ASU softball rallies, holds off Washington

Published Apr. 14, 2013 11:14 p.m. ET

foxsports

TEMPE, Ariz. -- Dallas Escobedo led the Arizona State softball team to a 2-1 win over No. 14 Washington on Sunday to move into third on the school's all-time wins list with the 82nd of her career.

ASU improved to 38-5 overall and 9-3 in the Pac-12 a day after snapping Washington's (32-12, 10-5 Pac-12) eight-game winning streak. Both Nikki Girard and Haley Steele finished 2-for-3 at the plate.

After two scoreless innings at the start, Washington scored the first run of the afternoon in the top of the third. Kelli Suguro led off with a chopping double that landed on the left-field line halfway behind third base and the warning track. To that point, Escobedo had held the Huskies hitless. Kimberlee Souza then plated Suguro with a single to right, putting Washington ahead 1-0.

Neither pitcher had recorded a strikeout until Escobedo got a swinging strikeout in the fourth, a surprising stat especially for Escobedo, who ranks seventh nationally in strikeouts per seven innings (10.4) and first in the Pac-12 and fifth nationally in total strikeouts (221). In the fourth, Escobedo walked consecutive batters, a first this season, but escaped the jam.

The ASU offense took over from there, plating two runs in the bottom of the frame. Haley Steele led off with a double to left-center and scored immediately after on Elizabeth Caporuscio's 12th double of the season. With the bases loaded four batters later, pinch hitter Bethany Kemp singled through the left side to bring home Caporuscio and put the Devils on top. Kemp is now hitting an impressive .429 with the bases loaded and .400 in a pinch-hitting role.

ASU held on to its lead over the final three frames, ensuring the win for Escobedo, who is now 21-4 on the year. Escobedo had five strikeouts in the appearance, pushing her to fourth on the school's career list with 787 and tied for 10th in single-season strikeouts with 226.

Kaitlin Inglesby took the loss for Washington, dropping to 17-5 and finishing the weekend 1-1 in the circle.