March 15, 2011
TEMPE, Ariz. – Another complete game shutout from Dallas Escobedo and a .750 day at the plate for Mandy Urfer fueled the fire as the No. 5 ASU Softball team took two wins from the WIU Leathernecks Tuesday night in Tempe. Escobedo and Bach took the wins on the night to move to 12-0 and 7-0 respectively as the Sun Devils push their winning streak to 22 consecutive games while holding at 26-1 overall.
Game one saw Escobedo hold dominant control in the circle, allowing only three hits and as many Leathernecks reach base while striking out six in her five complete while the offense got the job done behind her. To start the fun, the Sun Devils piled on five runs in the first inning with Lesley Rogers collecting her first triple of the season while Krista Donnenwirth, Kaylyn Castillo and Alix Johnson all added runs to the board with RBIs.
Five more runs trickled across the board in the second inning with Mandy Urfer’s three run bomb to left center for her fifth home run of the year as the spotlight in an already stellar highlight reel as the Sun Devils moved to a 10-0 lead which they wouldn’t relinquish as they closed out game one in five innings.
Game two saw Hillary Bach take to the circle to pitch four fantastic innings while her offense did work again as they came out guns blazing in the second inning with nine runs scored with marquee hits including Katelyn Boyd’s grand slam for her ninth home run of the season, while Mandy Urfer picked up two RBIs herself in the inning to give ASU a comfortable 9-0 lead after two complete.
A solo shot from Sam Parlich in the third inning gave ASU the 10-0 lead until the top of the fifth inning when the WIU bats came to life trying to prolong the game as Beth Goliko hit a bases clearing double to bring in three while Colleen Biebel’s RBI single up the middle gave WIU four to force ASU to bat in the bottom half. That’s all the Sun Devils would need though as a solo shot from Katelyn Boyd for her second of the game was partnered with Mary Spiel’s RBI single up the middle to finish off the game with a 12-4 victory in favor of the Sun Devils.
The Sun Devils will hit the road for the first time this season as they head to the 2011 Judi Garmen Classic in Fullerton, Calif. where they’ll play from Thursday-Saturday. Opponents include: Penn State, No. 6 Michigan, No. 19 ULL, Pacific and Boise State. First games are Thursday at 10 a.m. PT versus Penn State and 1 p.m. PT vs. No. 6 Michigan.