TEMPE, Ariz. - Western Illinois dropped both games of a doubleheader to nationally ranked Arizona State on Tuesday, March 15 at Farrington Stadium.
The Fighting Leathernecks (5-10) lost both contests in five innings as the No. 5 Sun Devils (26-1) extended their winning streak to 22 games this season.
"We had a couple innings where some errors led to some big innings for Arizona State," said head coach Holly Van Vlymen. "They are a really good team and if we cut down on those mistakes we're right there. I thought our pitchers did a good job tonight."
Arizona State used two five-run innings to pick up a 10-0 win in game one before putting up nine runs in the second inning of game two en route to a 12-4 win.
Western Illinois will return to action tomorrow when they take on UNLV in Las Vegas at 5 p.m. (CST). The live Rocky Vision broadcast will begin approximately a half hour before the first pitch.
Game One - Arizona State 10, Western Illinois 0 (5 innings)
The Sun Devils posted back-to-back five run innings to put Western Illinois behind early in the first game on Tuesday. Arizona State scored five runs on three hits and two errors in the first inning.
Katlyn Boyd walked to start the inning and scored on an RBI triple in the next at bat. An RBI single and the two errors would lead to the next two runs before an RBI groundout ended the scoring.
Arizona State plated five more runs in the next frame, capped off by a three-run homer to left center by Mandy Urfer. The Sun Devils also scored on an RBI double and a one-run single in the inning.
The Leathernecks picked up just three hits and were never able to advance a runner past first base as Dallas Escobedo picked up the complete-game victory.
Escobedo (12-0) remained perfect on the year while recording six strikeouts without issuing a walk. She faced just 17 batters in the contest and threw 77 pitches.
Hailey Bickford (1-2) was saddled with the loss after allowing five runs (four earned) in one inning. She allowed three hits and walked two batters.
Jamie Goss was 1-for-2 at the plate and also pitched one inning in relief. It was her first career appearance in the pitching circle and her first since high school. She allowed five runs on four hits.
Kelsey Michelini tossed 2.0 scoreless innings in relief. Colleen Biebel and Erin Schlotfeldt also finished the game 1-for-2 as the Leathernecks were outhit 10-3.
Urfer led the Sun Devils with three RBI and two other Arizona State players drove in two runs. The Sun Devils were perfect in the field while the Leathernecks committed two errors.
Game Two - Arizona State 12, Western Illinois 4 (5 innings)
Arizona State used a nine-run second inning to put Western Illinois away in the second game on Tuesday. The Sun Devils also put up a single run in the third and two in the fifth to close out the game.
Urfer got things started with an RBI single through the left side before Boyd's grand slam made it 5-0 with no outs in the second inning.
The Leathernecks also committed two errors in the inning that led to three more runs before Urfer capped off the scoring with another RBI single.
The Sun Devils tacked on another run thanks to Sam Parlich's solo homer in the third inning. Neither team was able to score in the fourth but the Leathernecks did mount a rally in the fifth.
Biebel's RBI single up the middle made it 10-1 with no outs and Beth Golitko cleared the bases with a three-run double in the next at bat to cut the deficit to 10-4.
Western was unable to plate another run in the inning and Arizona State closed the game out with two runs on two hits, including another Boyd home run, in the bottom of the fifth.
Hillary Bach (7-0) picked up the win after allowing four runs on seven hits in 4.0 innings. She walked two and recorded two strikeouts on the day.
Michelini (1-5) suffered the loss by allowing four runs (three earned) on three hits in one inning of work. She walked three and struck out one.
Ashley Campbell tossed 3.2 innings in relief and allowed eight runs (five earned) on seven hits with a walk and one strikeout.
Biebel and Golitko each finished 2-for-3 while Biebel scored a run. Nikki Marinec, Alex Pflieger and Briana Williams also scored in the contest.
Western Illinois was outhit 10-7 and committed three errors while Arizona State was perfect in the field. The Sun Devils recorded their 22 win in a row at home.
