May 25, 2002
OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. - After delaying the game over night and stopping it one more time on Saturday for 25 more minutes due to thunderstorms, the second round Women's College World Series softball game came down to a single run in the eighth inning as second-seeded Arizona (54-11) edged third-seeded Arizona State (45-19), 1-0 this afternoon in Oklahoma City. The loss sends Arizona State into a loser's bracket and elimination game later Saturday tonight at 4:30 p.m. (Arizona time) on ESPN against the winner of the elimination game between UCLA and Oklahoma.
Friday night before the game was called, Arizona State had its chances early on against UA starter Jennie Finch in the first three innings, leaving four runners stranded with three in scoring position. As play resumed Saturday morning in their top of the fourth inning, ASU starter Erica Beach gave up her first two hits of the game, but UA could not plate any runners.
Arizona State was unable to generate much offense against Finch as she allowed only one hit, an infield single to Kristin Farber in the second inning. The one hit extended Farber's hitting streak to 15 games, but it was also the least amount of hits the Sun Devils produced all year.
Beach held UA scoreless until the eighth inning. Lovie Jung started with a walk and then moved to second on a single to left field by Courtney Fossatti. Finch then sacrificed Jung and Fossatti to second and third, while Leneah Manuma was intentionally walked to load the bases. Mackenzie Vandergeest followed with a hard hit ball that clipped the top of Beach's glove, however, the ball was directed to Kara Brun who got Quiroz on a force at second, but it also allowed Jung to score the winning run from third.
Finch then retired the ASU side in order. Beach (32-14) took the tough loss, allowing only four hits with seven strikeouts.