April 2, 2011
Final Stats
BERKELEY - No. 4 Arizona State worked No. 8 California's hurler Arianna Erceg for 13 hits en route to a 7-2 win on Saturday afternoon at Levine-Fricke Field. After the Golden Bears (21-6 overall, 0-2 in the Pac-10) scored in the first, the Sun Devils (35-2, 2-0 in the Pac-10) scored twice in the fourth to pull ahead 2-1 and then dropped four runs in the fifth to gain the permanent lead.
The Bears tallied six hits off of Dallas Escobedo, who threw the complete-game win to up her record to 17-1. The series concludes Sunday at 11 a.m. in Berkeley.
As they did in Friday's game, the Bears struck first with Jace Williams plating Britt Vonk, who singled up the middle, for a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first.
The Bears got into trouble in the top of the fourth with the bases loaded and no outs. Designated player Alix Johnson hit a one hopper to Elia Reid in center, scoring second baseman Sam Parlich. With the bases still loaded, Mandy Urfer earned an RBI walk to push ASU ahead, 2-1. From there, the Bear defense shut it down with Jace Williams and Arianna Erceg fielding balls for the final two outs.
In the top of the fifth, the Sun Devils worked extremely well with no outs, driving in four runs thanks to an RBI fielder's choice from Krista Donnenwirth and then a three-run homer from Annie Lockwood to increase the Sun Devils' lead to 6-1.
The bottom of the sixth and top of the seventh saw the teams exchange homers with Lindsey Ziegenhirt and Annie Lockwood each tallying solo shots.
Bottom 1 - ASU 0, Cal 1:
After Ashley Decker grounded out, Britt Vonk sent the first pitch up the middle for a single. Vonk came home to score when Frani Echavarria tallied the first pitch for a perfectly placed double, with the ball falling in no man's land behind third base and just fair.
Bottom 3 - ASU 0, Cal 1:
Jace Williams had a two-out single, placing the ball close to the line in right field with neither right fielder Annie Lockwood nor second baseman Sam Parlich able to get close. Escobedo beaned Frani Echavarria to give Cal runners at first and second. After two foul balls deep to left, Escobedo got Lindsey Ziegenhirt on an upstairs pitch to get out of the jam, leaving two Bears stranded.
Top 4 - ASU 2, Cal 1:
Parlich hit the ball hard to second, where it was impossible for Jones to make the play. She moved to second when Donnenwirth slapped the ball over Erceg's head, forcing Vonk to make the play but the throw was not in time so ASU had two runners with no outs. Lockwood had a long and high fly ball, but Echavarria handled it for the first out. Castillo walked to load the bases with one away for designated player Alix Johnson, who hit a one-hopper to Elia Reid in left to score Parlich.
Urfer earned a full-count walk to bring in Kayla Ketchum, who was pinch running for Donnenwirth. Haro hit a chopper to Jace Williams at third and she made the throw to Ziegenhirt at the plate to get the advancing Castillo. Katelyn Boyd hit the first pitch back at Erceg, who fielded it and ran it towards Wallace at first before making the toss for the final out.
Bottom 4 - ASU 2, Cal 1:
With two away, Alex Robben dropped the ball into shallow center field. Boyd floated back on her heels to make the play but failed to do so, allowing Robben to reach. Escobedo struck out Elia Reid swinging to prevent Robben getting any further than first and ending the inning.
Top 5 - ASU 6, Cal 1:
Center fielder Lesley Rogers registered a lead-off double that bounced off the wall in center field, but thanks to Echavarria's arm, she held steady at second. Parlich hit a single to center, moving Rogers to third with no outs. Donnenwirth hit the ball towards the hot corner, with Vonk drifting over and throwing home but it was off target, allowing Rogers to score. With a 1-0 count, right fielder Annie Lockwood hit the stands in center field for a three-run homer.
Bottom 6 - ASU 6, Cal 2:
Lindsey Ziegenhirt sent the ball flying high and out, landing in the middle of the stands in center field for a solo shot.
Top 7 - ASU 7, Cal 2:
Lockwood sent it flying again with a straight shot to center. Castillo hit a double down the left-field line that bounced a foot fair and then was replaced by Bailey Wigness on the basepaths. Frani Echavarria made an incredible leaning catch, sprinting towards left to rob Johnson of a hit and nearly threw out the advancing Wigness at third. Urfer hit a powerful grounder at Victoria Jones, who dove and then threw her out at first from her knees.
