Softball heads to Women's College World Series
Arizona State softball will be making its 11th program trip to the Women's College World Series in Oklahoma City after beating Kentucky 5-2 on Sunday, May 26 in the Tempe Super Regional. The Sun Devils open play at 4 p.m. PT, on May 30 against Texas on ESPN2.
The program's 11th Women's College World Series appearance in program history is the seventh under Clint Myers. More information about opponents and game times will be update on thesundevils.com as well as the NCAA website here. All games at the WCWS will be broadcast on TV on the ESPN Networks.
Sunday's deciding game saw the score tie twice before Arizona State was able to take command in the top of the seventh on a two-run homer by Haley Steele. Dallas Escobedoimproves to 30-4 with the 5-2 victory; she is now 5-0 (1.24 ERA) in the postseason this year.
Kentucky finishes the season 41-21 overall while ace Kelsey Nunley took the loss for a final 27-11 record in the circle.
Cheyenne Coyle continued her dominance in the series with an RBI single to right in the top of the first that plated Alix Johnson from second base.
Kentucky tied it 1-1 in the bottom of the second with its fifth homer of the series, a solo shot to left center by Nikki Sagermann. It marked the third full-count long ball for the Wildcats over the weekend.
After ASU bounced back to make it 2-1 in the top of third, UK answered to tie it again in the bottom of the frame, 2-2. Coyle reached via walk and then crossed home on a single to center by Haley Steele for the lead. Kentucky got its second run on an RBI single to center by Emily Jolly to make it 2-2.
It took until the top of the seventh for Arizona State to pull ahead, doing so on a two-run shot by Haley Steele to left. It was her 11th home run of the season and the team's 94th. The Sun Devils held on for the 5-2 victory after Escobedo closed out the bottom of the frame three up, three down.
UP NEXT
ASU will play in the Women's College World Series in Oklahoma City with its opening game on Thursday, May 30 at 4 p.m. PT against Texas aired on ESPN2. The complete schedule is posted on the NCAA website, here.
NOTES
ASU is 83-47 in the NCAA Tournament. Holding a 30-3 record at Farrington Stadium under Clint Myers.
Dallas Escobedo has 91 career wins (2nd all-time at ASU) and ties for third in single-season marks with 30.
ASU is 43-4 when scoring first and 24-2 when scoring in the first inning.
ASU has 126 two-out RBI on the year, two coming off Steele's two-run homer in the top of the seventh.
ASU has 48 home run games this season. Coming into the weekend, ASU ranked fourth nationally in homers with 1.59/game.
All of ASU's WCWS appearances (7) under Myers have come after hosting a Super Regional in Tempe. Lone year without an appearance was 2010.
The ASU softball program is 18-16 in the WCWS. Clint Myers is 14-8 in the WCWS in six completed appearances. The last time ASU went to the WCWS was in 2012, finishing fourth.
IN THE POSTSEASON
Myers: 53-13; 30-3 at home in postseason
ASU Program History: 83-47, 25th appearance
ASU in WCWS: 18-16, 11 appearances
Myers in WCWS: 14-8, 7 appearances
Escobedo: 19-4; 5-0 (1.24 ERA) in 2013
Popescue: 0-0; 0-0 (0.00 ERA) in 2013, 1 save in 2013
TEMPE SUPER REGIONAL RESULTS
Game 1 | ASU 5, Kentucky 4
Game 2 | ASU 5, Kentucky 2
Kentucky eliminated with a final record of 41-21