Coming into the season’s final weekend, the No. 5 ASU softball team needed to close the regular season on a high note.
ASU (45-10, 16-8 Pac-12) did just that, taking the series from No. 2/3 Oregon (46-9, 19-5 Pac-12) at home.
“We feel confident, especially taking two out of three from Oregon, Pac-12 champs,” junior outfielder Alix Johnson said. “Game by game, we’re starting to play our best softball.”
ASU positioned itself for home-field advantage in the postseason by defeating the Pac-12 champion. The Sun Devils now will have to find out where they land in the ESPNU selection show Sunday at 7 p.m.
“I feel like we’ve been on a rollercoaster all year,” Escobedo said. “Right now we are starting to play our best softball.”
ASU rallies to take Game 1
Oregon started off the series Thursday by hitting the ball hard off ASU junior pitcher Dallas Escobedo. Sophomore Ducks outfielder Janie Takeda led off the game with a double. However, she was doubled off when the next hitter lined out to third.
After a scoreless second inning, Oregon took the lead in the third when Takeda homered to bring in two runs.
In the bottom of the inning, ASU countered. With two outs and two runners on, ASU strung together three consecutive hits, all producing runs, to take a 3-2 lead.
“From this point on you can’t squander base runners,” Myers said. “If you get them in scoring position, regardless of outs, you’ve got to get them in. We did a pretty good job when we needed to in that third inning.”
Oregon couldn’t get anything off junior pitcher Dallas Escobedo following the home run. After the home run, Escobedo retired 14 of the final 16 hitters she faced. Outside of Takeda, the Ducks hit .095 off Escobedo in the game with 10 strikeouts.
ASU clinches the series
For the second consecutive game Friday, ASU trailed in the third inning, this time a 2-1 deficit.
ASU loaded the bases off two walks and a hit batter in three consecutive hitters. Ducks freshman pitcher Cheridan Hawkins was abruptly taken out of the game after loading the bases.
Senior second baseman Sam Parlich stepped up with a bases-loaded single driving in two runs. Oregon senior second baseman Kaylan Howard and junior shortstop Courtney Ceo collided trying to field the chopper up the middle. Ceo had to be helped off the field, but Howard stayed in the game.
The following batter hit the ball at Howard and she booted the grounder, bringing in another ASU run. Junior catcher Lucy Aubrecht capped off the inning with an RBI single, putting ASU ahead 5-2.
Neither Ceo nor Howard played in Game 3.
Junior pitcher Mackenzie Popescue allowed the first two batters to reach in the fourth and fifth innings, ending her night in the fifth. ASU’s defense bailed her out in the fourth, and Escobedo stranded the inherited runners in the fifth.
Ducks Avoid Sweep
In the final game of the regular season Saturday, Oregon avoided a sweep behind four extra-base hits. The Ducks hit two home runs off Popescue, who had only allowed five prior all season.
ASU cut the lead to 4-2 behind Johnson’s two-run homer, but the Sun Devils didn’t get any closer.
Moore and Hawkins combined on a four-hitter, despite only recording one strikeout. In the first four innings, one ball left the infield.
Reach the reporter at Justin.Janssen@asu.edu or follow him on Twitter @jjanssen11
