(Photo: Nicholas Badders/WCSN)
The Arizona State softball team will be the first Pac-12 team to head back to the west coast from Oklahoma City after their elimination game loss to No. 4 seed Oklahoma in the Women’s College World Series. With their 2-0 loss to the Sooners, the Sun Devils finish the season with an overall record of (48-13) and went (16-8) in the Pac-12 conference.
In only the second season of being steered by head coach Trisha Ford, ASU advanced further in the postseason than they have since winning the WCWS back in 2011 under then-head coach Clint Myers.
It was an unusual citing Saturday afternoon as two southpaws stepped into the circle for the Sun Devils and Sooners. All-Americans G Juarez and Paige Parker fought back and forth with a pitcher’s duel until the fifth inning when Breanna Macha replaced Juarez.
ASU bounced back after a rough defensive game against No. 1 seed Oregon by having a clean outing without any errors. However, the Sun Devil offense only accumulated two hits the entire game, both from freshmen.
Juarez had a tricky first inning with back-to-back singles by the Sooners but got out of the jam with a strikeout.
Paige Parker walked Taylor Becerra for the first base runner of the day for the Devils. Becerra advanced to second on the following play, but Becerra’s teammates couldn’t bring her home.
In the second inning, Juarez faced another jam, but exited without any Sooner damage to keep the 0-0 tie alive.
Danielle Gibson got the first hit for the Sun Devils, a single into right field. Gibson’s single was the only offense in the inning.
However, the tie wouldn’t last for much longer. Jocelyn Alo, the nation leader in home runs, went yard against Juarez. Alo’s 29 home run of the year landed in deep right field to give the Sooners a 1-0 lead.
Juarez pitched one more inning before being replaced by right-handed pitcher Macha. The senior was joined by freshman catcher Rylee Maston.
Macha gave up one run that came in the sixth inning and threw two strikeouts in her final career game as a Sun Devil.
The Sooners 2-0 lead came when Lea Wodach hit a single on the right side of the field allowing Caleigh Clifton to score.
Parker concluded the elimination game with a strikeout to Sun Devil freshman Bella Loomis.
Despite only playing two games in the 2018 WCWS, the ASU squad has a bright future ahead of them with Ford at the helm and her young stars. The team’s run in Oklahoma City is a learning experience heading forward.
Ford will lose the following seniors headed into the upcoming season: pitcher Breanna Macha, pitcher Dale Ryndak, second baseman Marisa Stankiewicz, pinch runner Brynley Steele and infielder Kwyn Cooper.
The rest of the Pac-12 team in Oklahoma City are still fighting to bring home a national championship to the conference, the last was in 2011 when ASU won.
No. 5 seed Washington and No. 3 seed UCLA have advanced into the semifinals while No. 1 seed Oregon will continue their fight Saturday, June 2 against the winner of No. 7 seed Georgia and No. 6 seed Florida State.
