Sun Devils one win shy of WCWS after setting tone early against South Carolina

By Scott Mammoser

ASU Softball one step closer to WCWS

TEMPE, Ariz. – Eighth-seeded Arizona State just might be the hottest team still alive in the NCAA Women’s Softball Championship. While the seven other Super Regionals have produced a slew of one-run nail biters, the Sun Devils opened their best-of-three series with No. 9 South Carolina, no-hitting the Gamecocks through six innings and winning 5-2 on Friday.

Through four games this postseason, ASU (44-11) has outscored its opponents 23-3, including 21-3 versus high-caliber SEC teams. The second game begins at 6 p.m. on Saturday from Farrington Stadium, and a decisive third game would be at 6 p.m. on Sunday.

“We came out with a lot of focus,” ASU coach Trisha Ford said. “When we play our game, good things happen. They did a great job tonight. This team is special, and they have the ability to beat teams in a variety of ways. At this point in the season, we’re prepared for whatever is thrown at us.”

The Sun Devils started early, with Morgan Howe’s triple in the bottom of the first bringing Taylor Becerra all the way around from first to home. In the second, Jade Gortarez sent the first pitch she faced over the center field fence for a three-run home run, her eighth of the season. Two more runs scored in the bottom of the fourth, as Skylar McCarty drove home Gortarez, then passed home herself on a Howe single. Howe finished the game 3-for-3 with two RBIs.

“It’s great to be a part of something like this,” Howe said. “Coach tells us to score early, score often. Whenever we score first it’s a good thing, and it gives us momentum.”

Juarez gets the win with 8 strike outs

Just as she did in the regional round, ASU pitcher Giselle ‘G’ Juarez carried her no-hitter into the top of the seventh. Gamecocks catcher Alyssa VanDerveer broke it up with a leadoff single, and leftfielder Kennedy Clark smashed a home run to center to bring South Carolina (49-16) within three runs. Juarez (26-4) still finished with eight strikeouts, while South Carolina’s Dixie Raley and Kelsey Oh combined for six.

“Uncharacteristically, we gave up a lot of runs,” Gamecocks coach Beverly Smith said. “Certainly, the field plays very fast here, so we’ll be ready for that tomorrow. Getting the hits in the seventh was very important. We’ll be ready to go tomorrow. This team is going to battle until the end, we have a never give up attitude.”