2012 NCAA Softball Tournament: ASU Shutout By Syracuse, Deciding Game Set For 6:00pm

Arizona State stood just one win away from winning the Tempe regional and advancing to the next round of the 2012 NCAA Tournament. All that stood in their way were the No. 25 Syracuse Orange, who the Sun Devils had beaten 3-1 on Saturday.

It also featured a rematch of yesterday's starters, ASU's Dallas Escobedo and Jenna Caira from Syracuse. Unlike Saturday, however, the Orange took the upper hand.

Syracuse plated a first inning run off a home run by Stephanie Watts, before the game settled into a fierce pitcher's duel.

Escobedo, House of Sparky's Star of the Week, was again brilliant. After the homer, she allowed just one other hit and struck out eight. However, her teammates weren't able to pick her up, as Caira's pitching confounded ASU bats all afternoon long.

She was able to scatter four Sun Devil hits across seven innings in a terrific performance to secure her 26th win of the season. ASU shortstop Katelyn Boyd managed two hits, but grounded out in the seventh while trying to start a rally.

With the win, the Tempe regional will come down to a deciding seventh game that will take place this afternoon at 6:00pm.

Click here to see the full (and printable) 2012 softball tournament bracket.

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