Softball collects third straight Pac-10 sweep

With Katelyn Boyd and Kaylyn Castillo going three-for-four at the plate and Mackenzie Popescue dealing in the circle, giving up only four hits, the top-ranked ASU Softball team collected their third straight Pac-10 series sweep Sunday afternoon, downing No. 13 Washington 6-2. The win moves Popescue to 13-2 on the year as ASU improves to 48-5 overall and 15-3 in Pac-10 play with a two game lead with only three left to play. UW drops to 32-13 overall and 7-11 in conference action as well.

The Sun Devils wasted no time in getting the party started as they put three on the board in the first inning with RBIs from Kaylyn Castillo and Annie Lockwood before an illegal pitch plated Castillo to make it 3-0. While Popescue sliced and diced through the Huskies line-up for six scoreless innings ASU got back at it again in the fifth inning with two more runs coming in off a single to right field from Annie Lockwood again to make it 5-0.

An RBI single from Mandy Urfer in the seventh made it 6-0 before the Huksies had something to say about it with a single from Kaitlin Inglesby with one out in the seventh setting up a two-run shot to center field from Shawna Wright to make it 6-2. Popescue locked it up after that though to cruise to ASU’s 48th win on the year and put ASU one game from clinching a piece of the Pac-10 title and two from winning it outright.

The  Sun Devils will look to seal their second-ever Pac-10 title next weekend as they return home for the final weekend of regular season play, hosting the Stanford Cardinal Thursday-Saturday in Tempe at Farrington Stadium.