ASU exploits errors, bounces back from loss

 by Steven Falkenhagen
 published on Monday, March 24, 2008

The ASU softball team received a taste of what Pac-10 play will feel like this past weekend at the Judi Garman Classic in Fullerton, Calif.

With the exception of one game, the Sun Devils played four tightly contested, low-scoring games in which the eventual winner was the team best able to capitalize on the opposition's mistakes.

ASU (34-2), ranked No. 1 in the country by the USA Softball/ESPN.com poll, finished 4-1 in the four-day, five-game tournament.

Sun Devil ace senior pitcher Katie Burkhart (16-2) made appearances all four days. ASU brushed aside the sting of an opening 3-2 loss to Florida State (25-12) that snapped a school-record 28-game win streak on Thursday morning to beat Illinois 7-2 (14-16) in the afternoon. On Friday, the Sun Devils beat No. 15 Louisiana-Lafayette (20-8) 3-1 and closed out the tournament with a 4-2 win over New Mexico (14-10).

By beating Louisiana-Lafayette, ASU demonstrated it was worthy of its No. 1 ranking. The No. 15 Ragin' Cajuns were the Sun Devils' highest-ranked opponent so far this season.

ASU turned to Burkhart to lead the team to the victory. The left-hander didn't disappoint, spinning another complete game, giving up one earned run on three hits, with eight strikeouts.

ASU was designated as the "home" team, and the score was knotted at zero until the bottom of the third when the Sun Devils plated two unearned runs off freshman starter Ashley Brignac. ASU junior left fielder Jessica Mapes led off the inning by reaching on an error credited to freshman third baseman Jessica Dupont. Then senior second baseman Mindy Cowles was hit by a pitch, moving Mapes to second. Junior center fielder Kaitlin Cochran fouled out to right field, which moved Mapes and Cowles to third base and second base, respectively. After freshman third baseman Krista Donnenwirth popped up, senior right fielder Jackie Vasquez hit a two-out single up the middle to drive in the two runs.

Sophomore outfielder Caylyn Carlson had an RBI pinch-hit single to the shortstop to give the Sun Devils their third run.

The Sun Devils concluded their weekend with a 4-2 win over New Mexico.

Sophomore pitcher Megan Elliott (13-0) took the mound for ASU and continued her unbeaten streak, earning the win by pitching 4 2/3 innings of four-hit, shutout ball, while striking out four. Burkhart came in to relieve Elliott in the fifth inning for the save.

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