TEMPE, Ariz. – No. 2 Arizona State, which opens play in the NCAA Tournament at 6:30 p.m. Friday against LIU Brooklyn, had four first-team selections, two second-team selections and three honorable mentions on the All-Pac-12 softbal tam.
ASU's first-teamers include two repeat performers: Senior shortstop Katelyn Boyd, a three-time selection, and sophomore pitcher Dallas Escobedo. They are joined on the first team by senior outfielder Annie Lockwood and sophomore outfielder Alix Johnson.
Boyd, a finalist for national player of the year, has 19 home runs 60 RBI and leads the Pac-12 with a .457 batting average. Johnson is hitting .442 with 10 home runs, and Lockwood has a .331 average and is second on the team with 49 RBI. Escobed is 20-4 with a 2.48 ERA and 179 strikeouts in 158 innings.
Senior pitcher Hillary Bach and freshman outfielder Elizabeth Caporuscio were named to the second team. Senior Talor Haro and freshman Amber Freeman and sophomore Bailey Wigness earned honorable meniton. Freeman, a catcher, and third baseman Haley Steele joined Caporuscio on the all-freshman team.
Pac-12 champion California won three of the conference's five individual honors: Player of the year Valerie Arioto, pitcher of the year Jolene Henderson and coach of the year Diane Ninemire. UCLA third baseman Stephany LaRosa is freshman of the year, and Stanford shortstop Ashley Hansen, a senior from Chandler, is the defensive player of the year.
ASU takes a 46-7 record into this weekend's NCAA Regional. LIU-Brooklyn (25-33, 13-7 Northeastern Conference) qualified as conference champions. The other teams in the regional field are Syracuse (40-14) and Long Beach State (28-23). They'll meet in Friday's early game at 3:30 p.m.
