Errors give softball win over Cal in Pac-10 opener

<p><a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/w-softbl/stats/2010-2011/asu-cal1.h… Score</a></p><separator></separator><p>&nbsp;</p><separator></separator><p>&nbsp;</p><separator></separator><p>A stellar pitching duel that ended in costly errors in favor of the Sun Devils gave the No. 4 ASU Softball team a 3-1 win to open Pac-10 play Friday as they beat the No. 8 Cal Golden Bears. <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/w-softbl/mtt/escobedo_dallas00.html… Escobedo</a> took the win to move to 16-1 on the year as Jolene Henderson drops to 20-3. The Sun Devils now hold at 34-2 overall and 1-1 in Pac-10 play as Cal drops to 21-5 on the year and 0-1 in conference play.<br /><br />The Bears clawed their way onto the board first as they put a run across in the third inning after back-to-back singles set up Jace Williams to take a 1-2 pitch to left field for an RBI single bringing Ashley Decker home.<br /><br />That was all that <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/w-softbl/mtt/escobedo_dallas00.html… Escobedo</a> was going to allot the Bears as she dug in to shut down the grizzly offense while her own bats went to work in the sixth. The Sun Devils put together some two-out lightning in the sixth as <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/w-softbl/mtt/castillo_kaylyn00.html… Castillo</a> got it all started during her two-for-three game at the plate with a single to right. Following her lead fellow senior <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/w-softbl/mtt/urfer_mandy00.html">Ma… Urfer</a> knocked one down the left field line to put two on before <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/w-softbl/mtt/haro_talor00.html">Tal… Haro</a> tied it all up knocking one to center to bring home Castillo.<br /><br />Still two on and two outs, top of the order Kaitlin Boyd put a 2-1 pitch into play over to short where Britt Vonk was unable to handle the throw tossing it in the dirt as the Sun Devils on base were hauling all the way to bring in two and take the 3-1 lead.<br /><br /><a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/w-softbl/mtt/escobedo_dallas00.html… Escobedo</a> had all the cushion she needed though as she gave up only one hit in the sixth and seventh to close out her 16th win of the season and push ASU’s winning streak to seven straight.<br /><br />The Sun Devils are back at it again tomorrow as they set to face the Golden Bears again at 1 p.m. PT in Berkeley, Calif. at Levine-Fricke Field.</p>