TEMPE, Ariz. – The 8th-ranked Arizona State softball team defeated BYU (7-0) and NDSU (10-0) in a double header Friday evening at Farrington Stadium, improving the Sun Devils to 29-4 on the season, including a 24-3 mark at home.
On the day, the Sun Devils out-hit their opposition, 18-5, and have now won six-straight games and 19 of their last 21. On the season ASU has now outhit opponents 258-136 this season, leading to a 190-56 ASU lead in runs scored.
GAME TWO: ASU 7, BYU 0
In game two, reigning NFCA and USA Softball Division I National Pitcher of the Week, G Juarez, was lights out in the circle. The left-handed sophomore was brilliant in her 15th start of the season, and threw the 30th no-hitter in school history. Juarez continues to build on an incredible second season in Tempe, as she has now gone 75 consecutive innings without allowing an earned run. She finished with 11 strikeouts, her 10th double-digit strikeout performance of the season. Juarez's no-hitter represented the first time BYU had been no-hit since then-No. 1 Oklahoma on March 11th, 2016.
The offense brought in seven-runs in the second game of the doubleheader, combining to outscore their opponents by 15 runs on Friday. Five different Sun Devils drove in a run in the nightcap, including the first home run of the season for sophomore Breezy Wise. Kindra Hackbarth did her job perfectly hitting out of the lead-off spot, reaching base three times and driving in a run to spark the Arizona State offense.
Similar to the first game of the double-header, the Sun Devils put multiple runs on the board in the first inning. Kindra Hackbarth got the action started with a lead-off single, advancing to second thanks to a perfectly-executed sacrifice bunt by Jade Gortarez. Morgan Howe would come through with an RBI-single, giving the Sun Devils their first run of the game and a 1-0 lead. After moving to second on the throw, two Cougars' wild pitches would score Howe and double the Sun Devil lead, 2-0.
Three walks, and a wild pitch on ball four to Gortarez would plate another run for the Sun Devils in the bottom of the second making it a 3-0 game heading to the third.
With Juarez continuing to cruise through three innings, the offense would provide her a few more insurance runs. Danielle Gibson lead off the third inning with a single and moved to second when Marisa Stankiewicz took her base. Skylar McCarthy picked up where she left off in the first game of the double-header, drilling her third RBI-single of the day to give ASU a 4-0 lead. Bella Loomis would earn a free pass, driving in the second run of the inning for the Sun Devils to give them a 5-0 lead.
Juarez remianed in control in the top of the fourth and fifth innings, striking out back-to-back batters to close out the fifth. Pinch-hitter Breezy Wise got the bottom half of the fifth inning started with a bang, crushing a ball over the center fence for her first home run in 2018. As the inning continued, Kindra Hackbarth drove in pinch-runner Kwyn Cooper with an RBI-triple, extending the lead to 7-0.
After a second inning hit-by-pitch that gave BYU two base runners, Juarez retired 16 consecutive Cougars to end the game. With the Farrington Stadium crowd on the edge of their seats, Juarez would take the circle in the top of the seventh just three outs away from a no-hitter. With history in her sights, Juarez would go on to strike out two batters, including the final out of the game, to capture her first career no-hitter and ninth shutout of the season.
GAME ONE: ASU 10, NDSU 2
The 8th-ranked Arizona State softball team defeated North Dakota State, 10-2, in five innings in game one of a double header Friday afternoon at Farrington Stadium.
Arizona State opened the Friday doubleheader with their high-powered offense on full display. Sophomore Jade Gortarez finished the first game with a 3-for-3 outing that included a home run, while Danielle Gibson scored three runs during her 2-for-2 outing to lead the way offensively. Nicole Chilson added three RBI on her own, with Skylar McCarty contributing two run-scoring singles. It was a team effort and the depth of the Sun Devil's lineup proved to be too much for the Bison pitching staff.
Right-hander Breanna Macha (10-2) made her 10th start of the season, going all five innings en route to her sixth complete game of the season. Entering the weekend, the Sun Devil pitchers have combined to post a 1.14 ERA, the ninth-lowest ERA in the country. The staff continued their dominating performance, with Macha striking out six Bison earning her 10th win of the year.
