March 1, 2002
TEMPE, Ariz. - Just two outs shy of throwing her second career perfect game, Arizona State pitcher Erica Beach (11-2) fired a one-hitter as the ninth-ranked Arizona State softball team (17-4) shutout Boston College (3-8), 9-0 in five innings at Farrington Stadium Friday night. The game ended under the eight run mercy rule in the fifth inning.
Beach had a perfect game heading into the fifth inning when she surrendered her only hit of the night. BC's Cara Blumfield led off the inning with a hard hit ball that went just out of the reach of second baseman Missy Hixon. Beach then retired the next three batters to earn her 11th win of the year.
Arizona State scored early and often with three runs in the first, two in the second and four in the fourth. In the first inning, Hixon walked and then advanced to second on a passed ball. Nichole Thompson followed with a bunt single, while Hixon advanced home on a throwing error by the catcher. Kara Brun then got on by a fielder's choice. Brun and Thompson then pulled a double steal, but the Eagles' catcher fired wide again, scoring Thompson. Beach then drilled a long single that was just inches shy of going over the wall in center field to score Brun for the third run.
Jennifer Forner opened the second inning with a single to center field. After two outs, Thompson sliced another single to center field to plate Forner. Eagle pitcher Tekae Malandris (2-6) then loaded the bases and walked Adriana Garcia for the second run of the inning. However, Malandris struck out the final ASU batter to get out of another bases loaded jam.
In the fourth inning, Hixon and Thompson, who went 3-for-3 with three runs scored and two RBIs, each singled followed by a Brun walk to load the bases again. Beach then stepped to the plate and singled to right field, scoring Hixon and Thompson. ASU tagged on another run by an error by the BC second baseman, while Erin Wardein singled in the final run of the game.
Up next, the two teams will face one another again on Saturday at 7:00 p.m.