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ASU Softball: Sun Devils regroup after tough loss versus Oregon

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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G Juarez and the defense struggled in Thursday’s Women’s College World Series as ASU softball heads to the loser’s bracket.

Coming into Thursday’s game, if you would have told Arizona State head coach Trisha Ford that they would score six runs against No. 1 Oregon, she probably would have said they win that game.

Unfortunately for the Sun Devils, Arizona State dropped the opening game of the Women’s College World Series to Oregon 11-6 as G Juarez and the defense struggled.

Juarez gave up a season-high 11 runs (10 earned) on 14 hits as Oregon responded to every run-scoring ASU had.

Ducks center fielder Shannon Rhodes said the team was prepared to face Juarez for a third time.

“Watching film and saying we’re not going to have her beat us again on the same pitches, she’s got a sequence,” Rhodes said. “I personally think very predictable so we really just bought into what Coach White told us — bought into the plan, swinging above the ball where it’s going to be instead of under it and trying to lift.”

The Sun Devils got off to the perfect start on DeNae Chatman’s two-run home run off Ducks starter Miranda Elish.

But Oregon responded with six unanswered runs as Oregon scored in every inning but the second inning.

The defense had trouble defending Oregon’s bunting as the Ducks dropped three bunts in the row to begin the game with ASU only able to record one out.

Oregon tied it in the first on a two-run single from catcher Gwen Svekis. Arizona State committed two errors in the fourth inning that brought a run home for Oregon giving them a 6-2 lead.

Arizona State did battle back on center fielder Morgan Howe’s three-run home run to make it 6-5, but Oregon scored five runs in the final two innings to put the game out of reach.

The Sun Devils entered Thursday with just three errors committed in the NCAA Tournament and they almost matched that total Thursday with two errors.

Now the road becomes tough for Arizona State as they got to go through the loser’s bracket having to win four games to reach the championship series.

ASU will face the loser of Washington-Oklahoma Saturday at 9 a.m. PT having played both teams this season.

The Sun Devils dropped the only meeting versus Oklahoma 7-2 on Feb. 22 as senior Breanna Macha started. Macha allowed seven runs (three earned) on eight hits, three walks and five strikeouts.

For Oklahoma, they threw both pitchers Paige Parker and Paige Lowary. Parker threw 5 1/3 innings allowing two unearned runs on three hits, three walks and 10 strikeouts.

Lowary came on in relief throwing 1 2/3 hitless innings striking out two.

If Washington is the opponent, the Sun Devils took the season series two games to one with G Juarez throwing shutouts in both victories against Gabbie Plain and Taran Alvelo.

Next: ASU Softball: Sun Devils fall to UO in WCWS first round

Arizona State will look to correct its mistakes before Saturday’s elimination game as the Sun Devils will likely be in another dog fight.

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

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