April 14, 2013
TEMPE, Ariz. - Dallas Escobedo led Arizona State softball to a 2-1 win over No. 14 Washington to boost the Sun Devils to 38-5 overall and 9-3 in the Pac-12. After picking up a pair of victories over the weekend, the ace now ranks third all-time at ASU in career wins with 82.
Arizona State snapped Washington's (32-12, 10-5 Pac-12) eight-game winning streak on Saturday with a win and picked up ASU's fourth Pac-12 series after rallying for a 2-1 victory in game three. Both Nikki Girard and Haley Steele finished the game 2-for-3 at the plate.
After two scoreless innings got things started, Washington scored the first run of the afternoon in the top of the third. Kelli Suguro led off with a chop double that landed on the left line halfway behind third base and the warning track. By that point Dallas Escobedo had held the Huskies hitless. Kimberlee Souza was the difference maker, plating Suguro with a single to right, putting the Huskies ahead 1-0.
Neither team recorded a strikeout after three complete innings of play until Escobedo picked one up, swinging, in the fourth. A surprising stat for Escobedo who ranks seventh nationally in strikeouts per seven innings (10.4) and first in Pac-12 in total strikeouts (221, 5th nationally). In the fourth, Escobedo walked consecutive batters, a first this season, but retired the final Husky.
The Sun Devil offense took their cue and claimed a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the frame. Haley Steele led off with a double to left center and scored immediately after on Elizabeth Caporuscio's 12th double of the season. Bases loaded and four batters later, pinch hitter Bethany Kemp singled through the left side to bring home Caporuscio and put the Devils on top. Kemp is hitting an impressive .429 when bases are loaded and .400 in the pinch-hitting role.
ASU held on to its lead in the final three frames, ensuring the win for Escobedo who is now 21-4. Escobedo had five strikeouts in the appearance, pushing her to fourth all-time with 787 in her career and tied for 10th in single-season strikeouts with 226. Kaitlin Inglesby falls to 17-5 and finished the weekend 1-1 in the circle.
Woo!! @asusoftball beats the Huskies 2-1! #FeartheFork twitter.com/TheSunDevils/s...
— Sun Devil Athletics (@TheSunDevils) April 14, 2013
UP NEXT
Softball travels to Utah for a three-game series April 19-21. Friday's game is at 5 p.m. PT, Saturday noon PT and Sunday 11 a.m. PT.
NOTES
Elizabeth Caporuscio's double is her 12th of the season and 17th of her career (22nd in ASU records).
Haley Steele's double is her 20th of her career (21st in ASU records).
Dallas Escobedo now has 82 wins in her career at ASU, good for third all-time. Her 21 wins this season ties her for 16th in single-season records.
Dallas Escobedo's five strikeouts give her 787 in her career and ties her at fourth all-time at ASU and 10th in single-season marks (226).
ASU is on a two-game winning streak. The Sun Devils improve to 30-2 at home.
Fans picking up their Family Four Pack T-shirts! For info on future ticket packages, visit sundeviltickets.com twitter.com/ASUSoftball/st...
-- ASU Softball (@ASUSoftball) April 14, 2013