May 14, 2011
TEMPE, Ariz. – Annie Lockwood’s three-run shot heroics saved the day Saturday afternoon as the No. 1 Arizona State Softball Team closed out their 2011 regular season with a 4-1 win over No. 11 Stanford. Dallas Escobedo took the win to move to 27-3 overall on the year as ASU finishes the regular season as Pac-10 Champions with a 50-6 overall record and a 17-4 Pac-10 record. The Cardinal fell to 38-15 on the year and finish 10-11 in Pac-10 play.
The game didn’t start well for the Sun Devils as Dallas Escobedo managed to get through a couple innings unscathed albeit slightly less in control than usual which came around to bite her in the third inning as she gave up an unprecedented four walks to walk a run home and give Stanford the 1-0 lead.
The Sun Devil bats still looked asleep after going into a hiatus after Thursday night’s game, which fortunately proved to be short-lived as the fifth inning rolled around to see Sam Parlich get it started as the number nine hitter with a single to short. Parlich came around to score on a double by Katelyn Boyd to bring up Kaylyn Castillo who was intentionally walked. It proved to be a fatal choice by Stanford as due up next Annie Lockwood, the team RBI leader and second in home runs strode to the plate and lined a full count pitch that went steaming over the left field fence to make it 4-1.
Escobedo settled down throughout the rest of the game, regaining her regular composure as after the detrimental third inning she struck out four without another free pass given to close it out.
The win closes the 2011 season for ASU where they await their fate in the postseason, which will be decided tomorrow night at 7 p.m. on ESPNU for the Selection Show. The team will gather at Majerle’s in Chandler at 6:30 p.m. and all are welcome to join!