff ending the season with a team ERA of 1.56, the lowest team ERA for ASU since the 2008 season when the Sun Devils posted a 1.48 ERA and won the National Championship.
The 455 strikeouts thrown by Sun Devil pitchers is the most since '08, a season that saw the Sun Devils set down 656 batters. Individually, sophomore G Juarez's 305 strikeouts on the season ranks ninth in ASU softball-history, and is the most strikeouts thrown by a single pitcher since Dallas Escobedo fanned 310 batters in 2014.
Macha, a senior from Mesa, Ariz., saw her illustrious Sun Devil playing-career come to a close with Saturday's loss, capping a four-year campaign that saw her record 53 wins, the 12th most career-wins for a Sun Devil, and most since Escobedo won 114 games from 2011-'14.
"Without Coach Ford we don't come back here," Macha said of her second-year head coach's impact on the Sun Devil program. "She's led us. And every day she's been tough. I mean that's what you want as a coach; you want her to be tough on you and just love on you."
While the Sun Devils will turn the page on the 2018 season, the future is certainly bright for the Devils.
"I think if you look at our pieces that we have still in place, we were a very young team," Ford said. "We had Stank and Macha who were just instrumental for us from a leadership standpoint, being seniors. But if you look at the starting lineup we have a lot of sophomores starting. For me, that's exciting. They know what they're capable of and they also know the adjustments we need to make in order for us to get to that one more step. And I'm so proud of them for getting here."
Fans can follow the Sun Devils all offseason by following @ASUSoftball on Twitter.
MEDIA FINAL GAME RECAPS...
ASU softball eliminated from WCWS (azcentral.com)
ASU softball eliminated (arizonasports.com via Associated Press)
ASU closes the curtain on its 2017-18 season (State Press)
Softball season comes to an end (Cronkite News)
ASU eliminated in pitching duel (House of Sparky)
Photo gallery from House of Sparky at WCWS
"I don't think I could be more proud of them as a group," head coach Trisha Ford said. "I think we had contributions from freshmen all the way up to fifth-year seniors. They left everything they had on the field today and that's all I could ask for."
Sophomore G Juarez made her 32nd- start in the circle, throwing four innings where she allowed just one run, before handing the game over to senior Breanna Macha who closed out the final three frames.
As her time with @ASUsoftball comes to a close, senior Breanna Macha reads a letter to the sport that has taught her so much. #WCWS pic.twitter.com/8JK27DZkeq
— NCAA Softball (@NCAAsoftball) June 2, 2018
Following a quiet first two innings of play, Oklahoma jumped out in front with a leadoff home run by NCAA home run leader, Jocelyn Alo, to carry a 1-0 lead into the fourth inning of play.
"They're good hitters," Juarez said of the Oklahoma offense. "They made adjustments and that's a good scoring team. At the end of the day I've got to tip my hat. She did her job on my mistake."
With two more scoreless frames in the fourth and fifth, The Sooners added another run with an RBI-single in the sixth to pull the score to 2-0.
The Sun Devils battled through the top of the seventh, holding the Sooners off the board to bring the ASU offense back to the dish looking to climb out of a two-run hole.So proud of @ASUSoftball for getting back to the WCWS!! Can't wait to see what the future holds for this program! Thankful for the @Trisha_Ford leadership! Proud alum every day! ??
— Dallas Escobedo (@dalpal12) June 2, 2018
The offense showed a lot of fight, working the winning run to the on-deck circle, but the would-be rally was turned away by the Sooner defense to bring the 2018 Sun Devil softball season to a close.
"I just want to thank the seniors," Ford added. "They helped build this. They brought ASU softball back to where it belongs. And I just thank them for setting the standard, hanging tight with us and just doing a heck of a job and competing and showing the young ones what it looks like to be an ASU softball player."
With the loss, ASU's second season under head coach Trisha Ford came to a close. On the year, ASU amassed a 48-13 record that included a 16-8 mark in Pac-12 play. The Devils scored 315 runs on 453 hits, representing the most runs for a Sun Devil offense in the last three seasons.
ASU was even more dominant in the circle, with the four-player staff ending the season with a team ERA of 1.56, the lowest team ERA for ASU since the 2008 season when the Sun Devils posted a 1.48 ERA and won the National Championship.
The 455 strikeouts thrown by Sun Devil pitchers is the most since '08, a season that saw the Sun Devils set down 656 batters. Individually, sophomore G Juarez's 305 strikeouts on the season ranks ninth in ASU softball-history, and is the most strikeouts thrown by a single pitcher since Dallas Escobedo fanned 310 batters in 2014.
Macha, a senior from Mesa, Ariz., saw her illustrious Sun Devil playing-career come to a close with Saturday's loss, capping a four-year campaign that saw her record 53 wins, the 12th most career-wins for a Sun Devil, and most since Escobedo won 114 games from 2011-'14.
"Without Coach Ford we don't come back here," Macha said of her second-year head coach's impact on the Sun Devil program. "She's led us. And every day she's been tough. I mean that's what you want as a coach; you want her to be tough on you and just love on you."
While the Sun Devils will turn the page on the 2018 season, the future is certainly bright for the Devils.
"I think if you look at our pieces that we have still in place, we were a very young team," Ford said. "We had Stank and Macha who were just instrumental for us from a leadership standpoint, being seniors. But if you look at the starting lineup we have a lot of sophomores starting. For me, that's exciting. They know what they're capable of and they also know the adjustments we need to make in order for us to get to that one more step. And I'm so proud of them for getting here."
Fans can follow the Sun Devils all offseason by following @ASUSoftball on Twitter.
the game of softball has brought me friendships, helped me travel, and taught me lessons. after 16 years of giving my life to this sport, i can finally hang up my cleats and put those lessons to use. thank you Arizona State for the best four years of my life and GO DEVILS????
— Dale Ryndak (@dale_hope) June 2, 2018
what a ride. loved every single moment with these devils. here's too one hell of a year. #us pic.twitter.com/4IawzIa6lt
— Morgan Howe (@morgannnriley) June 2, 2018
MEDIA FINAL GAME RECAPS...
ASU softball eliminated from WCWS (azcentral.com)
ASU softball eliminated (arizonasports.com via Associated Press)
ASU closes the curtain on its 2017-18 season (State Press)
Softball season comes to an end (Cronkite News)
ASU eliminated in pitching duel (House of Sparky)
Photo gallery from House of Sparky at WCWS