Sun Devil bats ignite tournament win

 by Steven Falkenhagen
 published on Monday, March 3, 2008

Bettina Hansen / THE STATE PRESS

WEB SIGHT: Sophomore infielder Katie Crabb catches the ball at first base to snag an out in the last inning of the Sun Devils’ win against San Jose State Sunday.

Yet another tournament sweep.

It's becoming almost redundant for the ASU softball team (21-1), as the Sun Devils hosted and won the DeMarini Invitational this past weekend.

On Friday, ASU scored in double digits in both games, beating Drake 10-0 before dispatching Florida International 16-7, in five innings.

The Sun Devils opened up the month of March by keeping their winning streak alive on Saturday, with wins over BYU, 8-2, and Arkansas, 6-5, in extra innings.

ASU finished the weekend, winning the last game of the tournament by beating San Jose State 11-1 in five innings. The ASU winning streak now stands at 18 games.

Although the ASU pitching was solid, it was the Sun Devil bats that carried the team through the weekend, as senior infielder Mindy Cowles won MVP of the tournament — a designation usually reserved for a pitcher.

Cowles earned the trophy, hitting a torrid .615 on the weekend in 13 at-bats, and eight runs scored, including the game-winner against Arkansas. Not to mention a home run and five RBIs for a .923 slugging percentage.

Cowles now leads the team with a .490 batting average and is second on the team with a .618 on-base percentage. Cowles also has a 17-game hitting streak.

"I'm just seeing the ball better now, and I'm going up there and not thinking so much," Cowles said. "I'm not trying to look for certain pitches. I just want to see the ball and hit it."

ASU freshman third baseman Krista Donnenwirth mirrored Cowles' success at the plate. She was named Most Valuable Hitter of the tournament, sporting a .564 batting average, with eight runs scored, three home runs and 11 RBIs.

Donnenwirth leads the team with six home runs and 34 RBIs on the year. She and junior center fielder Kaitlin Cochran are the only two players who have started every game for ASU this year.

"Sometimes I get way too anxious up there and then I get myself out," Donnenwirth said. "I try to visualize the pitch I want to hit right before my at-bats."

Defensively, senior ace Katie Burkhart (9-1) got the start against BYU and San Jose State, and also came in the game in relief of junior pitcher Amanda Nesbitt.

While Burkhart did get two wins and a save, she didn't always dominate. She gave up two solo home runs versus BYU and one against SJSU.

Burkhart's biggest success of the tournament came courtesy of the save against Florida International. She pitched 2 2/3 innings of no-hit ball on the strength of seven strikeouts. Despite the home runs, Burkhart still has an impressive 0.45 ERA on the season in 61 2/3 innings pitched to go along with her 127 strikeouts.

Sophomore pitcher Megan Elliott (8-0) got the start against Drake and Arkansas. She had one of her best performances of the year against Drake, pitching a complete game, three-hit shut out, while striking out seven batters.

She also pitched a solid five innings against Arkansas, until giving up a grand slam to sophomore third baseman Sandra Smith that would tie the game. Elliott would end up with a no-decision in the game.

Her ERA now stands at 1.92 through 51 innings pitched.

Reach the reporter at: steven.falkenhagen@asu.edu.