Jeremy Hawkes, Assistant Media Relations Director – Arizona State University
TEMPE – The No. 7 Arizona State University softball team (3-0) handled the North Carolina State Wolfpack (0-4), 9-1, in five innings on Friday night.
Senior pitcher Dallas Escobedo gave up her first run of the season in the second inning on a solo shot, but the Sun Devils answered back with three runs in the bottom half of the inning and never looked back.
Second baseman Nikki Girard hit a RBI single to center to score Elizabeth Caporuscio from third base. Then, after a walk by Bailey Wigness, Thursday night’s hero Cheyenne Coyle doubled in both Girard and Wigness.
“I love the fact that we up a run in the second inning, and then we answered back right away,” head coach Craig Nicholson said after the game. “That’s the mentality that we’re striving for.”
Escobedo dominated the Wolfpack lineup from that point, striking out eight and giving up only two hits in five innings pitched.
Junior Bethany Kemp went 2-for-3 and led the Sun Devils with 3 RBI, including a two-run home run – her first of the year – to left center in the bottom of the third to open the lead to 5-1.
Eight out of the nine Sun Devil hitters had at least one hit, and all nine hitters reached base.
Nicholson was impressed with the entire lineup’s performance from top to bottom.
“I think what you’re going to see from this team is different people performing on different days,” Nicholson said.
Alix Johnson scored the final run on Haley Steele’s fielder’s choice in the bottom of the fifth inning, ending the game on the run rule and giving the Sun Devils their third win of the season.
ASU will take on Penn State on Saturday night at 4:30 p.m. at Farrington Stadium. The game will be streamed live online via the Pac-12 Network.
