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ASU Softball: Sun Devils split doubleheader with Iowa

By Matthew Stolbof

LAS VEGAS, NV - MARCH 11: Arizona State Sun Devils mascot Sparky the Sun Devil stands on the court during a first-round game of the Pac-12 Basketball Tournament against the USC Trojans at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on March 11, 2015 in Las Vegas, Nevada. USC won 67-64. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NV - MARCH 11: Arizona State Sun Devils mascot Sparky the Sun Devil stands on the court during a first-round game of the Pac-12 Basketball Tournament against the USC Trojans at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on March 11, 2015 in Las Vegas, Nevada. USC won 67-64. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /
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ASU softball split a doubleheader Wednesday versus Iowa in their final non-conference series before opening Pac-12 play Saturday.

Arizona State showed for the first time in a long time that they can, in fact, lose a game. The 13th-ranked Sun Devils lost to Iowa in their first game of a doubleheader to Iowa 3-1 after winning 11 straight but quickly bounced back with a five-inning 9-0 win in game two ending the day with a 22-3 record.

Arizona State didn’t have any answers for Iowa’s ace Allison Doocy in game 1. The sophomore threw seven innings with eight strikeouts and only allowed one earned run.

Dale Rydnak had a solid performance for ASU surrendering only one earned run in four innings, but the Sun Devils only produced one run off six hits, and couldn’t produce from Iowa’s two errors.

With the lack of offense in game one, ASU head coach Trisha Ford said one thing before game two.

“You better win.”

They quickly responded to coach’s message.

Within the first three innings, Arizona State scored three runs thanks to two RBI singles by both senior outfielder Nichole Chilson and shortstop Jade Gortarez.

Freshman Danielle Gibson continued to show off her hot bat with a mercy-clinching three-run home run in the fourth. This is her sixth home run in as many days and currently leads the team with nine dingers.

Sophomore G Juarez came to the mound and dominated right away.

The Glendale native struck out the first four batters that she faced and eventually struck out 13 of the 16 batters she faced. She only gave up one hit in her complete outing and has now extended her scoreless inning streak to 39.

Juarez said that she has “a ton of confidence right now.”

Coach Ford also commented that G has been ‘amazing,’ “She’s fun to watch. She’s in a rhythm right now.”

Coach Ford was also very happy with how the team bounced back in the second game. “I was very pleased with how we got back in the second game. We got on the board and we went back to playing our kind of game.”

Now Arizona State will be preparing to face the number one team in the country, the Washington Huskies. UW is 28-0 and has only given up 25 runs all season.

Next: ASU Basketball: Heartbreaking loss to Syracuse ends Devils’ 2018 season

Ford said the team is ready for the challenge.

“That’s why you come to play in the Pac,” Ford said. “You got a lot of teams in the top 10 and the top 25.” ASU will begin the series with the Huskies on Saturday at 5 p.m. in Tempe.

All quotes in this article were obtained firsthand by Devils in Detail unless otherwise noted.

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