May 18, 2002
LAFAYETTE, La. - A Phelan Wright sacrifice fly to right field in the top of the seventh inning, scoring Jennifer Forner from third, was the difference in the game as the second-seeded and fourth-ranked Arizona State softball team (42-18) defeated fourth-seeded Massachusetts (53-11), 1-0, today in a second round game of the Region III Tournament at the Lady Cajun Park in Lafayette, Louisiana.
Forner opened the seventh with a leadoff single to center and was followed with another single to center by Missy Hixon. Nichole Thompson then got on on a short chop infield hit to load the bases. After one out, Wright hit the ball fairly deep to right, allowing Forner to tag up at third and score.
Erica Beach (29-13) pitched an outstanding three-hit shutout with eight strikeouts. ASU out hit UMass 11-3, but left nine runners stranded.
Up next, Arizona State will play one, possible two more games today. The Sun Devils will first play the winner of the LSU vs. Louisiana-Lafayette game scheduled for around 5:30 p.m. If the Sun Devils win that, they will advance to Sunday's championship game. If ASU losses, they will have to turn around and play a losers bracket game at 7:30 p.m. tonight