Arizona State loses first Pac-12 series, falls to third in conference

On paper, it should have been an easy weekend for Arizona State softball on the road in Utah, but the Sun Devils ended up losing their first Pac-12 series of the season.

With two losses against the Utes, the Sun Devils (39-7, 10-5) fell to third place in the Pac-12 standings, three games back of conference-leading Oregon.

The series came down to getting big hits in big situations. ASU left 25 runners on base in three games compared to Utah who left only 16. Look no further than ASU’s game one extra-inning loss. In the top of the eighth inning with runners on first and second and one out, Sam Parlich lined into an inning-ending double play which kept the score tied at four.

The Utes took advantage of the momentum in the bottom of the inning getting a walk-off double from Shelby Pacheco handing Mackenzie Popescue her second loss of the season.

After a Saturday rainout, the teams played a doubleheader on Sunday. In the first game, Popecue took her third loss of the season while Utah’s Kayce Nieto earned her seventh win on the year.

In another one-run game, the Sun Devils fell behind early when Popescue allowed four runs in the first inning. After digging such a big hole the Sun Devils did mount a comeback by scoring a run in the third, fourth and fifth innings, but it was not enough as ASU continued to struggle with leaving runners on base.

A bright spot in game one of the doubleheader was Dallas Escobedo who relieved Popecue after only an inning and a third and finished the game with four and one-third innings of one-hit ball.

The Sun Devils bounced back in game two of the double header earning a 6-4 victory in the getaway game. It was not easy, however, as the Devils found themselves down a run in the top of the seventh. For a team that had struggled to get the big hits in the first two games of the series, they finally got one during the top of the seventh on Sunday.

With runners at the corners and one out, Parlich found herself in a situation to take the lead. After failing on Friday to get the lead run in during extra innings, she redeemed herself in game three. Parlich proceeded to hit a three-run homer that gave the Devils a 6-4 lead. That score held up to give the Sun Devils their 39^th victory of the season.

ASU will look to redeem themselves this weekend against California in a three game series that begins Friday at Farrington Stadium.

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