Pitching powers Sun Devils

 by Steven Falkenhagen
 published on Monday, March 17, 2008

The ASU softball team was able to effectively multi-task on Friday night.

The Sun Devils won yet another game in convincing fashion, 8-0 in five innings over Santa Clara, while raising awareness for breast cancer, a disease that affects millions of people every year.

It was "Pink Out" night at Farrington Stadium as every Sun Devil wore pink socks, and the coaches and grounds crew wore pink shirts. The chalk lines and bases were also pink.

Before the game, the team recognized survivors of breast cancer, including a five-year-old who was born with the disease.

As far as the game went, the Sun Devils (30-1), ranked No. 1 USA Softball/ESPN.com poll, gave their fans a treat.

Senior ace pitcher Katie Burkhart pitched a perfect game, the third in her career. She now holds the program record for perfect games.

The offense scored in every inning except one. In the bottom of the first, a run came by way of a fielding error by Santa Clara freshman shortstop Amanda Edmonson.

The Sun Devils opened the game with four runs in the second inning, two runs coming in on a double by senior second baseman Mindy Cowles, expanding the lead to 5-0. Another run came in the fourth inning as senior centerfielder Kaitlin Cochran led off the inning with a single to the right side. Cochran would come around to score by virtue of a fielder's choice on a ground ball by ASU freshman third baseman Krista Donnenwirth.

The Sun Devils were able to invoke the mercy-rule by scoring two runs in the bottom of the fifth inning. After sophomore right fielder Caylyn Carlson scored on a single by sophomore first baseman Ashley Muenz, Muenz scored what would prove to be a the winning run on a wild pitch by Bronco senior pitcher Jackie Morales.

"The most important thing about tonight was the reason we played, breast cancer, the 'Pink Out' type thing," ASU coach Clint Myers said. "You saw there was a little girl out there who was born with cancer, five years old.

"Nobody should have to go through that. If we can do a small part and raise a little bit of money to cure cancer, any kind of cancer, I think that's very important."

The following day, the Sun Devils swept a double-header against the Broncos. Sophomore pitcher Megan Elliott (11-0) earned another win in a 13-8 victory over Santa Clara.

Junior pitcher Amanda Nesbitt (4-0) pitched her first no-hitter as a Sun Devil in a game that ended 11-0 in four and a half innings.

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