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ASU Softball: Bruins walk-off Sun Devils in series finale

By Sam Ficarro

TEMPE, AZ - OCTOBER 10: Arizona State Sun Devils mascot Sparky performs on the field during the fourth quarter of the college football game against the Colorado Buffaloes at Sun Devil Stadium on October 10, 2015 in Tempe, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images)
TEMPE, AZ - OCTOBER 10: Arizona State Sun Devils mascot Sparky performs on the field during the fourth quarter of the college football game against the Colorado Buffaloes at Sun Devil Stadium on October 10, 2015 in Tempe, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images) /
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ASU softball finished the regular season with a 2-1 loss versus No. 1 UCLA on a walk-off home run from senior Madeline Jelenicki.

No. 6 Arizona State went into Los Angeles on the season’s final week looking to state their case for a top-eight seed in the NCAA Tournament.

The Sun Devils played three competitive games against the top-team in the nation, but fell short Saturday to UCLA 2-1 in nine innings to drop the series.

It was another great display of pitching from both sides as G Juarez got the start for the Sun Devils with Holly Azevedo earning the start for the Bruins.

Azevedo got off to a dominant start for UCLA striking out seven of the first 13 batters of the game issuing just one walk and allowing no hits.

UCLA broke through first on a two-out RBI single in the fourth inning from first baseman Madeline Jelenicki as the sharply hit liner got over the head of left fielder Skylar McCarty.

Arizona State got an immediate response from their hottest hitter, DeNae Chatman, as she hit a line-drive home run to right field off Azevedo for ASU’s first hit of the afternoon tying the game at one.

Juarez was able to weather a couple of jams in the sixth and eighth innings stranding a pair of Bruins.

After Azevedo left the game with an injury in the sixth inning, Rachel Garcia pitched for the third time in this series.

Arizona State had a couple of opportunities versus Garcia as right fielder Kindra Hackbarth was left stranded on third base in the sixth and ninth innings.

After recording two quick fly outs, Jelenicki crushed a solo home run off Juarez to left field to secure a walk-off win for UCLA. It was the Bruins’ first extra-innings game of the season.

Juarez had another solid performance for the Sun Devils throwing 8.2 innings allowing two earned runs on six hits with three walks and eight strikeouts.

Garcia threw 3.1 innings in relief allowing only one hit and one walk striking out three Sun Devils. She finished the series throwing 17.1 innings allowing four earned runs on five hits to go with 21 strikeouts.

Arizona State finishes the regular season 43-11 (16-8 Pac-12) and third in the Pac-12 as they are a lock to host a regional.

Next: ASU Softball: Bruins score four in sixth to defeat Sun Devils 5-1

The Sun Devils will have to wait to see if they will be a top-eight seed allowing them to host a Super Regional should they advance out of the regional. The NCAA Softball Championship Selection Show will be Sunday at 7 p.m. PT and it can be seen on ESPN2.

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