Looking Back at the NCAA Champions: 2011 Arizona State Sun Devils

Photo courtesy Arizona State Athletics

Fall practice has wrapped up around the country in Division I, which allows us to set our sights on the 2024 season that lies ahead.

Early focus will be centered on the University of Oklahoma as they begin the quest to become the first team in Division I history to win four consecutive national championships.

The Sooners tied UCLA (1988, 1989, 1990) as the only teams to ever win three consecutive titles when they defeated Florida State to claim the 2023 title.

Extra Inning Softball will be reviewing the 41 national champions that have previously hoisted the trophy.

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2011 Arizona State Sun Devils

The Venue: ASA Hall of Fame Stadium, Oklahoma City, Okla.

The Head Coach: Clint Myers

The Players (Women’s College World Series Roster): Kayla Ketchum, Bailey Wigness, Mary Spiel. Christina Zambrana, Jessica Donovan, Lesley Rogers, Sarah Rice, Hillary Bach, Krista Donenwirth, Dallas Escobedo, Lucy Abrecht, Katelyn Boyd, Michelle Nulliner, Sam Parlich, Talor Haro, Breanna Kaye, Lacy Goodman, Nikole Afusia, Kaylyn Castillo, Alix Johnson, Mandy Urfer, Dani Rae Loughheed, Annie Lockwood, Mackenzie Popescue

The Regular Season: After having its streak of four consecutive Women’s College World Series appearances snapped at four in 2010, Arizona State entered the 2011 season with a renewed sense of determination. The Sun Devils finished the regular season with a 50-6 record and finished first in the Pac-10 Conference standings with a 17-4 mark. Arizona State opened the season by winning 27 of its first 28 games and concluded the year with an 11-game winning streak. The Sun Devils featured a balanced offensive attack in 2011 as all nine starters hit over .300 for the year led by Katelyn Boyd who hit .429 on the season. She also added 18 home runs, 66 RBIs, 79 runs scored and was a perfect 20-for-20 in stolen base attempts. Annie Lockwood batted .339 with 18 homers and a team-leading 72 RBIs and Sam Parlich (13) and Mandy Urfer (12) also reached double figures in home runs. Talor Haro (.366), Kaylyn Castillo (.353) and Alix Johnson (.350) all finished the season with a .350, or better, batting average. Dallas Escobedo paced the Sun Devils in the circle as she was 37-3 with a 1,51 earned run average and struck out 328 batters in 255.1 innings pitched. Arizona State featured a deep pitching staff as Mackenzie Popescue was 13-3 with a 2.22 ERA and Hillary Bach went 10-0 with a 2.79 ERA. Escobedo (1st Team), Castillo (1st Team) and Boyd (1st Team) each were named an All-American.

The Regional: Arizona State began the postseason by hosting the NCAA Tempe Regional and featured North Dakota State, San Diego State, Long Beach State and the Sun Devils. Arizona State began a dominant run through the Tempe Regional with a 10-0 victory over North Dakota State. Annie Lockwood hit two home runs and drove in four runs, Lesley Rogers drove in three runs and Sam Parlich and Kaylyn Castillo each hit home runs to power the Sun Devils offense. Dallas Escobedo picked up the win in the circle as she threw a three-hit shutout. Arizona State posted another run-rule win in its second game of the regional as the Sun Devils blanked Long Beach State 8-0. Katelyn Boyd went 3-for-3, homered and drove in four runs and Parlich and Mandy Urfer also homered for the Sun Devils. Escobedo secured her second win of the regional by throwing a two-hit shutout and striking out eight. Arizona State secured its spot in the Super Regional with a 6-1 victory as the Sun Devils used a late offensive outburst to pull away from the Aztecs. Boyd led off the game with a home run for Arizona State and increased the lead to 2-0 in the sixth inning on a home run from Lockwood. San Diego State cut the deficit to 2-1 in the bottom of the sixth inning with a run but Arizona State scored four times in the top of the seventh to pull away. Escobedo earned her third win of the regional as she allowed four hits in 7.0 innings pitched.

The Super Regional: Arizona State stayed at home for the Super Regional as it hosted Texas A&M. Game one featured a walk-off victory for the Sun Devils as they posted a 3-2 win. Sam Parlich gave the Sun Devils an early lead as her double in the second inning scored Kayla Ketchum giving ASU a 1-0 lead. Amber Garza tied the game for Texas A&M with a home run in the fourth inning and the Aggies took a 2-1 lead when Mel Dumezich homered in the top of the seventh inning. With one out in the bottom of the seventh inning, pinch-hitter Lucy Aubrecht drew a walk and pinch-runner Michelle Nulliner advanced to second on a wild pitch. After a foul out, Katelyn Boyd drew a walk and Lesley Rogers was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Kaylyn Castillo delivered a single through the left side of the infield, which allowed Nulliner and Boyd to race home with the winning runs. With a trip to the Women’s College World Series on the line, Arizona State wasted little time in getting on the scoreboard in game two. Castillo hit a two-run home run to leftfield in the top of the first inning giving the Sun Devils a quick 2-0 lead. ASU upped the lead to 4-0 in the top of the fifth inning on an RBI from Parlich and a sacrifice fly from Alix Johnson. Texas A&M cut the lead in half with two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning, but Dallas Escobedo held the Aggies off the board for the remainder of the game.

The Field at the Women’s College World Series: Alabama, Arizona State, Baylor, California, Florida, Missouri, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State

The Sun Devils at the Women’s College World Series: Arizona State opened the WCWS against Oklahoma, and Dallas Escobedo outdueled Keilani Ricketts leading the Sun Devils to a 3-1 win. Mandy Urfer broke a scoreless tie in the bottom of the fourth inning with a two-run single giving the Sun Devils a 2-0 lead, but Oklahoma responded with a run in the top of the fifth inning to cut the lead to 2-1. Katelyn Boyd added an insurance run for ASU in the bottom of the fifth inning with a home run to extend the lead to 3-1. Escobedo locked down the Sooners the rest of the way as she allowed just five hits and struck out six to pick up the win. Arizona State faced Florida in its second game of the WCWS and Annie Lockwood powered the Sun Devils to a 6-5 victory in a back-and-forth affair as ASU jumped out to a big early lead only to see the Gators rally to take the lead. Lockwood gave the Sun Devils a 1-0 lead in the first with an RBI single and Arizona State extended the lead to 3-0 in the second inning on a Gator error and an RBI single from Boyd. Arizona State continued its early momentum as Urfer homered to left centerfield in the third inning giving the Sun Devils a 4-0 lead, but the Gators would storm back. Florida used a pair of home runs and an RBI double to plate five runs and take a 5-4 lead in the fourth inning. Lockwood answered with a home run in the bottom of the fourth inning to tie the game at 5-5. In a wild bottom of the seventh inning that saw the Sun Devils have the potential winning run thrown out at the plate, Lockwood ended the game with a single to left that scored Boyd giving ASU the 6-5 win. Arizona State claimed a spot in the championship finals behind a brilliant outing from Escobedo. She pitched a five-hit shutout and struck out eight batters as Arizona State defeated Baylor 4-0. Urfer continued her hot hitting as she belted a two-run homer giving ASU a 2-0 lead in the top of the second inning. Lockwood extended the ASU lead to 3-0 in the fifth inning with an RBI double and Lesley Rogers added an infield single in the seventh that plated the Sun Devils fourth run of the game.

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