The fifth-ranked Arizona State team finished off a three-game sweep of rival Arizona on Sunday with a come-from-behind 7-6 win in which the Devils rallied from a six-run deficit.
ASU improved to 30-3 overall and 2-0 in Pac-12 and has swept UA 11 times in the series' history. The Devils also earned one point for the school in the State Farm Territorial Cup series. The Wildcats fell to 19-8 overall and 0-3 in conference play.
Hillary Bach picked up the win for Arizona State, improving to 14-0 overall with a 0.77 ERA. Bach is now third in ASU history with 80 career wins. Dallas Escobedo started and did not factor into the decision after allowing five runs in three innings.
Haley Steele hit her first career grand slam in the sixth to spark a six-run inning that put ASU on top after entering the frame with 6-1 deficit. It was Steele's sixth home run and ASU's second grand slam of the season.
The Devils came from behind in all three wins over the weekend.
Arizona started the scoring with a pair of runs n the top of the third, as Nicole Bryan came home on a passed ball and Hallie Wilson came home on a Brigette Del Ponte hit.
UA made it a 6-0 game in the top of the fourth, scoring four runs on two hits and one error. The big hit came off the bat of Baillie Kirker, who drove in three runs with a pinch-hit double. Kristen Arriola also hit a solo homer in the inning.
ASU answered in the bottom of the frame, scoring its first run of the game when Steele came home on a Bethany Kemp single to right, making it 6-1.
The Sun Devils got back within 6-5 on Steele's grand slam in the sixth, an inning in which they racked up six runs on five hits.
Back-to-back walks scored ASU’s final two runs of the inning, giving the Devils their first lead of the game. Taylor Haro scored the tying run on Alix Johnson’s walk, and pinch
hitter Amber Freeman was the go-ahead run after Annie Lockwood reached
on base on balls.
Arizona starter Shelby Babcock was replaced by Kenzie Fowler during the barrage, but Babcock re-entered the game five batters later. Fowler took the loss and fell to 8-3 overall.
Bach then recorded the three final outs in the top of the seventh to secure the win in front of a crowd of 2, 065 at Farrington Stadium.
