If the ASU softball team’s 2011 season opener is any indication of what is to come, it’s going to be a season of high-powered offense and dominant pitching.
Behind an 11-run first inning and five shutout innings from their pitching staff, the No. 10 Sun Devils (1-0) took home their first victory of the season with a 17-0 thumping of Western Michigan on Thursday night.
Freshman pitcher Dallas Escobedo made her collegiate debut and did not disappoint. She hurled three shutout innings while allowing only one hit and striking out four.
Despite some pregame nerves, Escobedo took to the circle and settled in quickly.
“In the first inning, we were warming up for about 15 minutes and it felt like forever already,” Escobedo said. “Going out there and pitching to a different team was finally like ‘I’m here.’ It was very exciting, but it worked out pretty well for me, I felt like.”
After Escobedo’s dominant first inning, the Sun Devils exploded at the plate with 11 unanswered runs.
Senior Krista Donnenwirth, who plays at third base, jumpstarted the scoring with an RBI double.
ASU was far from finished there. As WMU junior pitcher Meredith Whitney struggled with her control, the Sun Devils made her pay with six walks.
ASU sophomore Sam Parlich at second base drove a pitch way over the center field wall for a grand slam, making it a 6-0 score. ASU would tack on five more runs to hold an 11-0 lead after only one inning of play.
In the top of the second, Escobedo surrendered a long single off the bat of WMU freshman third baseman Myranda McDonald that caromed off the center field wall.
That would be it for the Broncos against Escobedo as the right-hander responded by striking out the next batter.
“That was her first college start and she went out there and was in complete control, even when the girl hit the ball off the wall,” ASU coach Clint Myers said. “She came right back with a lot of poise and confidence and got the next hitter. That’s what you’re looking for. Somebody who can go out there and learn and just keep growing.”
In the bottom of the third, it was redshirt freshman center fielder Lucy Aubrecht who pinch hit and proceeded to smack a double into the outfield to score two more and extend the lead to 13-0.
After Albrecht’s double, junior shortstop Katelyn Boyd drilled an RBI double off the right field wall to add two more runs.
While the potent ASU offense could easily have stolen the show, the pitching staff did its part as well.
Junior pitcher Hillary Bach took over for Escobedo in the top of the fourth inning and threw a scoreless frame.
Then redshirt freshman pitcher Mackenzie Popescue came in to close out the ballgame in the top of the fifth, and did just that.
Popescue allowed only a walked batter to reach base and struck out three straight batters in her lone inning of work to seal the ASU victory.
“I told Mack tonight, ‘that was the best drop that she threw tonight ever,’” Myers said. “I’ve never seen her ball go down that much.”
While the ASU pitchers were holding WMU to only two total hits, the Sun Devil offense continued to push runs across the plate.
ASU would finish with 17 runs on just 12 hits in the five innings of play.
The Sun Devils return to the diamond today against Cal Poly in the afternoon, which will be followed by the nightcap game against No. 22 Oklahoma State.
Myers said that Popescue would start against Cal Poly, with Escobedo getting the starting nod against Oklahoma State.
While it was clear that the Sun Devils enjoyed their first victory of 2011, they were already focused on their tough upcoming games.
“It was good to get this first win under our belt, but Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, we got to be ready for them,” Donnenwirth said. “They’re going to be really competitive and out for us so we’re going to try and get it done.”
ASU will then move on in the Kajikawa Classic on Saturday with matchups against No. 6 Oklahoma and Utah. The weekend finale will come on Sunday afternoon against San Jose State.
Reach the reporter at gregory.dillard@asu.edu
