East Carolina University
Arizona State
No. 9 Arizona State Tops ECU
March 04, 2011 | Softball
March 4, 2011
Arizona State Box Score | Arizona State Box Score in PDF Format 
TEMPE, Ariz. - No. 9 Arizona State proved to be too much for the Pirates as the host Sun Devils defeated ECU 11-0 in five innings Friday night at the Wilson/DeMarini Invitational. Alix Johnson and Mandy Urfer each drove in two runs for ASU (13-1) while Johnson also scored a pair. For ECU (13-5), freshman Kristi Oshiro had two of the team's three hits with two singles.
Senior Toni Paisley (10-3) took the loss for the Pirates after allowing 11 runs, eight earned, on 12 hits and three walks during the four innings. Arizona State freshman ace Dallas Escobedo (8-0) recorded the win as she fanned 10 and gave up only two walks and a trio of hits.
Arizona State jumped on the Pirates for a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first. All-America honoree Katelyn Boyd led off the inning with a single up the middle and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Talor Haro. Sam Parlich sent a single just over Chelsea Kaluhiokalani-Glackin at shortstop, but Boyd held at second base on the play, making sure the ball would drop safely. Krista Donnenwirth brought home the first run with a single to center field. Annie Lockwood followed with a grounder to Oshiro, who tried to force out Donnenwirth at second, but Kaluhiokalani-Glackin dropped the ball and the bases were loaded. Kaylyn Castillo fouled out to junior Suzanne Riggs in left, but Lesley Rogers singled through the left side to make it a 2-0 lead. A groundout to Paisley closed the inning.
The Sun Devils had another chance to score in the second, but could not convert. With two outs, Haro beat out an infield single and Parlich reached on an error before Donnenwirth grounded into a fielder's choice that ended the inning.
The Pirates had their best scoring opportunity in the top of the third. Kaluhiokalani-Glackin led off by being hit by a pitch and Oshiro followed with her second single of the contest. A sacrifice bunt by Rebecca Lee moved both runners up a base with one out. Escobedo got out of trouble by striking out Riggs swinging and freshman Jordan Lewis looking.
In the bottom of the frame, Arizona State tacked on three more runs for a 5-0 advantage. Lockwood led off with a single to center. Pinch runner Kayla Ketchum entered for Lockwood and stole second base. A groundout by Castillo moved Ketchum to third before Rogers drew a four-pitch walk to put runners on the corners with one out. A triple by Johnson cleared the bases and made it a 4-0 lead for the hosts. Urfer made it 5-0 with a single she dropped into right field just out of the reach of a diving Oshiro at second base that brought home Johnson. Paisley retired the Sun Devils with a lineout and groundout.
ASU put the game out of reach in the bottom of the fourth with six runs to make it an 11-0 lead. During the inning, Castillo, Urfer and Boyd drove in runs while Parlich scored on a wild pitch. Johnson and Urfer also came home on fielding errors by the Pirates.
In the fifth, ECU recorded its final hit of the contest as freshman pinch hitter Abby Wynne doubled to left field.
East Carolina resumes action Saturday with a pair of games against Missouri Valley Conference teams. The Pirates face Creighton at 11:00 a.m. and Northern Iowa at approximately 1:00 p.m.
