Heading into the 2011 Kajikawa Classic, the ASU softball team knew pitching would be paramount to the team’s success.
Behind four wins from freshman pitcher Dallas Escobedo and a win from junior pitcher Hillary Bach, the Sun Devils (5-1) capped off an impressive first weekend of their season.
After ASU run ruled Western Michigan on Thursday night by a final score of 17-0, the Sun Devils handed Cal Poly, No. 22 Oklahoma State, No. 9 Oklahoma and San Jose State losses. The lone defeat of the weekend came against Utah on Saturday night.
“We saw some things that we need to work on,” ASU coach Clint Myers said. “We saw some good things with our pitching. We saw some things that we need to mentally address with our hitters, but I thought we played pretty good defense and made some nice plays. It’s one of those we just got to keep going.”
Video by Fahim Rasul
Cal Poly (1-4) was ASU’s first opponent on Friday, and the Sun Devils jumped out to a 5-0 lead behind back-to-back home runs from senior first basemen Mandy Urfer and freshman outfielder Alix Johnson.
But the Mustangs did not fold easily as they knotted the score at 5-5 on a two-out, two-run home run in the seventh inning to force an extra frame.
In the eighth, a RBI single from sophomore second basemen Sam Parlich gave ASU the 6-5 lead. Then Escobedo came on in relief to earn the victory, and locked down the 6-5 Sun Devil win.
ASU then faced off against Oklahoma State (4-1) on Friday night, and it was a pitcher’s duel from the start against a pair of talented freshmen pitchers in Escobedo and OSU pitcher Simone Freeman.
Escobedo shut down the Cowgirl lineup with 11 strikeouts and allowed only two hits over seven innings.
Senior third basemen Krista Donnenwirth provided all the offense for ASU when she smacked an inside pitch off the scoreboard in left field for a solo home run in the fourth inning.
It was all the Sun Devils needed for the 1-0 win.
The marquee matchup of the weekend came Saturday afternoon against the Sooners (5-1).
After Urfer, freshman left fielder Talor Haro, and junior shortstop Katelyn Boyd all reached base in the third inning, junior right fielder Annie Lockwood hit a towering grand slam to push ASU ahead 4-0.
Escobedo was dominant once again for ASU with 11 more strikeouts, but the right-hander faced some trouble in the fourth inning when OU struck back-to-back home runs to make it a 4-3 score.
That was all the Sooners would get though, as Escobedo regained control and sealed the one-run win.
“I felt great during that whole game, even though I gave up the home runs,” Escobedo said. “I just shook them off because I knew it was going to happen sometime. They’re a great hitting team.”
In game two on Saturday, Bach toed the rubber against the Utes (3-2) and proceeded to throw five stellar shutout innings.
“[I was] excited to get a chance,” Bach said. “It felt good to be back on the field, under the lights, good fan base, it was fun for five innings. We definitely took advantage of the drop ball today. I’m just trying to keep them on their toes in an out so they can’t expect what’s coming.”
But freshman pitcher Mackenzie Popescue came on in relief, and surrendered a three-run walk off home run to Utah first basemen Tia Palauni in the bottom of the eighth inning, giving the Utes a 3-1 victory.
After the stunner one night before, ASU returned on Sunday to defeat San Jose State, 11-3.
Behind timely hitting and some poor defense by the Spartans (2-4), ASU scored early and often. The Sun Devils plated four runs in the first inning, followed by three runs in both the second and third innings.
Bach was impressive again with five innings of work allowing only one run and three hits.
Then with the score at 10-3, it was senior catcher Kaylyn Castillo who blasted a walk- off home run to left to capture the run rule win for ASU.
“I was honestly surprised because I thought someone was hitting for me,” Castillo said. “So I had to grab my stuff and run out there, but apparently that was better, maybe I should do that every time. I was looking for a ball up in the zone and I got it.”
Reach the reporter at gregory.dillard@asu.edu
