Sun Devils beat Aggies in Game 1 of Tempe Super Regional

With the bases loaded and two outs on the board, senior Kaylyn Castillo belted a walk-off two-RBI single to send the top-ranked Arizona State Sun Devils (54-6) one game closer to a Women's College World Series reprise in Oklahoma City with a 3-2 victory over Texas A&M (44-14) in game one of the NCAA Super Regional in Tempe, Ariz.

The energy was palatable in Farrington Stadium as Castillo took the plate. The Sun Devils loaded the bases on a now-scrutinized decision to walk senior Katelyn Boyd and a hit-by-pitch for Lesley Rogers, which sent the senior straight to first. With two outs and Castillo shouldering the Sun Devils last-ditch efforts for a victory, the senior smacked a single between the Texas A&M third baseman and short stop to send in the two winning runs for ASU.

A late bomb over the centerfield wall by Texas A&M sophomore pitcher Melissa Dumezich in the top of the seventh inning helped the 18th-ranked Aggies take a 2-1 lead over the Sun Devils in what had been a 1-1 stalemate since the fourth inning.

The slam by Dumezich was only 16th homerun Escobedo has allowed all season. The freshman ace, who is now 31-3 on the season, recorded 15 strike outs in only 22 at bats in the match-up.

The Sun Devils were the first to put points on the scoreboard in the bottom of the second with sophomore Sam Parlich belting a double in between the Texas A&M third baseman and shortstop to advance Krista Donnenwirth home for the score.

The Aggies came back in the top of the fourth inning off a solo homerun by Amber Garza over the right field wall. The bomb by Garza was just the 15th home run pitcher Dallas Escobedo has given up all season.

It only seemed fitting this would be the game where Arizona State would debut its new 2011 Pac-10 Championship banner in the outfield, right next to its 2008 Pac-10 Championship and NCAA Championship banners.

It was just three seasons ago the Sun Devils defeated the Texas A&M Aggies 11-0 in Oklahoma City en route to ASU's first NCAA softball Championship. The Sun Devils have advanced to the Women's College World Series in four of head coach Clint Meyers previous five years at the helm.

Farrington Stadium, no stranger to packed houses, hosted a sell-out crowd of 2,037 plus with standing room only seating the only tickets left for sale the morning of the first match up.

Game two between the Sun Devils and Aggies is scheduled for Friday at 6 p.m. at Farrington Stadium in Tempe, Ariz., with game three, if necessary, immediately following.