ASU softball launches to NCAA Championship series
<p><a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/w-softbl/stats/2010-2011/asu-bu.htm… Score</a></p><separator></separator><p><a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/view.gal?id=94436" target="_blank">Photo Gallery</a></p><separator></separator><p>A masterful performance by <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/w-softbl/mtt/escobedo_dallas00.html… Escobedo</a>, who struck out eight for a complete-game shutout, saw the No. 1 Arizona State Softball team collect a 4-0 win over the No. 11 Baylor Bears Sunday to advance to the NCAA WCWS Championship Series for the second time in program history. Escobedo moves to 35-3 on the year while ASU moves to 58-6 and two wins from a second NCAA title.<br /> <br /> The Sun Devils came to rock the party first after Dallas Escbedo danced out of the first inning unscathed before <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/w-softbl/mtt/urfer_mandy00.html">Ma… Urfer</a> rocked the first pitch she saw in the second over the right center wall to make it 2-0 game.<br /> <br /> After the ruckus in the second the pitching duel resumed with Whitney Canion and Dallas Esobedo working the magic through the next couple innings. While Escobedo remained unscathed through four complete the Sun Devils were able to add another to Canion’s tab as <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/w-softbl/mtt/castillo_kaylyn00.html… Castillo</a> lined a ball into right field only to come around on Annie Lockwood’s RBI double to right center to make it 3-0.<br /> <br /> Insurance is always a wise policy though which is just what the Sun Devils invested in, adding another run to the score in the seventh after a pinch hit by <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/w-softbl/mtt/rice_sarah00.html">Sar… Rice</a> was brought around to score on a single to right field by <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/w-softbl/mtt/rogers_lesley00.html">… Rogers</a> to make it 4-0. That’s all they’d need though as <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/w-softbl/mtt/escobedo_dallas00.html… Escobedo</a> returned to the circle to close out her 13th shutout of the season and third of the postseason<br /> <br /> The Sun Devils will now advance to the Championship Series for only the second time in program history, where they’ll face-off against No. 4 Florida starting tonight at 7 p.m. in Oklahoma City at ASA Hall of Fame Stadium.</p>