March 19, 2011
FULLERTON, Calif. – The No. 5 ASU Softball team started a new winning streak Friday in Fullerton as they collected two wins on the day, topping Pacific 4-3 and No. 19 Louisiana-Lafayette 10-4 on Day Two of the Judi Garmen Classic. Mackenzie Popescue took the win against Pacific to move to 9-1 overall with Dallas Escobedo taking the UL win to move to 13-1 as ASU is now 29-2 on the season.
Game one against the Tigers sent Mackenzie Popescue to the circle where it remained a scoreless game until the fourth inning when ASU’s bats finally came to play in the fourth inning as a lead-off walk for Krista Donnenwirth followed by a single from Kaylyn Castillo which set up Alix Johnson’s two-RBI double as her fellow Devils hustled their buns home to make it 2-0.
An RBI single from Sam Parlich in the fifth followed up by a shot to deep center by Alix Johnson in the sixth gave ASU a 4-0 lead and what looked like control of the game, but the wily Tigers showed some stripes in the seventh inning as they chased Popescue from the game putting three runs on the board to bring Hillary Bach and Dallas Escobedo in to close out the game and get the save.
In the nightcap, the Sun Devils slated Dallas Escobedo against UL ace Ashley Brignac where they ranked opponents faced off in a marquee match-up. The Sun Devils came to rock in the first inning though as they dug in to hit three doubles to bring in three runs and jump to a 3-0 lead. Three more runs followed in the second inning as RBIs from Krista Donnenwirth, Kaylyn Castillo and Alix Johnson helped a few more dance home with ASU taking a comfortable 6-0 lead.
ASU struck again in the fourth as Katelyn Boyd hit a shot to deep right center for a solo shot and her 11th home run of the year. UL raged in the sixth inning though as they weren’t going without a fight as four runs hit the scoreboard with some vengeance as Chrisi Orgeron gave a ball a new zip code to reside in as she sent a ball yard for a two run shot in the inning to cut ASU’s lead to 7-4.
But the bats were singing a victory chant for ASU as the Sun Devils reacted by adding three more to sweeten the pot and take a 10-4 lead where it would stay as Dallas Escobedo closed it out strong for her thirteenth win of her career.
The Sun Devils will close out their play at the Judi Garmen Classic as they set to play Boise State at 3:30 p.m. PT in Fullerton, Calif.