By Eric Wein

Arizona Daily Wildcat

If Laura Espinoza had pointed toward the fences before stepping into the batter's box last night, hardly anybody would have thought much of it.

Espinoza, the shortstop for the UA softball team, was on a tear with a homer in both games of Arizona's 11-1 and 12-1 doubleheader sweep of ASU before 1,110 at Hillenbrand Stadium.

She set the NCAA season record with her 20th of the year on a grand slam high over the left-field bleachers in the first game.

Then, in the fifth inning of the second game, she added to that mark with a three-run homer over the right-center fence to assure that both games would end early because of the 10-run mercy rule.

Before the series, she thought she was four homers shy of the record.

"I had chills when I heard it," she said of the announcement that she had eclipsed the mark. "That's a big accomplishment for one person to make by herself. I'm really proud that I did that."

Her second blast put her close to another record. She has 69 RBI, one shy of tying the NCAA season record.

"She just looks good up there right now," Coach Mike Candrea said. "She has great hands and she is strong. I thought she has matured as a hitter this year. She is swinging at a lot better pitches and having good at-bats. She is for real."

Arizona State tried to avoid the danger Espinoza poses at the plate by opting to intentionally walk her in the first inning of game two.

But ASU pitcher Carrie James' third throw of that intentional walk flew away from catcher Julianne Castro, allowing Leah O'Brien to come home with the Wildcats' first run of the second game.

Espinoza has to now adjust to being called a slugger.

"I find it flattering, but a lot of times I laugh because I get embarrassed," Espinoza said. "I'm not one to walk around (and say) 'Oh yeah, I hit so many home runs.'"

The Wildcats' offense was solid, producing a run in all but one of the 10 innings played last night and outhitting the Sun Devils 29-13.

On a night that saw Susie Parra's eighth homer as the only other power source, the Wildcats relied more on bunting, stealing and moving runners over with sacrifices to score.

"I never dreamed of an output they've had offensively," Candrea said. "You look around the country and you look at other teams _ it's phenomenal."

The Arizona lineup is so potent that offense can come from anywhere, as it did last night. No. 9 hitter Krista Gomez went 5 for 6 with four runs and Nancy Evans went 5 for 6 with two doubles in the six spot.

Arizona (37-1 overall, 8-0 in the Pacific 10 Conference) survived a night when the pitchers did not steal the show.

In the first game, Parra (15-1) struck out four and scattered seven hits. But Parra had a rare three wild pitches and hit one batter.

Nancy Evans (10-0) came on in the second game and allowed a first-inning homer but settled down with a six-hit win.

"I can never remember a time of ever beating ASU so convincingly," Candrea said. "That's great but it is expected of this team." Read Next Article