The Sun Devil offense provided a loud response to a Bison run in the first inning with a five-run inning of their own. Jade Gortarez singled to get the rally started, moving to second on a North Dakota State field error. Pac-12 Freshman of the Week Danielle Gibson loaded the bases with a discipline at-bat, drawing a one-out walk. Marisa Stankiewicz drove in the first two runs of the game, reaching on the Bison's second error of the inning to give the Sun Devils a 2-1 lead. They would not stop there, as Nicole Chilson would tack another run on the board with an RBI-groundout. Later in the inning, Skylar McCarty continued the merry-go-round, contributing an RBI-single. Maddi Hackbarth followed with a singled and Bella Loomis doubled to left-center to drive in the fifth run of the inning, spotting Arizona State a 5-1 lead.
The relentless ASU lineup would once again answer a North Dakota State run in the top half of the second with another crooked number in the bottom of the second. Jade Gortarez led off the inning with a bang, launching her sixth home run of the season to give the Sun Devils a 6-2 lead. Danielle Gibson singled with one out to kick start another scoring threat. Attempting to put pressure on the defense with a sacrifice bunt, Marisa Stankiewicz forced the Bison defense into an error which allowed Gibson to score from first. With Stankiewicz reaching third on the error, Nicole Chilson drove her in with a sacrifice fly to extend the ASU lead to 8-2.
Breanna Macha settled in nicely, finding a rhythm with the offense giving her plenty of run support. Macha held the Bison offense scoreless over the final three innings, working around an error and a walk to set down North Dakota State. The Arizona State offense continued to keep the foot on the gas pedal, scoring two runs in the bottom of the fourth to push their lead to eight runs. Danielle Gibson got things going with a single followed by a double from Marisa Stankiewicz to put two runners in scoring position. Nicole Chilson drove in her third run of the game with a sac-fly, advancing Stankiewicz to third. She would score one batter later, as Skylar McCarty recorded her second RBI-single of the day to push the lead to 10-2. Macha retired the side in the fifth, clinching the run-rule victory for the Sun Devils.
On the day, the Sun Devils out-hit their opposition, 18-5, and have now won six-straight games and 19 of their last 21. On the season ASU has now outhit opponents 258-136 this season, leading to a 190-56 ASU lead in runs scored.
GAME TWO: ASU 7, BYU 0
In game two, reigning NFCA and USA Softball Division I National Pitcher of the Week, G Juarez, was lights out in the circle. The left-handed sophomore was brilliant in her 15th start of the season, and threw the 30th no-hitter in school history. Juarez continues to build on an incredible second season in Tempe, as she has now gone 75 consecutive innings without allowing an earned run. She finished with 11 strikeouts, her 10th double-digit strikeout performance of the season. Juarez's no-hitter represented the first time BYU had been no-hit since then-No. 1 Oklahoma on March 11th, 2016.
The offense brought in seven-runs in the second game of the doubleheader, combining to outscore their opponents by 15 runs on Friday. Five different Sun Devils drove in a run in the nightcap, including the first home run of the season for sophomore Breezy Wise. Kindra Hackbarth did her job perfectly hitting out of the lead-off spot, reaching base three times and driving in a run to spark the Arizona State offense.
Similar to the first game of the double-header, the Sun Devils put multiple runs on the board in the first inning. Kindra Hackbarth got the action started with a lead-off single, advancing to second thanks to a perfectly-executed sacrifice bunt by Jade Gortarez. Morgan Howe would come through with an RBI-single, giving the Sun Devils their first run of the game and a 1-0 lead. After moving to second on the throw, two Cougars' wild pitches would score Howe and double the Sun Devil lead, 2-0.
Three walks, and a wild pitch on ball four to Gortarez would plate another run for the Sun Devils in the bottom of the second making it a 3-0 game heading to the third.
