TEMPE, Ariz.-- The sixth-ranked Arizona State Sun Devils topped the New Mexico State Aggies, 2-0, Friday evening to open the 2018 Tempe Regional at Farrington Stadium. The win marked the 19th shutout of the season for ASU, and second shutout victory over the Aggies this season.
"The first game is always hard," head coach Trisha Ford said. "I thought they did a heck of a job battling through that tonight. You have got to embrace this. This is such a great opportunity, this is a privilege. I thought G (Juarez) did a good job making big pitches when she needed to. I thought our defense played solid behind her and we got some hits when we needed them."
Sophomore lefty G Juarez got the start in the circle for the Sun Devils, striking out 10, marking her 14th- game of the season with 10 or more strike outs. She would be dominant in the circle, giving up just two hits and two walks in her 13th shutout of the season.
The Sun Devil offense would break through early, plating a pair of runs on a two-rbi double from Morgan Howe in just the first inning. Kindra Hackbarth got things rolling with a leadoff walk, and was then promptly moved over by a bunt-single by Taylor Becerra to bring Howe to the plate with a pair of runners aboard. That is when Howe would jump all over the first pitch she saw to put ASU up, 2-0.
"This was exciting and a little nerve-racking," Howe said of playing her first postseason game with ASU. "It kind of took me back to the beginning of the season. It was just super exciting and a lot of fun. I just love being out here with this team."
With neither team able to get the bats going through the next six innings, the Aggies would break up Juarez's no-hit bid with a lively final frame. After recording back-to-back singles to start the inning, the first two hits of the evening for the Aggies, NM state would load the bases with just one out following a fly ball and a walk. With the tying run in scoring position, a line-out to Becerra set up a perfect double play to end the threat, and seal ASU's shutout victory.
With Friday's win, ASU moves to 44-11 on the season, marking the highest win total in the last five seasons, checking in just two wins shy of the 2014 season that saw ASU amass 46 wins.
Arizona State will be back in action tomorrow afternoon when they will face Ole Miss. The Rebels enter day two of the Tempe Regional riding high with a win 9-1 over Long Beach in the very first game of the Tempe Regional. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m. with the game scheduled to be televised on ESPN. Fans can follow all of the action from the 2018 postseason by following @ASUSoftball on Twitter.
With neither team able to get the bats going through the next six innings, the Aggies would break up Juarez's no-hit bid with a lively final frame. After recording back-to-back singles to start the inning, the first two hits of the evening for the Aggies, NM state would load the bases with just one out following a fly ball and a walk. With the tying run in scoring position, a line-out to Becerra set up a perfect double play to end the threat, and seal ASU's shutout victory.
With Friday's win, ASU moves to 44-11 on the season, marking the highest win total in the last five seasons, checking in just two wins shy of the 2014 season that saw ASU amass 46 wins.
Arizona State will be back in action tomorrow afternoon when they will face Ole Miss. The Rebels enter day two of the Tempe Regional riding high with a win 9-1 over Long Beach in the very first game of the Tempe Regional. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m. with the game scheduled to be televised on ESPN. Fans can follow all of the action from the 2018 postseason by following @ASUSoftball on Twitter.
"The first game is always hard," head coach Trisha Ford said. "I thought they did a heck of a job battling through that tonight. You have got to embrace this. This is such a great opportunity, this is a privilege. I thought G (Juarez) did a good job making big pitches when she needed to. I thought our defense played solid behind her and we got some hits when we needed them."
Sophomore lefty G Juarez got the start in the circle for the Sun Devils, striking out 10, marking her 14th- game of the season with 10 or more strike outs. She would be dominant in the circle, giving up just two hits and two walks in her 13th shutout of the season.
The Sun Devil offense would break through early, plating a pair of runs on a two-rbi double from Morgan Howe in just the first inning. Kindra Hackbarth got things rolling with a leadoff walk, and was then promptly moved over by a bunt-single by Taylor Becerra to bring Howe to the plate with a pair of runners aboard. That is when Howe would jump all over the first pitch she saw to put ASU up, 2-0.
"This was exciting and a little nerve-racking," Howe said of playing her first postseason game with ASU. "It kind of took me back to the beginning of the season. It was just super exciting and a lot of fun. I just love being out here with this team."
With neither team able to get the bats going through the next six innings, the Aggies would break up Juarez's no-hit bid with a lively final frame. After recording back-to-back singles to start the inning, the first two hits of the evening for the Aggies, NM state would load the bases with just one out following a fly ball and a walk. With the tying run in scoring position, a line-out to Becerra set up a perfect double play to end the threat, and seal ASU's shutout victory.
With Friday's win, ASU moves to 44-11 on the season, marking the highest win total in the last five seasons, checking in just two wins shy of the 2014 season that saw ASU amass 46 wins.
Arizona State will be back in action tomorrow afternoon when they will face Ole Miss. The Rebels enter day two of the Tempe Regional riding high with a win 9-1 over Long Beach in the very first game of the Tempe Regional. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m. with the game scheduled to be televised on ESPN. Fans can follow all of the action from the 2018 postseason by following @ASUSoftball on Twitter.
With neither team able to get the bats going through the next six innings, the Aggies would break up Juarez's no-hit bid with a lively final frame. After recording back-to-back singles to start the inning, the first two hits of the evening for the Aggies, NM state would load the bases with just one out following a fly ball and a walk. With the tying run in scoring position, a line-out to Becerra set up a perfect double play to end the threat, and seal ASU's shutout victory.
With Friday's win, ASU moves to 44-11 on the season, marking the highest win total in the last five seasons, checking in just two wins shy of the 2014 season that saw ASU amass 46 wins.
Arizona State will be back in action tomorrow afternoon when they will face Ole Miss. The Rebels enter day two of the Tempe Regional riding high with a win 9-1 over Long Beach in the very first game of the Tempe Regional. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m. with the game scheduled to be televised on ESPN. Fans can follow all of the action from the 2018 postseason by following @ASUSoftball on Twitter.