Fifth-ranked Arizona State and 14th-ranked Arizona needed extra innings to settle the opener of their three-game series Friday night, and Elizabeth Caporuscio finished things off in dramatic fashion, hitting a two-run walk-off homer to center field in the bottom of the eighth to give ASU a 4-2 win.
In a game that featured two of the nation's most prolific offenses, Arizona (19-6, 0-1 Pac-12) outhit ASU (29-3, 1-0 Pac-12) 7-4 as neither team could string together much offense.
Dallas Escobedo pitched all eight innings for the Sun Devils and allowed two runs on seven hits while striking out eight. Escobedo improved to 11-2 with the win.
Kenzie Fowler took the loss in relief of Shelby Babcock for Arizona. Fowler entered in the fifth inning with the bases loaded and one out but retired the next two hitters to escape the jam. Fowler was sharp the rest of the way, not allowing a hit until the walk-off homer. She pitched 2 2/3 innings and allowed the two runs on one hit while walking two and striking out two. Fowler dropped to 8-2 with the loss.
Babcock was solid through four innings (three hits, two runs, two strikeouts) before running into trouble in the fifth, when she walked the loaded bases with one out before being lifted for Fowler.
Arizona took an early lead with the help of two Escobedo walks to lead off the game. After a groundout moved the runners over, Jessica Spigner drove in Hallie Wilson with a sacrifice fly to give the Wildcats the 1-0 lead.
UA added to its lead in the third, as a pair of singles and a walk loaded the bases with just one out in the frame. After a Brigette Del Ponte strikeout, Spigner was hit by Escobedo’s 0-2 offering to drive in her second run of the game.
ASU answered with a two-out rally in the third inning, as an Alix Johnson double was followed by a no-doubt homer off the bat of Annie Lockwood to tie the score at 2-2.
Both teams loaded the bases in the fifth but got nothing to show for it, and the teams traded zeroes until the eighth.
In the top of the eighth, Koria drew a leadoff walk but was doubled off first when Shelby Pendley popped up a sacrifice-bunt attempt. Chelsea Goodacre followed with a two-out double, but Kristen Arriola flew out to end the threat.
With the heart of the ASU order up, Fowler walked the leadoff hitter in the bottom of the eighth. Caporuscio, who showed sac bunt on Fowler’s first offering, then swung away at the 0-1 pitch and drove it well over the center-field wall to end the game.
Spigner drove in two runs for Arizona, giving her 25 on the season, while Wilson and Arriola each had a pair of hits.
Lockwood and Caporuscio each had two RBIs for the Sun Devils, who had just four hits as a team but made them count.
The two teams meet again Saturday at 7 p.m. in a game that will be webcast live on FOXSportsArizona.com. ASU will go for the series sweep and the State Farm Territorial Cup point.
