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ASU Softball: No. 1 UCLA dominates Sun Devils in game one

By Nicholas Zeller-Singh

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - DECEMBER 15: Arizona State Sun Devils mascot Sparky the Sun Devil poses before the Mitsubishi Motors Las Vegas Bowl against the Fresno State Bulldogs at Sam Boyd Stadium on December 15, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Bulldogs defeated the Sun Devils 31-20. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - DECEMBER 15: Arizona State Sun Devils mascot Sparky the Sun Devil poses before the Mitsubishi Motors Las Vegas Bowl against the Fresno State Bulldogs at Sam Boyd Stadium on December 15, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Bulldogs defeated the Sun Devils 31-20. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /
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UCLA proved they were No. 1 in the nation as the Bruins clinched Game 1 with a 10-0 win in 5 innings vs. ASU softball in game one of a three-game series.

The Sun Devils had a rough outing against the Wildcats last weekend after getting swept and not putting one run up on the board. The streak continued tonight as the Sun Devils have allowed 28 unanswered runs cross the plate since they won 18-17 over Utah.

The game started off in UCLA’s favor as the Bruins as Bubba Nickles hit a single into center field to allow

Briana Perez come across for the first run of the game. Later on in the top of the first inning, Rachel Garcia crossed home plate after a wild throw and opened up the Bruins to an early 2-0 lead.

ASU’s big three of Kindra Hackbarth, Skylar McCarty and Morgan Howe went up and down without a hit and left the game at 2-0 through one full inning.

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After a rough first inning, Samantha Mejia bounced back and knocked out all three batters she faced, but pitcher Megan Faraimo earned three of her nine strikeouts in this inning with confusing each batter she faced.

Her wide variety of pitches only allowed the Sun Devils to earn two hits throughout the whole game, but she held a perfect game through almost four innings.

“A lot of pitches that Kindra and Skylar are getting, I was not getting,” Howe said, “My first at bat, I got nothing that they got. It is difficult, but it is also understanding what your game and your tendencies are.”

Third inning was another offensive presence from the Bruins as they posted four more runs behind Nickles double and Taylor Pack’s first home run over right field that gave the Bruins two of their four runs in that inning.

The Sun Devils bats stayed silent as the squad were still looking for their first hit, but failed to do so in the third.

Arizona State tensed up going into the fourth and struggled to play to their full capacity by the time the Bruins took a 6-0 lead.

“Pressure was on them [UCLA], but we played with the pressure on us and that’s not who we are,” head coach Trisha Ford said, “We should be loose and we should be playing hard and fast.”

Going into the fourth inning Cielo Meza stepped in and ended the side. On the other side, Howe got the first hit of the game with a single to right field.

She was later moved over to third base as Jade Gortarez reached second base on an error from a wild throw to first base.

However, the Sun Devils did not capitalize and went into the fifth inning down six runs.

The fifth inning was nothing but more offense as Pack rocked her second home run over the center field wall and Malia Quarles hit a two-run home run off the scoreboard in left field.

The Sun Devils only posted one more hit as DeNae Chatman doubled but could not come around and score.

Next. ASU Softball: Devils square off with No. 1 UCLA. dark

The Sun Devils were run-ruled 10-0 through 5 innings and play Saturday at 2 p.m. PT against UCLA in Game 2.

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

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