Softball falls in series finale, 4-3, to Stanford
Second ranked Arizona State softball (36-4, 7-2 Pac-12) fell in the series finale, 4-3, at No. 14 Stanford (27-12, 5-7 Pac-12) on Sunday afternoon.
Dallas Escobedo took the loss for the Sun Devils, but still put up a solid performance in 6.0 innings pitched and nine strikeouts. Teagan Gerhart got the win after going the distance and striking out three.
Cheyenne Coyle kept her pace at the plate from the previous two games of the series and for the third time this weekend the Sun Devils got their first run on the board via a home run. Coyle belted a two-run shot to left that also plated Bailey Wigness, who reached on a single up the middle.
Just as quick as ASU got on the board, Stanford evened it up 2-2. In the bottom of the opening inning, the Cardinal got one runner in from a sacrifice fly and then a second with an RBI-single to left.
Cassandra Roulund gave Stanford its first lead of the series, 3-2, with a triple in the bottom of the third - she then scored on a wild pitch. The Cardinal stretched it to 4-2 in the fourth with a bases-loaded single that scored a run. Escobedo, who started for ASU in the circle, struck out the last two batters to keep Stanford from running away with it.
Arizona State cut the Cardinal lead to 4-3 in the top of the fifth after Elizabeth Caporuscio scored Abby Spiel on a double to right. It was as close as the Sun Devils would get though, eventually falling 4-3 but still getting the series with two wins on Saturday.
Up Next
The Sun Devils return to Farrington Stadium to host Washington starting at 5 p.m. PT, Friday, April 12 with a game on the Pac-12 Network. Saturday's 7 p.m. PT game will be on ESPN2. The series closes Sunday at 1 p.m. PT, with live radio by the Blaze, which is also available during the entire series.
Notes
Cheyenne Coyle has 14 home runs in 2013. Her two homers against Stanford, one on Sunday, tie her for 15th in single-season records at ASU. She is also 24th in single-season RBI (46).
All three games of the series at Stanford had ASU hitting a home run for the first run of the game in the first inning.
ASU has homered in the last 12-consecutive games, dating back to March 15 against No. 15 Michigan.
Dallas Escobedo picked up a win on Saturday and now has 80 in her career, good for fourth outright at ASU.
Amber Freeman now ranks 20th in single-season RBI records with 49. The sophomore is also tied for 17th in single-season homers with 13 this year. She is one RBI shy of breaking the Top 20 in career records, she has 89 and needs one more to tie Holly Smith's 90, recorded 1997-99. Her 26 career homers rank her at 12th.
Sam Parlich is tied for 11th in career RBI with 115. She has 31 RBI in 2013.
Marketing Promotions
Friday: Military Appreciation Night. Photo Friday. All fans can stick around after the game to have their pictures taken with the team in the outfield.
Saturday: Blackout Game. The first 250 fans to Farrington will receive one of the collectible All-American posters. Autographs postgame.
Sunday: Family Four Pack Night. Run the bases postgame.