The Arizona State softball team topped Syracuse 3-1 on the second day of play in the NCAA tournament's Tempe Regional on Saturday.
The Sun Devils (48-7), who have won both of their first two games, will play Sunday at 3 p.m. for the regional championship, with their opponent yet to be determined.
Sophomore pitcher Dallas Escobedo hurled a gem Saturday, striking out 11 and allowing just two hits in a dominant complete-game performance to improve to 21-4 on the season. Jenna Saira took the loss for the Orange (41-15), dropping to 25-8 on the year.
The teams were locked in a pitcher’s duel for much of the game, with a three-run fourth inning for ASU proving to be the difference.
Syracuse got on the board first on a Stephanie Watts double to left field in the first that brought in Lisaira Daniels from second. Escobedo would allow just one more hit over the course of the game, however, leaving it in the hands of the ASU offense to do the rest.
The Sun Devils struggled against Caira early, managing just two base runners on walks through the first 3 2/3 innings before a Haley Steele double down the left-field line and an Amber Freeman walk loaded the bases in the bottom of the fourth for Sam Parlich, who lined a single into left field to score Elizabeth Caporuscio and tie the score at 1-1 at one apiece.
Christina Zambrana followed that with a single to left-center that scored pinch runner Kayla Ketchum and Steele to make it 3-1.
From there, it was all Escobedo, as she allowed just one base runner -- that coming on a walk -- over the final three innings while posting four more strikeouts to finish off the win.
ASU improved to 22-1 at home in the NCAA tournament under head coach Clint Myers and is now 43-9 overall in tournament play with Myers at the helm.
The winner of the Saturday's elimination game between Long Beach State and LIU-Brooklyn will play Syracuse at 7 p.m., with the winner of that game taking on ASU on Sunday. The tournament features a double-elimination format; should ASU lose the first game Sunday, the second would take place at 7 p.m.
