ASU Softball: Juarez strikeouts, Gibson home runs lead Devils to ninth straight win

(Photo: Karli Matthias/WCSN)

Continuing to rely on dominant pitching and efficient hitting, the No.14 Arizona State Sun Devils (19-2) earned their ninth straight victory on Friday, defeating Minnesota 6-0.

The shutout is the fifth in a row for ASU. The Devils have not allowed a runner to reach home in the last 30 innings and are outscoring the opposition 38-0 in their last five games.

Offensively, freshman first baseman Danielle Gibson was the hero of the hour. She crushed a pair of dingers in the second and third inning, providing the bulk of ASU’s scoring with four RBI. Gibson has eight home runs on the season, a team-best.

“I’m still thinking simple,” Gibson said. “Just sticking to my plan. Being aggressive and swinging at strikes. Just keeping it simple honestly.”

Junior outfielder Morgan Howe sent one over the fence for ASU in the first inning. Like Gibson, Howe attributed her success to playing with a clear mind and keeping it simple.

The simple approach to offense has paid substantial dividends for head coach Trisha Ford and her squad. In a stacked Pac-12 conference, ASU has managed to measure up offensively. The Devils are fourth in batting average, home runs and runs scored.

“There are two major factors in being a successful hitter and that is timing and pitch selection,” Ford said. “If you’re on time and you get a good pitch, you’re going to be successful. We talk mechanics but we really work within their swings. Their swings are their swings when they get to us.”

The past and present success of the softball team has created a loyal fan following, and the ASU faithful came out in full Friday, setting a season record for home attendance. The combination of fan support and high-scoring outings has the team in good spirits.

“It’s a great time to just be able to go crazy with our teammates and just keep the energy high,” Gibson said. “You really can’t lose focus because you’re so into the game. It’s a fun time.”

Home runs are not the only thing energizing Farrington’s players and fans though. The play of sophomore left-handed pitcher Giselle “G” Juarez has become a regular spectacle. In Friday’s start, Juarez tied her career high with 13 strikeouts, pitching a full seven innings with only two hits and one walk.

Juarez now has double digit strikeouts in her last five starts. In her last 31 innings, she’s retired 58 batters on her own. Just like her teammates at the plate, Juarez does not complicate her approach when she is in the pitching circle.

“I just kinda think pitch-by-pitch and inning by inning,” Juarez said. “I take it slow. I continue to think calm and about my game, my routine. I think that’s what’s mainly going through my head.”

Juarez has come to find a fitting role in ASU’s pitching staff, which has the advantage of bringing together multiple different types of pitchers. While not called upon on Friday, senior righty Breanna Macha makes an excellent complement to Juarez. While Juarez is a high-ball, high-velocity hurler, Macha is more of a groundball pitcher.

“In games, I love having Bree out there this season because she’s the complete of me,” Juarez said. “Truthfully it makes us kind of hard to figure out, especially if I go in after her or she goes in after me. It’s hard to figure out because we are two different types of pitchers.”

Between the versatility of the pitching staff and the production at the plate, Arizona State is finding its stride at an ideal time. Coach Ford said the team is “building something special here.” So far, the non-conference results indicate that she is right.

ASU returns to action for a double-header against the Golden Gophers starting a 2 p.m. on Sunday.