By Miranda Perez, ASU Media Relations
TEMPE – The No. 7 Arizona State University softball team rallied in the bottom of sixth inning, scoring five runs to erase a two-run deficit and defeat the Utah Utes, 7-4, completing the sweep at Farrington Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
The win came on senior pitcher Dallas Escobedo’s 22nd birthday as she earned her 18th victory of the season. Escobedo struck out two batters and gave up three earned runs in seven innings pitched.
Escobedo’s unearned run came in the third inning after an illegal pitch that lead to a walk, an outfield error and a sacrifice fly that tied up the game at 1.
In the bottom of the fourth inning, lefty Alix Johnson hit an RBI single to the opposite field, scoring Abby Spiel and giving the Sun Devils a 2-1 lead.
ASU (37-6, 12-3 Pac-12) would eventually miss out on a huge scoring opportunity in the fourth, leaving the bases loaded after hitting into an inning-ending double play.
After a scoreless fifth inning, the Utes (16-19, 3-11 Pac-12) answered back with a three-run home run by Marissa Mendenhall in the top of the sixth, giving them a 4-2 lead. Mendenhall also hit a home run off of Escobedo in the first game of the series.
However, the Sun Devil bats came in clutch in the bottom half of the inning.
Cheyenne Coyle hit a sacrifice fly to right center with the bases loaded as Sierra Rodriguez scored and Bailey Wigness advanced to third.
Junior catcher Amber Freeman then lined a RBI single to left field, scoring Wigness and tying the game up at 4.
With runners on first and second, Haley Steele hit a 2-RBI double to right center, giving the Sun Devils a 6-4 lead. Steele leads the team in RBI with 41.