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ASU Softball: Sun Devils hit the road to face struggling Utah

By Sam Ficarro

LAS VEGAS, NV - MARCH 09: Arizona State Sun Devils mascot Sparky the Sun Devil performs during the team's quarterfinal game of the Pac-12 Basketball Tournament against the Oregon Ducks T-Mobile Arena on March 9, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Oregon won 80-57. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NV - MARCH 09: Arizona State Sun Devils mascot Sparky the Sun Devil performs during the team's quarterfinal game of the Pac-12 Basketball Tournament against the Oregon Ducks T-Mobile Arena on March 9, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Oregon won 80-57. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /
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After dropping two of three versus Arizona last weekend, the ninth-ranked ASU softball team travels to Salt Lake City to face a scuffling Utah team.

It was a disappointing Territorial Cup weekend for Arizona State last weekend. After winning the series opener, the Sun Devils dropped the final two games of the series losing 4-1 Saturday and 4-2 in extra innings Sunday.

G Juarez went 1-1 last weekend picking up a complete game victory last Friday allowing just one run on three hits to go with 13 strikeouts.

The story of last weekend was Arizona State’s offense as they were only able to muster five runs on 10 hits over the course of the three-game series.

Head coach Trisha Ford talked about the team’s lack of plate discipline after Saturday’s defeat as she felt the team might have taken for granted Arizona’s No. 2 pitcher Alyssa Denham.

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The Sun Devils fought valiantly Sunday tying the game in the seventh inning on a solo home run from Marisa Stankiewicz and had the winning run on second base, but couldn’t bring home the runner.

Arizona would come in clutch in the eighth inning ripping a two-run double over the head of center fielder Morgan Howe allowing two runs to cross the plate.

ASU will look to take better advantage of their opportunities this weekend in Salt Lake City against the Utah Utes.

Utah is a much different team this year compared to last year’s team who was the 11th-overall seed in the NCAA Tournament.

The Utes enter this weekend’s series with a 20-22 record including a 2-13 conference record and sit tied for last in the Pac-12.

Utah’s only two conference wins came against Stanford on March 24 and 26 in which they won 9-6 and 13-0 in five innings.

After the graduation of All-American Hannah Flippen, the Utes have relied on senior third baseman Heather Bowen who leads the team with eight home runs and 37 RBIs.

The only other Ute who has at least 30 RBIs is sophomore Breonna Castaneda who has four home runs and 30 RBIs.

Leading the charge in the circle is senior Miranda Viramontes who is 5-10 with a 2.98 earned run average in 27 appearances and 15 starts.

Also expected to pitch this weekend for Utah is senior Katie Donovan who is 9-7 with a 3.29 ERA in 30 appearances and 21 starts.

Arizona State should have success in the batter’s box and in the circle as the Utes have the second-highest ERA in the Pac-12 (3.24) and have scored the third-fewest runs (190).

Next: ASU Softball: Arizona Wins Territorial Cup in Extras

The Sun Devils will look to win a series for the first time since April 6-8 when they took two of three against Oregon State. First pitch Friday is at 4 p.m. PT, 1 p.m. PT Saturday and 11 a.m. PT Sunday. All the games can be seen on the Utah Live Stream.

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