With Juarez continuing to cruise through three innings, the offense would provide her a few more insurance runs. Danielle Gibson lead off the third inning with a single and moved to second when Marisa Stankiewicz took her base. Skylar McCarthy picked up where she left off in the first game of the double-header, drilling her third RBI-single of the day to give ASU a 4-0 lead. Bella Loomis would earn a free pass, driving in the second run of the inning for the Sun Devils to give them a 5-0 lead.
Juarez remianed in control in the top of the fourth and fifth innings, striking out back-to-back batters to close out the fifth. Pinch-hitter Breezy Wise got the bottom half of the fifth inning started with a bang, crushing a ball over the center fence for her first home run in 2018. As the inning continued, Kindra Hackbarth drove in pinch-runner Kwyn Cooper with an RBI-triple, extending the lead to 7-0.
After a second inning hit-by-pitch that gave BYU two base runners, Juarez retired 16 consecutive Cougars to end the game. With the Farrington Stadium crowd on the edge of their seats, Juarez would take the circle in the top of the seventh just three outs away from a no-hitter. With history in her sights, Juarez would go on to strike out two batters, including the final out of the game, to capture her first career no-hitter and ninth shutout of the season.
GAME ONE: ASU 10, NDSU 2
The 8th-ranked Arizona State softball team defeated North Dakota State, 10-2, in five innings in game one of a double header Friday afternoon at Farrington Stadium.
Arizona State opened the Friday doubleheader with their high-powered offense on full display. Sophomore Jade Gortarez finished the first game with a 3-for-3 outing that included a home run, while Danielle Gibson scored three runs during her 2-for-2 outing to lead the way offensively. Nicole Chilson added three RBI on her own, with Skylar McCarty contributing two run-scoring singles. It was a team effort and the depth of the Sun Devil's lineup proved to be too much for the Bison pitching staff.
Right-hander Breanna Macha (10-2) made her 10th start of the season, going all five innings en route to her sixth complete game of the season. Entering the weekend, the Sun Devil pitchers have combined to post a 1.14 ERA, the ninth-lowest ERA in the country. The staff continued their dominating performance, with Macha striking out six Bison earning her 10th win of the year.
The Sun Devil offense provided a loud response to a Bison run in the first inning with a five-run inning of their own. Jade Gortarez singled to get the rally started, moving to second on a North Dakota State field error. Pac-12 Freshman of the Week Danielle Gibson loaded the bases with a discipline at-bat, drawing a one-out walk. Marisa Stankiewicz drove in the first two runs of the game, reaching on the Bison's second error of the inning to give the Sun Devils a 2-1 lead. They would not stop there, as Nicole Chilson would tack another run on the board with an RBI-groundout. Later in the inning, Skylar McCarty continued the merry-go-round, contributing an RBI-single. Maddi Hackbarth followed with a singled and Bella Loomis doubled to left-center to drive in the fifth run of the inning, spotting Arizona State a 5-1 lead.
The relentless ASU lineup would once again answer a North Dakota State run in the top half of the second with another crooked number in the bottom of the second. Jade Gortarez led off the inning with a bang, launching her sixth home run of the season to give the Sun Devils a 6-2 lead. Danielle Gibson singled with one out to kick start another scoring threat. Attempting to put pressure on the defense with a sacrifice bunt, Marisa Stankiewicz forced the Bison defense into an error which allowed Gibson to score from first. With Stankiewicz reaching third on the error, Nicole Chilson drove her in with a sacrifice fly to extend the ASU lead to 8-2.
Breanna Macha settled in nicely, finding a rhythm with the offense giving her plenty of run support. Macha held the Bison offense scoreless over the final three innings, working around an error and a walk to set down North Dakota State. The Arizona State offense continued to keep the foot on the gas pedal, scoring two runs in the bottom of the fourth to push their lead to eight runs. Danielle Gibson got things going with a single followed by a double from Marisa Stankiewicz to put two runners in scoring position. Nicole Chilson drove in her third run of the game with a sac-fly, advancing Stankiewicz to third. She would score one batter later, as Skylar McCarty recorded her second RBI-single of the day to push the lead to 10-2. Macha retired the side in the fifth, clinching the run-rule victory for the Sun Devils.