ASU Softball: Sun Devils Ousted by Michigan

This past weekend, the ASU softball team was eliminated by Michigan in the NCAA regional in Tempe.

After beating Dartmouth on Friday, then beating Michigan early Saturday, the ASU women were sitting pretty at 2-0.  But Michigan rallied the troops to beat Dartmouth, then beat the Sun Devils the next day in two hotly contested back to back games.

Michigan took the first game 5-4, then the second game 4-3.

Not even the heroics of veteran star pitcher Dallas Escobedo could get ASU over the hump.  Much credit needs to be given to the ladies from Michigan, as they played 3 must-win games in a row and won all three of them. 

This ends the season for the Sun Devil Softball team.  They finish with a final record of 46 wins and 12 losses (one tie).  It also is the end of the inaugural season for first year head coach, Craig Nicholson.  Nicholson replaced legendary softball coach Clint Myers, who left ASU for Auburn. 

It’s also the end of the line for pitching legend, Dallas Escobedo.  Escobedo was a highly touted pitcher from Phoenix St. Mary’s High School.  All Escobedo did in her career was win two National Championships and earn several MVP awards in the PAC-12 and nationally.

In that respect, it’s somewhat the end of an era for ASU softball.  There are still some Clint Myers signees on the roster.  And that will be the case for a couple more years to come.  But coach Nicholson and his staff will have to recruit, rebuild and reload.

Part of that rebuilding will involve moving on without Escobedo who was the face and the image of this ASU softball program.  Devils in Detail appreciates the efforts of Escobedo and her teammates during the magical run of the last four years.